Extended Summer Evenings
More Hours for Flowers
The Garden is open late this summer on Wednesdays and Thursdays!
Make the most of the season’s long days and beautiful twilights with golden hour experiences at the Garden. Extended Wednesdays and Thursday Summer Evenings offer more hours for flowers and plenty of opportunities to savor the summer.
Wander our woodland trails, admire the vibrant summer blooms, savor delicious dinner specials, and catch colorful sunsets over the Wachusett Reservoir. Plus, discover an exciting lineup of workshops and classes for all ages — perfect for sparking creativity and connecting with nature. Extended evenings are perfect for an after-work social, a fun night with friends, or a memorable evening with your family. Your new favorite tradition awaits!
Outside alcohol is not permitted at the Garden.
INCLUDED WITH GENERAL ADMISSION
These evenings are included with the cost of General Admission. We recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance to secure your preferred date. You can also purchase tickets in person at the Garden.
If a date is listed as SOLD OUT, no more tickets will be released for that date and additional tickets will not be available at the door. General Admission tickets for each month go on sale at the beginning of the month prior. Once tickets are available, they can be reserved through our Plan Your Visit page.
General Admission tickets coming soon.
New England Botanic Garden is pleased to offer individuals with an EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare card up to six free general admissions to the Garden during the months of June, July, and August 2026. This offer can be used during daytime visits and extended hours on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. To redeem: Enter promotional code CTCST at checkout.
We are proud to participate in the Card to Culture program, a collaboration between Mass Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Health Connector, and the Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program to broaden accessibility to cultural programming. See full list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.
EXTENDED WEDNESDAYS
Wednesdays, June 17 – July 29 | 5–9 PM
August | 5–8 PM
Soak in the sunset and savor fresh, wood-fired pizzas or flame-grilled summer favorites, paired with drink specials from a rotating lineup of standout breweries and distilleries. On select Wednesday evenings, join us for Lotería Nights in partnership with Casita Cultura Latina.
Lotería Nights
Taking place on select Wednesday evenings in partnership with Casita Cultura Latina. Stay tuned for more information!
Check back soon for the Extended Wednesdays menu and a lineup of spotlighted breweries and distilleries. Please note that the Farmer and the Fork café will not be open during Wednesday evenings. Outside alcohol is not permitted at the Garden.
*All Youth and Adult programs require advance registration. View our Events Calendar to register. Stay tuned for more information on our Craft & Cocktail Series and other classes & workshops.
Craft & Cocktail Series: Spend the evening creating at the Garden! Enjoy hands-on art, photography, floral design, and botanical mixology workshops, each including one complimentary craft beer or cocktail.
Select Wednesdays & Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.
THURSDAY SUMMER EVENINGS
Thursdays, June 18 – July 30 | 5–9 PM
August | 5–8 PM
Enjoy live music, a beer garden, lawn games, and more as you explore the Garden after-hours with friends and family. Check out our schedule of performances and activities below to learn more about our exciting lineup.
Live Music: Spend an evening at the Garden listening to live music performed by talented local artists. Stay tuned for the performance schedule.
Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston: On select Thursday evenings, the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston will be setting up their telescopes in the gardens, allowing guests to interact with them and view the night sky in a whole new way.
*Please note, this activity is weather-dependent.
Check back soon for the Thursday Summer Evenings menu. Outside alcohol is not permitted at the Garden.
Beer Garden: Choose from a variety of craft beers, wines, cocktails, mocktails, and snacks to enjoy while you explore the grounds.
5–8:30PM in June & July
5–7:30PM in August
Café: Enjoy Thursday Summer Evening specials in addition to the regular menu.
Dinner: 5–7:30PM in June, July, and August
Drinks and Desserts: 5–8:30PM in June & July and 5–7:30PM in August
*All Youth and Adult programs require advance registration. View our Events Calendar to register. Stay tuned for more information.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Family Firefly Walks | Ages 3-14
Thursday, June 18, 25, & July 2, 8–9 p.m.
Explore the gardens and trails by moonlight and search for our favorite nocturnal insect.
ADULT PROGRAMS
Botanical Mixology
Select Thursdays, 6–8 p.m.
Learn how to craft the perfect version of a foundational cocktail, then discover how to transform the basic recipe into a unique libation with the addition of herbs, spices, flowers, berries, fruits, or vegetables.
Craft & Cocktail Series
Select Wednesdays & Thursdays, 6–8 p.m.
Spend the evening creating at the Garden! Enjoy hands-on art, photography, floral design, and botanical mixology workshops, each including one complimentary craft beer or cocktail.
Explore our exhibitions at golden hour!
These exhibits are included with the cost of General Admission.
GLASS IN FLIGHT
Step into a world of color and wonder with the larger-than-life stunning glass and steel art sculptures of artist Alex Heveri. Open May 16 through November 1.
BOTANICAL TATTOO Exhibit
Nature meets needle in an electrifying celebration of plant life and the art of tattooing. This unique exhibit features striking photographs of botanically inspired tattoos alongside bold floral flash designs by talented local artists. Open April 4 through July 12.
Deeply Rooted, An Exhibition
This special anniversary exhibit brings the Garden’s story to life—from its visionary beginnings to the role it plays today as a place of connection, wonder, and inspiration. Learn about the evolution of gardens and landscapes, uncover captivating stories, and experience the lasting impact the Garden has had on people, plants, and the region it calls home. Rediscover the past and imagine the next 40 years with us. Learn more about our 40th anniversary.
