Newbury Street will be pedestrian-only for three days in August, city announces

Pedestrians walked along Newbury Street in May.Steven Senne/Associated Press

Boston’s tony Newbury Street will be open to pedestrians only for three Sundays in August, Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s office announced Friday.

Pedestrians and businesses will be able to take up the entire street on Aug. 15, 22, and 29 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the statement said.

“Open Newbury Street provides exciting new opportunities for businesses to engage their customers on repurposed street space, and allow pedestrians to enjoy the full width of this famous Boston street,” the statement said.

On those days, Newbury Street will be closed to drivers from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue, the statement said. Parking will be restricted on Newbury Street and adjacent streets beginning at 5 a.m.

The intersections of Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester, and Hereford streets will be closed to cars, the city’s website states, but the remaining intersections will be open to traffic.

“We look forward to supporting businesses by providing space for them to engage customers in creative ways,” Janey said in the statement.

The announcement of this year’s pedestrian-only days come after foot traffic on the mile-long stretch of stores and restaurants took a hit last year with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on businesses that followed. As the measures lifted, many restaurants built outdoor dining space on parts of the street in the spring and summer months.

“[Merchants] are excited to open up again: our stores are very small so it was hard to have capacity limits in the last year,” Kathy Palmer, president of The Fish & Bone pet supply shop, said in the statement. “Having the ability to bring your brand out onto the street in open air where everyone is safe and there’s no fear of being too close, that really helps!”

Businesses that want to participate must have a brick-and-mortar location on Newbury Street, the city’s website states, and fill out a form.

The city’s website notes it will consider extending open street days into September depending on feedback. Those who wish to submit their thoughts can E-mail [e-mail].