Boston Cancels In-Person 124th Marathon, Plans Virtual Race Amid Pandemic

Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6284 · Meeting of July 22, 2026

Boston cancels the 124th Boston Marathon as an in-person race for the first time since 1918. Mayor Marty Walsh and Boston Athletic Association President Tom Grilk announced Thursday that the traditional September 14 mass-participation race cannot be held safely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, replacing it with a virtual marathon spanning a full week of events. All registered runners will receive full entry-fee refunds, and qualifying times from September 2018 through 2020 will count toward 2021 entry.

Walsh pegged the economic loss to the city and region at more than $200 million. Walsh also announced a $6 million Healthy Reopening Grant for small businesses, the launch of the Healthy Streets street-improvement initiative, and $1.75 million in new philanthropic donations to the Boston Immigrant COVID-19 Collaborative, which has served more than 20,000 families. Boston Police Commissioner William Gross separately addressed a Wednesday night shooting at 5 Ames Street that left one person dead and four others wounded, citing what he called a dangerous street mentality produced by the pandemic-era release of incarcerated individuals without adequate reentry programming.

In the full story:

• Marathon Cancellation and Virtual Race Announcement
• COVID-19 Case Numbers and Public Health Update
• Office Reopening Guidelines and the June 1 Phase 1 Date
• Healthy Streets Initiative
• Boston Resiliency Fund and Immigrant COVID-19 Collaborative
• Public Safety: Recent Violence and COVID-Era Criminal Justice Concerns
• The complete report — 2,752 words

Source: the Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6284 meeting of July 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.