Greek Independence Day Parade on Boylston

Boston’s Greek Independence Day Parade will step off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, sending marchers down Boylston Street to Boston Common and closing streets in Back Bay. (boston.gov) The City of Boston said the 2026 route matches last year’s: Boylston Street, left onto Charles Street, ending at the Common. The parade appears in city traffic advisories published on April 3 and April 17. (boston.gov) Boston officials warned that the parade will bring street closures, traffic detours, and reduced on-street parking in the Back Bay. The city’s advisory also tells travelers to expect restrictions around the route on Sunday afternoon. (boston.gov) The event lands one week after Patriots’ Day weekend and the Boston Marathon, when Boston and state agencies were already urging residents to plan around heavy travel and event-related restrictions. April has become one of the city’s busiest months for large street events. (boston.gov; mass.gov) Greek Independence Day marks Greece’s 1821 uprising against Ottoman rule, and Boston has long used the parade to celebrate Greek heritage in one of New England’s largest Greek American communities. The city’s advisories describe it as an annual event. (britannica.com; boston.gov) For people heading downtown, Boston’s advice is straightforward: use public transportation when possible, buy a round-trip Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ticket in advance, and expect walking to be faster near the route. Those steps mirror the city’s standard guidance for major parade days. (boston.gov) By late Sunday, the parade will have moved from Boylston to Charles and into the Common, but the practical message is already set: Back Bay drivers should plan around a 1 p.m. start and a familiar route. (boston.gov)