Get ready to freeze for a cause! On Saturday, March 21, hundreds of brave participants will gather at the historic Revere Beach for the 2026 Revere Polar Plunge. This high-energy event, formerly known as the Nahant Polar Plunge, invites community members to take a chilly dip in the Atlantic Ocean to raise vital funds and awareness for Special Olympics Massachusetts.
The festivities will take place at the Reinstein Bandstand (350 Revere Beach Boulevard). Registration and check-in begin at 10 a.m., followed by the official Plunge at 12 noon. After the splash, an awards program will be held at 12:30 p.m. to celebrate the top fundraisers and most spirited participants.
The Polar Plunge is about more than just cold water; it’s about going to the extreme to support the 20,000+ Special Olympics athletes across the Commonwealth. Every dollar raised helps provide year-round sports training, competition, and a sense of belonging for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Registration: Participants can sign up as individuals or teams at fundraise.specialolympicsma.org/events/979.
To participate, Plungers are encouraged to raise a minimum of $100. Those who reach this goal will receive a limited-edition 2026 Polar Plunge long-sleeve shirt or crewneck sweatshirt.
Current top fundraising teams include GE Aerospace – Lynn and South High & Friends, but there is still plenty of time for new teams to join the leaderboard. Whether you are plunging with a corporate team, a school group, or as an individual, your bravery helps build a more inclusive world on and off the playing field.
For those taking public transportation, the event is conveniently located near the Revere Beach MBTA stop on the Blue Line. Parking is also available along Ocean Avenue.
Special Olympics Massachusetts provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These opportunities allow athletes to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience the joy of sharing gifts, skills, and friendship with their families and the community.
Opening Day at Fenway: Lansdowne Street Bars Kick Off the Season with Live Music, Red Sox Ticket Easter Egg Hunt
Opening Day at Fenway Park returns on Friday, April 3, and Lansdowne Street’s most iconic venues are celebrating with a full day of live music, DJs, and pre- and post-game parties. Loretta’s Last Call, Lansdowne Pub, Bill’s Bar, Bleacher Bar, and Game On! will open early to welcome fans heading to Fenway Park for the first home game of the season and one of Boston’s most anticipated spring traditions.
To add to the excitement leading into Easter Weekend, the Lansdowne Street venues are launching a citywide Fenway Opening Weekend Easter Egg Hunt. On Friday, April 3, Easter eggs will be hidden around Boston containing pairs of Red Sox tickets for the Sunday or Monday home games. Each egg will include instructions on how winners can claim their tickets via the MLB Ballpark App. Clues will be posted through the venues’ Instagram accounts with minimal hints about the egg locations. Fans are encouraged to follow along for clues: @gameonfenway | @lorettaslastcall | @bleacherbar | @lansdownepub
All Lansdowne Street venues will open at 10:00am on Opening Day, four hours before first pitch, continuing their tradition of opening early for every Red Sox home game to give fans a place to celebrate before and after the game.
Sparky the Fire Dog is turning 75!
Sparky the Fire Dog®, the official mascot of the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), is turning 75! This milestone birthday reflects a legacy that spans the generations. Since his official launch on March 18, 1951, Sparky has helped fire professionals, teachers, safety advocates, civic organizations, businesses, and the media, among others, share educational fire and life safety information with the public, delivering invaluable impact.
“Sparky is an emblem of fire safety for kids and adults alike, and his messages are just as relevant today as they were nearly 75 years ago,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “His dogged determination to highlight the importance of home fire safety over the decades has ultimately helped reduce fire loss and injuries in North America.”
Among his many achievements, Sparky has touted long-lasting fire safety messages in support of Fire Prevention Week™ – NFPA’s largest annual public awareness campaign – such as “Stop, drop and roll”; “Get out, stay out”; “Dial 9-1-1”; and “Know two ways out”. He has also served as the brand for countless NFPA educational programs, resources, and initiatives, including NFPA’s Learn Not to Burn® curricula, children’s books, online activities, videos, apps, safety tip sheets, and brochures, to name just a few, promoting basic but critical fire safety information with a mix of spirit, authority, and compassion.
In recognition of Sparky’s big day, NFPA is reminding the public that while we’ve continued to make significant progress in reducing the home fire problem, real risks remain. A U.S. fire department responded to a fire every 23 seconds, on average, in 2024. A home structure fire was reported every 96 seconds, while a home fire death occurred every three hours, and a home fire injury occurred every 59 minutes. In addition, the majority of U.S. fire deaths (70 percent) continues to occur in homes.
“The number of U.S. home fires has declined significantly over the past decades, which reflects significant progress, but the home fire death rate has not seen the same declines in recent years. In fact, you’re more likely to die in a home fire today than in 1980,” said Carli. “These sobering statistics reinforce that our work is far from done.”
Visit Sparky’s website at sparky.org/ for a wealth of age-appropriate games, videos, apps, and other activities that make learning about fire safety easy and fun, along with fun resources and activities that can be used to celebrate his big day. In addition, Sparky School House offers fire safety lesson plans, resources, and activities for teachers, parents, caregivers and students, many of which can be easily downloaded and shared.