Boston Marathon Expo
The John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center is the place to be throughout the weekend for runners and fans alike. The Bank of America Boston Marathon Expo opens Friday morning and features runner bib pickup, sponsor exhibitors, the adidas Boston Marathon store, photo ops and more.
Harvard Pilgrim will also have a booth (Booth #716) at the Expo, where visitors are invited to use our photobooth to create a personalized trading card or create a cheer card for their favorite runner. And on Sunday, April 20, Harvard Pilgrim spokeswoman and two-time Boston Marathon winner Joan Benoit Samuelson will take part in a panel discussion at 10 a.m. on the Expo stage.
Boston Marathon Fan Fest
Boston Marathon Fan Fest, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, is the place to soak in the race-weekend atmosphere and have fun leading up to race day. Hosted at City Hall Plaza, Fan Fest features appearances by Boston Marathon champions, live music, activities and more. It’s free and open to the public.
Harvard Pilgrim’s red tent will be located along the Cambridge Street side of City Hall Plaza. At our booth, you’re invited to spin the prize wheel – where everyone is a winner – and walk away with fun, health-related giveaways. And as a special treat, Wally and Tessie of the Boston Red Sox will be stopping by on Saturday from noon – 12:45 p.m.
Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
The Boston 5K, which serves as the unofficial kickoff for Marathon weekend, draws a field of 10,000 runners from across our country and around the world. As the presenting sponsor, Harvard Pilgrim will host a comprehensive warm-up and recovery area for athletes to help them run their best races. Complete with stretching areas, yoga mats, foam rollers and Theragun massagers, we’ll help athletes feel their best pre- and post-race. We’ll also have some health-related giveaways available, so runners should be sure to find our tent, which will be located right in the middle of Boston Common.
Cheer Zone
On Marathon Monday, find Harvard Pilgrim right on the Marathon route at our official Cheer Zone. Located by mile 20 in Newton Center, the Harvard Pilgrim tent is open for fans to stop by and decorate a cheer card to catch the eye of their runner during the race. We’ll also have health giveaways and some noisemakers to help support athletes as they make their way up Heartbreak Hill.