Brighton Main Streets Executive Director Kelly McGrath recently sat down with John and Joanna Lin of Allstonia Q&Brighton to share her lifelong connection to the neighborhood, her passion for community building, and her vision for Brighton’s future.
A lifelong Brighton resident and St. Columbkille graduate, Kelly reflects on growing up in a close-knit community where neighborhood centers, youth programs, and local businesses played an important role in everyday life. Those experiences helped shape her lifelong commitment to volunteerism and community service.
In the interview, Kelly shares her journey from working in healthcare and bartending at the Corrib Pub to becoming the Executive Director of Brighton Main Streets. She discusses how her role has evolved over the past five years—from building relationships with local business owners to expanding programs and partnerships that bring residents together, support small businesses, and strengthen the community.
Under Kelly’s leadership, Brighton Main Streets has expanded its community programming with signature events such as the Community Egg Hunt, Trick-or-Treat, and Holiday Pub Crawl, while also growing youth mentoring initiatives and partnerships that connect young people with the businesses and organizations that make Brighton unique. She also highlights recent efforts to secure grants supporting youth programming, placemaking projects, public art, and historical initiatives as part of the Boston 250 celebration.
Throughout the conversation, Kelly emphasizes the importance of supporting local businesses, investing in the next generation of community leaders, and ensuring Brighton remains a welcoming neighborhood where people can build lasting connections.
The interview also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the perseverance required to advance community projects, including the long-awaited “Welcome to Brighton” gateway signs, which recently received City approval after decades of advocacy.
Above all, Kelly’s message is simple: get involved, support local businesses, attend neighborhood events, and take pride in everything that makes Allston-Brighton such a special place to live, work, and visit.
We thank Allstonia Q&Brighton for highlighting Kelly’s story and the work of Brighton Main Streets. It’s a wonderful reminder that strong neighborhoods are built by passionate people working together.
Read the full interview: “Bartending at the Corrib Pub, Main Streets, and Dancing with Kelly McGrath.”