Patriots Day in Eliot Square

Remember the adage of "one if by land, two if by sea?" When Paul Revere traveled north from the Old North Church to warn of the British movements, another man, William Dawes, rode south through Roxbury before traveling to Concord and Lexington. In modern times, the citizens of Roxbury (and the communities connected to us by that ride), honor and celebrate William Dawes' contribution to the American Revolution. A breakfast and benediction are held at the First Church in Roxbury each year on Patriot's Day. The Massachusetts National Lancers re-enact William Dawes' ride and travel by horse from Roxbury through Brookline, Allston, Cambridge, and Arlington to Lexington. The Dillaway-Thomas House also opens to the public and the Roxbury Collaborative provides free one-hour tours.

The Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA) is Boston's only museum dedicated to the preservation, critique, and presentation of the visual arts by artists from the African diaspora. Discover Roxbury works closely with the museum to provide guided group visits to the museum during special exhibitions, which are sometimes paired with lunch at a local restaurant. Recent visits included the Merengue exhibition - with lunch at Meregenue restaurant - and a look at the work of Fritz Duchene.

In 2009, Discover Roxbury partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, ACT Roxbury, and AAMARP/Northeastern University Department of African-American Studies to hold the opening reception for the annual Roxbury Open Studios at the Museum of Fine Arts as part of the mfafirstfriday series. The annual reception is an opportunity for artists to interact with each other and meet the public before setting up across the neighborhood. The event featured a cash bar, live jazz, and a one-night juried exhibition by Roxbury artists. Entry was free for MFA members and free with Museum admission for non-members.

Heart of the Hub is a celebration and unique fundraising event that draws upon the strengths and assets of Roxbury! For three hours participants enjoy an evening of live music, dancing, and a silent auction featuring original art and interactive experiences. One of the annual highlighs is A Taste of Roxbury dinner, which offers a selection of food from Roxbury restaurants and caterers:

In 2009, Discover Roxbury inaugurated the Roxbury Puddingstone Awards, with the first two awardees being E. Barry Gaither, Director of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, and Byron Rushing, State Representative.