The
Hatch Memorial Shell (commonly referred to as the "Hatch Shell") is an outdoor concert venue adjacent to the
Charles River Esplanade near downtown
Boston. The Hatch Shell is best known for hosting the
Boston Pops Orchestra annually for the Boston
Fourth of July celebration, but is also used for free concerts most weekends and many weeknights during the summer months. The grass pavilion in front of the stage has no permanent seating. There is a memorial to
Arthur Fiedler, first permanent conductor of the Pops, nearby.
The original shell was built in 1928 as a temporary venue for the Pops with expectations of construction of a permanent structure in the near future. Owing to sparse funding throughout the
Great Depression, construction of a permanent Hatch Shell was delayed until 1941. In preparation for its 50th anniversary in 1991, it underwent significant renovation and repair along with modernization of its
acoustics. Bostonian Howard Brickman, a master craftsman specializing in wood floors, re-created the intricate interior paneling of the shell by hand.
Other uses of the Hatch Shell include movie showings and political speeches, and it is used as a meeting place for large events, such as
AIDS Walk Boston and the
Larry Kessler 5K Run. The grass pavilion is used for picnics, casual sports, and sunbathing in a manner typical of urban parks.
The Hatch Shell was also the venue for the largest concert in Independent Music Industry history, when
Dispatch held
The Last Dispatch concert there and 110,000 people attended.