Between the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, the return of the Tall Ships and the first-ever World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium, Boston is getting ready for one of its busiest years yet.

Why it matters: The semiquincentennial and World Cup add an extra layer of festivities to a packed schedule that already includes the 130th Boston Marathon and usual harbor festivities.

What we're watching: Seven FIFA World Cup matches will be played in Foxborough, including a quarterfinal.

Between the lines: Expect the "Boston Stadium" (as FIFA calls it) to be a global hub well beyond the Gillette campus, with major fan zones likely appearing in City Hall Plaza and the Common.

• Gillette Stadium will host five group-stage matches and two knockout rounds.
• The opening match between Haiti and Scotland is June 13. The quarterfinal match is on July 9.

State of play: Patriots' Day on April 20 won't be quite as big a deal as last year, but reenactments in Lexington, Concord and along the Freedom Trail are set to coincide with the Marathon.

• 30,000 runners are expected for the April 20 race.
• It'll be one of the biggest Independence Days in memory, come July 4.
• The country's 250th birthday will cap off the "Revolution 250" events across Massachusetts.

Before the summer festivities, Boston will celebrate the city's liberation from British occupation at the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day on March 17 in South Boston.

The Tall Ships return to Boston Harbor July 11-16 for Sail Boston 2026.

• Dozens of international vessels will dock in the Seaport and Charlestown.
• The Grand Parade of Sail is on Saturday, July 11, where ships will flotilla from Broad Sound into the harbor.

What's next: Analysts are already seeing "rate anchoring" at Boston hotels, with rooms during World Cup and Sail Boston weeks projected to be 30% higher than average.

Of note: The state is expected to roll out enhanced MBTA services and "fan shuttles" to accommodate the influx of international visitors trying to get from South Station to Gillette.

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Deehan here, back with Spill of the Hill, my column unraveling Massachusetts politics.

More than one Massachusetts political hopeful is trying to turn the fact that their opponents won't give them the time of day into an election leg-up.

Why it matters: Challengers in some high-profile Massachusetts races are calling out opponents for running "basement strategies" instead of facing off in public.

• Candidates trailing in the polls or searching for a way to make their mark are weaponizing their opponents' silence as a lack of transparency.

State of play: Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy spent this week blasting his rivals Mike Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve for rejecting an early primary debate on the South Coast.

Between the lines: While Kennealy has something of an early polling advantage, his rivals are keeping lower profiles, perhaps to avoid unforced errors before the April nominating convention.

What they're saying: "We already have a Governor who leads with absence and arrogance... the Minogue and Shortsleeve campaigns are taking a page out of her playbook," Kennealy said in a statement.

Reality check: Governor Maura Healey leads all three potential GOP challengers in recent head-to-head polling by upwards of 20-plus points.

Making a public spectacle over who's not appearing in public is also happening on the Democratic side, where a newcomer is trying to unseat veteran U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch in the 8th Congressional district.

• Challenger Patrick Roath demanded that the 13-term incumbent appear at a forum last week in Copley Square.
• Roath claims Lynch hasn't held an in-person town hall since 2019, calling him out of touch with a district facing a deepening affordability crisis.

What's next: Some Republican activists are pushing for a sanctioned debate with all three candidate before the convention.

• Meanwhile, Roath plans to appear at forums throughout the 8th with or without an empty chair for the incumbent.

Go deeper: How the accused debate-dodgers are responding

🏈 Thousands of Patriots fans braved cold temperatures at Gillette Stadium for a Super Bowl send-off rally as the team departed for Super Bowl LX. (CBS Boston)

🏫 Boston Public Schools implemented a partial hiring freeze to address a possible $53 million budget gap. (Boston Globe)

• Superintendent Mary Skipper said increased health insurance costs, improved fill rates for positions and inflation affecting special education and transportation were to blame.

🎓 Harvard physics professor Lisa Randall maintained years of contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including flying on his private jet and visiting his Caribbean island in 2014, according to DOJ documents. (Harvard Crimson)

• Randall said she was "appalled by the full extent of allegations" against Epstein and regrets maintaining contact.

Today

The Beanpot Semifinals return to TD Garden as Boston's four major hockey colleges battle it out for bragging rights, 5pm and 8pm.

• Price: $45+.

Tuesday

Author Caitlin Vincent visits the Harvard Book Store to discuss "The Art of the Audition," her look at the high-stakes world of classical music, 7pm.

Wednesday

Pulitzer Prize winner Eugene Robinson is at WBUR's CitySpace to discuss his new book, "Freedom Lost, Freedom Won," 6:30pm.

• Price: $25.

Friday and Saturday

Bert Kreischer brings his "Tops Off World Tour" to the Wang Theatre for some shirt-free storytelling, 7pm.

• Price: $59.75+.

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Form Energy, a battery developer for electric grids and data centers with R&D offices in Somerville, is raising $300 million to $500 million, Axios Pro has learned.

Why it matters: The round will likely be Form Energy's last private raise before it goes public next year, according to a source familiar.

How it works: Form Energy is designing a battery that can supply on-demand electricity for a few days instead of for a few hours.

• The capability would enable electric grids and data centers to reliably fill gaps created by intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar farms.

Zoom in: The bicoastal company started trial production in 2024 at its first high-volume factory, located in West Virginia.

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