Hanukkah 2026 in Boston: Dates, Candle-Lighting Times and Confirmed Menorah Events

Featured image: A public menorah lighting in Copley Square in front of the Boston Public Library in December 2021. Photo: Joshua Qualls/Governor’s Press Office via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, Dec. 4, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, Dec. 12, according to the Jewish calendar site Hebcal. That puts the first candle on a Friday evening, so families in Boston who keep Shabbat will light the menorah before Shabbat candles that night. This guide lists the eight nights with Boston lighting times and the public Hanukkah events in Greater Boston that organizers have confirmed for 2026, as checked on Oct. 22, 2026. We will add more events as organizers post dates.

Hanukkah 2026 dates and Boston candle-lighting times

Hebcal’s Boston calendar lists the following schedule. Weeknight times are the earliest time Hebcal gives for lighting after sunset in Boston.

The eighth day of Hanukkah falls on Saturday, Dec. 12, with Havdalah in Boston at 4:59 p.m., Hebcal says. Customs on exact lighting times differ, so many families follow the guidance of their own rabbi or synagogue.

Confirmed Hanukkah events in Boston for 2026

Sunday, Dec. 6: Hanukkah at the Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 465 Huntington Ave., holds its Hanukkah celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6. The museum describes a day of art, music, performances and family activities presented with the Vilna Shul and Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Entry is included with general admission, and visitors 18 and under get in free. The Vilna Shul says the day ends with a community candle lighting at 3:30 p.m. It also says it will send free-ticket codes, about a month ahead, to people who fill out its interest form. The Vilna Shul notes that the museum garage on Museum Road costs $20 for non-members and that the MFA is reachable by public transit.

Tuesday, Dec. 8: Grand Chanukah Hummer Parade in Brighton

Shaloh House, 29 Chestnut Hill Ave. in Brighton, holds a menorah lighting and car parade from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, according to its Eventbrite listing. The listed schedule is a welcome reception from 5 to 5:30 p.m., a public menorah lighting from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and a car parade through Boston from 6 to 7 p.m., led by stretch Hummer limos with rooftop menorahs that carry children. Adults can join the parade in their own cars. The organizer says a limited number of car menorahs will be mounted for drivers who arrive by 4:30 p.m., and that children’s limo seats are limited and need a reservation at shaloh.org/hummer.

Menorah lighting on Boston Common and other public lightings

Chabad groups have lit large public menorahs in Boston in past years, including on Boston Common, at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, in the Seaport and in Copley Square. As of Oct. 22, 2026, we could not find 2026 dates for those lightings from the organizers. Chabad of Downtown Boston’s Hanukkah page lists the 2026 holiday dates but says no events are posted yet, and the dates on its sign-up form do not match the 2026 calendar. We will update this guide when organizers confirm.

Planning tips for Hanukkah in Boston

• Sunset comes early in December, so lighting events in Boston often start in the late afternoon. Check the start time before you leave.
• Outdoor lightings run in winter weather. Organizers may move or cancel events in heavy snow, so check their pages on the day.
• Kosher doughnuts, latkes and holiday catering are easiest to find in Brookline. Our kosher restaurants in Greater Boston guide lists KVH-certified bakeries and takeout counters.

More for Jewish Boston

Looking for a place to attend holiday services? See our guide to synagogues in Brookline and Newton. For year-round programs, read our Jewish community resources guide, and for background, our story on the history of Boston’s Jewish community.

Additional details

• Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. In 2026 that is the year 5787 on the Hebrew calendar.
• Hanukkah 2026 ends Dec. 12, nearly two weeks before Christmas.
• The MFA lists its Hanukkah day as wheelchair accessible. Visitors who need accommodations can email access@mfa.org or call 617-267-9300.
• Shaloh House lists 617-787-2200 for questions about its parade.

Sources

• Hebcal: Chanukah 2026 and Hebcal: Boston calendar, December 2026
• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: Hanukkah
• The Vilna Shul: Hanukkah celebration at the MFA
• Eventbrite: Grand Chanukah Hummer Parade, Shaloh House
• Chabad of Downtown Boston: Chanukah