In 2026, the Arnold Arboretum debuted a captivating new event: Afterglow at the Arnold! This enchanting evening of discovery under the stars celebrates the Arboretum as a free public park in the City of Boston, a “museum of trees,” a conservation and research institution, and a community resource for education and well-being. The inaugural event on Thursday, September 24, 2026 was hosted in the Arboretum’s Explorers Garden on Bussey Hill, where plants collected from around the world are cultivated to support the study and preservation of biodiversity. Envisioned as an annual opportunity, Afterglow at the Arnold is designed to connect people to plants and to each another in the Arboretum’s extraordinary landscape.
Presented with the Young Friends at the Arnold—our friends group designed to inspire supporters aged 21-45 and anyone young at heart—Afterglow at the Arnold invites everyone to discover the Arboretum, its plants, and its community in a different light.
Afterglow 2026 Sponsors
Marquee Rhody Dell Sponsor
Bartlett Tree Experts
Flame Azalea Sponsor
Eastern Bank Foundation
Afterglow 2026 Event Committee
Arisa Boit
RoAnn Costin
Joan Kelly
Shelly Lamborn
Georgia Lee
Kate & Celia Segel
Heather Bello Thornhill