The first, the Return of the Swans Parade, marches in on May 7 at 11 a.m. Free and open to the public, this trek around the perimeter of the park, starting on the Boylston Street side, features live dancers and musicians, as well as other entertainment for the kids. All this serves as a prelude to the main event. And be on the lookout for a Swan Parade-related fashion event sponsored by Chanel immediately afterward. Another beloved tradition waddles into the Public Garden on Mother s Day, May 13.
Registration begins at noon near the start of the parade, so get there early.
Registered children who stick around can enjoy live music, refreshments and entertainment from a variety of children s performers. Of course, not everyone can take that kind of excitement. For those who prefer the Public Garden for its normally quiet, peaceful qualities, they can rest assured that once the festivities die down, the park will once again revert to its normal use as an Edenic area to enjoy nature while a busy metropolis buzzes around them. Many historic statues are located there. The more prominent ones include the first, and perhaps finest, statue of George Washington on a horse from 1869 by Charlestown s Thomas Ball, as well as a tribute to the first use of ether as a painkiller at Mass. Central Hospital in 1846.