Senator Nick Collins Leads South Boston’s Evacuation Day Exercises in March 2026

The South Boston Citizens’ Association has named State Senator Nick Collins of South Boston as General Chairman of this year’s 250th Evacuation Day Commemorations taking place in March, 2026.  

The announcement was made on January 6 by Association President Thomas E. McGrath, who stated, “The executive board and I look forward to working with Senator Collins, to ensure once again the success of this unique community celebration, the commemoration of the British evacuation of Boston in 1776.” 

McGrath praised Collins for his leadership in the South Boston community, noting, “from his service as a state representative to his continued work as a state senator, Nick has been a consistent advocate for the neighborhood, its people, and its traditions.”

Collins is a member of the Massachusetts’ Special Commission on the 250th Anniversary Celebration of the American Revolution, the state commission established in 2021 to plan and coordinate the Commonwealth’s commemoration of America’s 250th birthday.  

Among the Association’s activities this year are the Jimmy Flaherty Kick-Off Breakfast on Saturday February 28 at Seapoint Restaurant; Athletic Events and Senior Salute on March 7 at the Curley Recreation Center; the146th Annual Evacuation Day Banquet on March 13 at the South Boston Convention Center; a  Memorial Mass on March 17 at Saint Augustine Chapel, followed by the Historical Exercises at Dorchester Heights Monument on Tuesday, March 17. 

“I am truly honored to be asked to serve as General Chairman, especially as we mark the Semi quincentennial, a word I’m still practicing saying,” said Senator Collins. “Evacuation Day reminds us how much this neighborhood and this city contributed to the fight for independence. From Henry Knox hauling the cannons to Dorchester Heights to the men who held that ground, these moments shaped the course of our history.”

A lifelong resident of South Boston, Collins lives there with his wife Dr. Olivia J. Liff and their two daughters . He has been a leader in protecting and adding jobs to the South Boston Waterfront,  and in 2023 received Massport’s 2023 Maritime Champion Award for his support and advocacy of the maritime economy in Boston and throughout the Commonwealth.   

Senator Collins also presides over the popular annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast just prior to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Boston.  This year’s breakfast and parade take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026.