FAQs
This year starting June 17 and running through August 27, the Garden extends our general admission hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays to 9 p.m. in June and July, and to 8 p.m. in August. Visitors can wander the gardens and wooded trails at golden hour while enjoying additional programming and food and drink specials.
Wednesday evenings offer a tranquil atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy food specials from the grill or wood-fired oven plus drink specials from a rotating lineup of breweries and distilleries. Select evenings feature Lotería, a traditional Mexican game of chance similar to bingo, hosted by our friends at Casita Cultura Latina.
Thursday evenings offer a lively atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy high-energy music performances, lawn games, and food and drink options from our beer garden bar and Farmer and the Fork café. Select evenings feature telescope-viewing with the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston.
On Wednesdays and Thursdays this summer, the Garden is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in June and July, and until 8 p.m. in August, with last admission at 8:30 p.m. in June and July and 7:30 p.m. in August. Visitors are welcome to arrive at any point prior to the last admission time.
If you would like to enjoy the live music on Thursday evenings, performances will take place from 6–8 p.m. in June and July and from 5:30–7:30 p.m. in August unless otherwise noted in the music schedule under “Thing to Do.” Please note that these evenings are not formal concerts. They are intended to be free flowing, allowing you to choose how you would like to spend your evening — exploring the gardens and trails, enjoying food and drinks, listening to live music, socializing with friends and family, or a little bit of everything!
While the Garden offers a variety of outdoor seating options, including benches and tables scattered throughout the property, seating is not provided specifically for the live music performances on Thursday evenings. Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic blankets or lawn chairs if they would like to sit while enjoying the live music, but please be mindful of other visitors wanting to enjoy the performance as space is limited.
Wednesday and Thursday evenings offer different food and drink specials. On Wednesday evenings, enjoy wood-fired pizzas from Farmer and the Fork café’s portable pizza oven, or your summer favorites straight from the grill. A rotating lineup of breweries and distilleries will also be featured each week, highlighting the best of their libations. Please note that the Farmer and the Fork café will not be open during Wednesday evenings. Menu and schedule coming soon.
On Thursday evenings, the Farmer and the Fork café will be open serving food specials in addition to the regular café menu. Orders can be placed in person in the café or online for pick-up at your selected time. Our beer garden bar will be open featuring a variety of craft beers, wines, cocktails, mocktails, and snacks like soft pretzels to enjoy on the grounds. Menu coming soon.
Visitors are also welcome to bring their own picnics. Outside alcohol is not permitted at the Garden.
Please note that on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, food service closes at 7:30 p.m. in June, July, and August, and last call for the bar ends a half-hour prior to the end time of our general admission hours.
All Youth and Adult programs during Wednesday and Thursday evenings require advanced registration. View our Events Calendar to register. If you need assistance registering, please contact the Registrar at 508-869-6111 x174 or email registrar@nebg.org.
Yes, the Garden Shop will be open during these evenings. Please note that the Shop closes 15 minutes prior to the end time of our general admission hours.
Yes, all our formal gardens and wooded trails will be open to explore during your visit. Once you are checked in, you are welcome to stay until New England Botanic Garden closes (at 9 p.m. in June and July, and at 8 p.m. in August). Please note that some garden paths and wooded trails may be more difficult to navigate at dusk.
Leashed dogs are welcome during general admission hours, including Extended Wednesdays and Thursday Summer Evenings, and are allowed throughout the gardens and trails but are NOT permitted to enter indoor spaces with the exception of the lobby of the Visitors Center. Please note that pets other than leashed dogs and service animals are not permitted at the Garden. Click here to learn more about our dog policies and guidelines.
Please note, if the Thursday Summer Evening live music is moved indoors due to inclement weather, dogs will not be permitted in any indoor spaces, including the conservatories.
We are open rain or shine for our extended general admission hours. In the case of hazardous weather, New England Botanic Garden may decide to close. If so, you will be notified by email as soon as possible on the day of your visit and you will receive a full refund for your general admission reservation.
In the case of inclement weather, food and drink service, as well as select outdoor activities, will be moved indoors and will operate as normal. On Thursday Summer Evenings, live music will be moved indoors into one of our conservatories. Please note that dogs are not permitted in any indoor spaces, including the conservatories. Additional tables and chairs will be set up for audience seating. Outdoor activities such as lawn games and the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston will be cancelled.
Tickets for general admission are non-refundable after you have checked in. If you reserved your tickets in advance but decide before you arrive that you can no longer attend on the date for which you purchased tickets, you have several options. Click here to view our general admission Ticket Refund and Exchange Policy. None of these options will result in cash or credit card refunds for unused ticket purchase price.
If you did not purchase your general admission tickets in advance, your reservation and payment will be completed on-site upon check-in at the front desk.
We have a large, well-lit parking lot on site. There is no charge for parking.
Accessible parking is located closest to the building in the first parking lot on the right. You can learn more about accessibility at the Garden here.
If you choose to use Uber, Lyft, or another taxi service, please note that our entry gate on French Drive will close automatically for arriving vehicles at the end of the event. Please plan to be picked up before the property closes at 9 p.m. in June and July and at 8 p.m. in August. We recommend scheduling rideshares in advance.