The City of Boston’s own calendar has three free things on Sept 19, all posted on boston.gov: an emergency preparedness field day, a park groundbreaking, and the first session of the Parks Fitness classes at Savin Hill Park, Franklin Park and Mission Hill Playground.
Ready Boston Field Day, Jamaica Plain
The city’s Office of Emergency Management holds its 4th annual Ready Boston Field Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on South Street in Jamaica Plain. The calendar page describes it as a free community event where residents and visitors can engage with the Office of Emergency Management, first responders and other government resources, and it notes that September is National Preparedness Month.
What ReadyBoston asks of a household
ReadyBoston is the city’s community emergency preparedness initiative, developed under the guidance of FEMA’s Ready America initiative. The city says it rests on three pillars: creating a household emergency plan, making a household emergency kit and go-bag, and being informed about hazards. The same page points to the city’s emergency alerts, which notify residents when there is an emergency in the city.
The federal kit list, in short
Ready.gov’s basic disaster supplies kit starts with water, one gallon per person per day for several days, and a several-day supply of non-perishable food. One item on that basic list matters more once you own the place: a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities. The page’s additional-supplies list adds copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records, saved electronically or kept in a waterproof, portable container.
West of Washington Family Park, Dorchester
From noon to 2 p.m., Boston Parks and Recreation, the WOW Coalition and the Dorchester community break ground on the West of Washington Family Park on Norwell Street. The city describes the project as the transformation of four vacant lots into a new community park.
Parks Fitness, through Oct 17
The city’s fall Parks Fitness series began Sept 13 and runs through Oct 17 in several parks on several days of the week. Three of its classes hold their first session on Sept 19 and repeat weekly until Oct 17: yoga at Savin Hill Park in Dorchester, a walking group at the William J. Devine Golf Clubhouse in Franklin Park, and a dancehall bootcamp at Mission Hill Playground. The classes are free, taught by certified instructors, and run as a partnership between the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Public Health Commission. Registration is on Eventbrite, and that’s how the city sends updates if weather cancels a class.
If you’re new to the city
If you’ve just bought or rented in Boston, the field day is where you can meet the emergency management staff and first responders in person, and the Dorchester groundbreaking is four vacant lots on Norwell Street becoming a park. Ask me about any Boston neighborhood. Diana Kim, REALTOR®, eXp Realty.
Questions
Common questions
What is Ready Boston Field Day?
A free City of Boston event held by the Office of Emergency Management, in its 4th year in 2026, on Sept 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on South Street in Jamaica Plain, where residents can meet emergency management staff and first responders.
What are ReadyBoston's three pillars?
A household emergency plan, a household emergency kit and go-bag, and being informed about hazards, according to the city's ReadyBoston page.
When do the free Parks Fitness classes at Savin Hill Park, Franklin Park and Mission Hill Playground run?
Weekly from Sept 19 through Oct 17, 2026. They're free, and registration is on Eventbrite. The city's wider fall series began Sept 13 on other days and in other parks.
What is the West of Washington Family Park?
A new community park on Norwell Street in Dorchester, built on four vacant lots. The city breaks ground on Sept 19 from noon to 2 p.m.
How much water does ready.gov say to keep in an emergency kit?
One gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation.
Sources
- City of Boston events calendar, Ready Boston Field Day: 'September 19, 2026 11:00am - 3:00pm', South Street, Jamaica Plain, 'Price FREE'. 'Ready Boston Field Day is a ... free community event that gives residents and visitors of the City an opportunity to engage with the Office of Emergency Management, first responders and other government resources that both support emergency response needs and provide daily response efforts to the needs residents of Boston.'
- boston.gov, ReadyBoston (Emergency Management): 'ReadyBoston is a citywide community emergency preparedness initiative.' 'Developed under the guidance of the FEMA ReadyAmerica initiative, ReadyBoston focuses on an all-hazards approach (natural or man-made) for emergency preparedness based on three pillars: creating a household emergency plan, making a household emergency kit and Go-Bag, and being informed about various hazards.'
- City of Boston events calendar, West of Washington Family Park Groundbreaking: 'September 19, 2026 12:00pm - 2:00pm', WOW Family Park, Norwell Street, Dorchester, 'Price FREE'. 'Join BPRD, the WOW Coalition, and the Dorchester community to celebrate the transformation of four vacant lots into a new community park.'
- City of Boston events calendar, Parks Fitness: Yoga with Karma: 'Participate in FREE fitness classes offered by one of our certified instructors. Our classes are a partnership between the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Public Health Commission.' 'September 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am', repeats weekly 'starting from September 19, 2026, until October 17, 2026', Savin Hill Park, Dorchester. 'Bring your mat or a towel, water and some sunscreen'. Registration on Eventbrite 'to receive updates, if there are changes or cancellations due to weather'.
- City of Boston events calendar, Parks Fitness: Walking Group with Brandy: 'September 19, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am', weekly until October 17, 2026, William J. Devine Golf Clubhouse, Franklin Park: 'our fun outdoor walking program at Franklin Park'.
- City of Boston events calendar, Parks Fitness: Dancehall Bootcamp with Miciyiaah: 'September 19, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm', weekly until October 17, 2026, Mission Hill Playground, Smith Street: 'a fun, high-energy class ... no experience needed'.
- Ready.gov, Build a Kit, Basic Disaster Supplies Kit: 'Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)'; 'Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)'; 'Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)'. Same page, Additional Emergency Supplies ('Consider adding the following items ... based on your individual needs'): 'Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container'.
- boston.gov, Boston Parks Fitness Series page: '2026 Fall Fitness Weekly In-Person Classes September 13 - October 17'. The series runs in several parks on several days of the week; the three classes whose first session is September 19 (Yoga with Karma at Savin Hill Park, Walking Group with Brandy at the William J. Devine Golf Clubhouse in Franklin Park, Dancehall Bootcamp with Miciyiaah at Mission Hill Playground) each repeat weekly from September 19 until October 17, 2026 per their calendar pages.
Written by Diana Yeji Kim — REALTOR® at eXp Realty, serving Greater Boston in English, Korean, and Japanese.
← All articles