Published Oct 15, 2026
Lower Allston Cat Stroll
Community dog walks have been around for decades, but cat walks? Now, that’s something to get excited about.
An estimated 600 to 1,000 Boston-area cat lovers came together on September 19 to enjoy the very first Lower Allston Cat Stroll, a free, parade-style neighborhood walk through Lower Allston using a map that took them past registered homes where they could view cats hanging out on porches or perched in windows. Many walkers brought their own cats along, transporting them safely in strollers, backpacks, carriers, and on harnesses and leashes.
The Cat Stroll was organized by resident Ashley Lesperance, a Lower Allston resident and cat mama who wanted to bring the community together through a shared love of cats. The grassroots, community-driven event was also made possible through a partnership with Allston Village Main Streets.
Lower Allston resident Ashley Lesperance organized the Cat Stroll to bring neighbors together through their shared love of cats. Lower Allston Cat Stroll
“The inspiration came from the neighborhood itself,” Lesperance said. “I’d go for walks around Lower Allston and find myself stopping to smile at cats sitting in windows and on porches; there’s something so warm about that little glimpse into someone’s home and life. I kept thinking, what if we made that a whole thing? What if we gave the whole neighborhood a reason to walk these streets together and celebrate those moments?”
Lesperance also discovered a similar event called the Wedge Cat Tour in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was started by John Edwards and has been held annually since 2017. Lesperance called Edwards to pick his brain and felt certain that Lower Allston was the perfect place to bring a cat tour concept to Boston for the very first time.
“Cats are incredibly common apartment pets, and I don’t think they get the respect they deserve from the broader animal-loving community,” Lesperance said. “Every cat lover I’ve ever met also loves dogs. But too often I’ll meet a dog lover who says, ‘Oh, I hate cats,’ and as any cat owner knows, the reasons they give are unfounded. I wanted to give cats the spotlight they deserve and bring their people together.”
She started getting the word out in a very grassroots fashion: flyering the neighborhood, the local library, and nearby businesses. After that, she created an Instagram account for the event, and a lot of the momentum came through social media. As press coverage picked up, word spread quickly.
The Cat Stroll route was designed around participating cats’ neighborhoods while minimizing road crossings and protecting resident privacy. Lower Allston Cat Stroll
Ahead of the event, area residents who wished to be included in the Cat Stroll submitted registration forms with their cat’s name, a short bio, a photo, and their address, which was kept private and used by organizers to create the stroll map with approximate pin drops only. The route mapping was based on where participating cats lived and prioritized crowd safety by minimizing road crossings and keeping the walk manageable.
On the day of the stroll, the group met at Smith Playground at 2 p.m., where they mingled and browsed community vendors, including Both Bowls (a fresh pet food company) and Happy Tails Market, a local independent pet-supply store. Also in attendance was local animal welfare organization MSPCA-Angell, which shared adoption information and giveaways. Water and juice were available courtesy of Trader Joe’s Lower Allston.
The mood was festive as walkers headed out and spent about 90 minutes visiting the featured cats on the map. Lesperance also estimates that at least 30 cats joined the walk alongside their human companions. The final route included 27 featured cats, and neighbors could spot them perched on porches and peeking out from windows. The Cat Stroll was a dog-free event to ensure the safety and comfort of all feline participants.
The 90-minute Cat Stroll featured 27 cats along the route, with at least 30 more joining the walk with their humans. Lower Allston Cat Stroll
“I never anticipated a crowd that size for a first-year event and I won’t pretend I wasn’t nervous about navigating it,” Lesperance said. “But the way the community showed up—flexible, adaptable, patient, gracious, warm—it was just pure joy from start to finish. Awe-inducing, really. I kept turning around to look at the crowd stretching down the street and I genuinely could not believe what we had all built together.”
Everyone wrapped up with an after-party at Sloane’s restaurant in Allston, which created a dedicated cat-centric menu and cat-themed cocktails. Walkers indulged in Cheese & Onion PAW-POVERS, PURRRS in a Blanket, Cat’s Meow Curry Fries, Shiitake MEOW-SHROOM Pierogis, Whisker-Lickin’ Ranch Wings, and a CATNIP Spice Bag.
The Cat Stroll ended with an after-party at Sloane’s, featuring a playful cat-themed menu and cocktails. Lower Allston Cat Stroll
Lesperance plans to make the Lower Allston Cat Stroll an annual event and hopes to announce a save-the-date for next year’s stroll in early 2027. To stay updated, follow the event on Instagram @lowerallstoncatstroll.
