Mayor Michelle Wu today announced Boston Artisan Market (BAM), a new activation featuring Boston-based vendors in the recently opened pavilion building on City Hall Plaza. BAM is being
hosted in partnership with Bogosplit, a Black, woman-owned tech company committed to supporting and promoting all small businesses, and will open Friday, March 17, 2023. The market will showcase local designers and vendors displaying their clothing lines, skincare products, jewelry, wearable art, and more. The pavilion is a new building that was added to the City Hall Plaza footprint during the City Hall Plaza renovation project, and is an example of the City’s efforts to create family-friendly public spaces and to bring vibrancy to Downtown Boston.
BAM will kick off the start of each weekend with “Fashion Fridays,” which will include a fashion show highlighting local models, influencers and DJs, including DJ Maverik. There will also be a Ratata Chimi Food Truck on site, which celebrates Dominican culture through authentic, local cuisine.
“We reopened City Hall Plaza with the intention of creating spaces for people of all ages to come together Downtown. BAM is one piece of our ongoing vision for the Plaza, building community while supporting local entrepreneurs,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I encourage residents to visit BAM and enjoy the rotating vendors and designers.”
BAM will be open Fridays from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m., Saturdays from 12:00 - 8:00 p.m., and Sundays from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. starting on March 17th and running through May 6th.
“We are extremely excited to host this program and expect it to be the first of many. Visitors to the Boston Artisan Market will have the opportunity to explore and discover all of the wonderful features of the City Hall Plaza including the new pavilion, the green spaces and the playground,” said Eamon Shelton, Commissioner of Property Management.
“This market serves as an opportunity to activate the new City Hall Plaza and attract residents and visitors downtown for a fun, family-friendly event,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “I am excited as BAM will also allow us to continue the work to support and promote our small business community moving forward.”
“This event is a great opportunity for us to test new ways of utilizing the improved plaza and showcase local artisans and vendors,” said Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. “We look forward to working with our new City Hall Plaza Engagement Manager to bring more cultural programming like this to City Hall Plaza this year.”
The vendors for the Boston Artisan Market will be a mix of Boston based and Greater Boston based vendors, such as Oblige Boutique, run by two Boston-based sisters. Other vendors range from skincare and makeup to accessories to luggage. The vendors and featured designers will rotate every weekend.
“We are very excited for this opportunity to broaden our reach and introduce our brand to fellow locals and tourists in the heart of Boston,” said Tania Shabazz, Owner of Oblige Boutique. “The Boston Artisan Market is another great example of the city supporting local small businesses and expanding the footprint of marketplaces that connect entrepreneurs and neighboring communities with a centralized shopping experience!”
“We at Bogosplit have a true commitment to community building. Our mission is to create a vibrant and inclusive shopping experience that celebrates and elevates the creativity and diversity of the Boston community,” said Keyla Williams, Co-founder and CEO of Bogosplit. “Join us in celebrating the vibrancy of Boston's local businesses and artisans at BAM…where creativity meets community."
The pavilion building opened as part of the official City Hall Plaza reopening last November. More about the renovations to make City Hall a more welcoming, sustainable space can be found here. Photo by Elizabeth Warren, Wikimedia commons.