Updated Oct. 29, 2026. We refresh this page weekly through New Year’s Day as organizers post dates.
Boston’s holiday season runs from the first market openings in early November to First Night on Dec. 31. This page puts every confirmed 2026 date in one place: the tree lightings, the holiday markets, the big light displays and New Year’s Eve. Each listing links to a longer guide with hours, prices and transit tips. Where an organizer hasn’t posted 2026 details yet, we say so instead of guessing.
Key dates at a glance
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 6 – Dec. 27 | Snowport holiday market | 100 Seaport Blvd. | Free entry; $15 weekend fast pass |
| Nov. 20 – Dec. 27 | SoWa Christmas Market | 550 Harrison Ave., South End | $10; kids 12 and under free |
| Nov. 20 – Jan. 3 | ZooLights | Stone Zoo, Stoneham | Date-based tickets |
| Nov. 21 – Jan. 3 | Christmas Festival of Lights | La Salette Shrine, Attleboro | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Faneuil Hall tree lighting (lit at 6 p.m.) | Quincy Market | Free |
| Mon., Nov. 23 | Columbus Park trellis lighting | North End waterfront | Free |
| Nov. 27 – Dec. 27 (weekends) | Edaville Winter Wonderland | Carver | From $36 |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Martin’s Park ship lighting | Fort Point | Free |
| Mon., Nov. 30 | Copley Square tree lighting, 5–6 p.m. | 560 Boylston St. | Free |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Boston Common tree lighting, 6–8 p.m. | 139 Tremont St. | Free |
| Thu., Dec. 3, about 8 p.m. | Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights | Back Bay | Free |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | First Night Boston | Downtown and Back Bay | 2026-27 program not yet posted |
Tree lightings
The biggest night is the Boston Common tree lighting on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. near the Visitor Information Center at 139 Tremont St. The city lists it as the 85th annual lighting. The tree comes from Nova Scotia, and this year it’s a 45-foot white spruce donated by Ronald and Claire Feener of Lunenburg County. It’s due on the Common around 11 a.m. on Nov. 17. When the ceremony ends, the trees on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall light up at about 8 p.m.
Why does Nova Scotia send Boston a tree?
It’s a thank-you for the help Boston sent after the Halifax explosion of Dec. 6, 1917, when a munitions ship blew up in Halifax Harbour. The province has sent a tree almost every year since 1971.
Earlier lightings come first. Faneuil Hall Marketplace holds its tree lighting on Saturday, Nov. 21, with festivities from 2 to 6 p.m. and the tree lit at 6. Boston Parks lights the Christopher Columbus Park trellis in the North End on Nov. 23, the ship at Martin’s Park in Fort Point on Nov. 28, and the Copley Square tree on Monday, Nov. 30, from 5 to 6 p.m. The Copley event doubles as the reopening of the renovated park. Full details, including the performers, are in our holiday markets and tree lightings guide.
Quick explainer: All five city-run lightings are free and outdoors. Arrive early for the Common, where nearby streets close.
Holiday markets
Two big markets anchor the season. Snowport at 100 Seaport Blvd. runs Nov. 6 to Dec. 27 with more than 130 vendors, according to Boston 25 News. General admission is free. The SoWa Christmas Market at 550 Harrison Ave. in the South End runs Nov. 20 to Dec. 27, costs $10 and is free for kids 12 and under. Both close on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. SoWa’s on-site parking is cash only.
Light displays near Boston
For a night drive, ZooLights at Stone Zoo in Stoneham runs Nov. 20 to Jan. 3, from 4 to 9:30 p.m. The La Salette Christmas Festival of Lights in Attleboro is free and runs Nov. 21 to Jan. 3. Edaville’s Winter Wonderland in Carver is open on weekends from Nov. 27 to Dec. 27. Our Christmas lights guide has the hours, ticket rules and Santa dates.
Hanukkah, skating and New Year’s Eve
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, Dec. 4, and runs eight nights. Public menorah lightings are listed in our Hanukkah menorah lighting guide. Outdoor rinks such as the Frog Pond usually open in late November or December, but most hadn’t posted 2026-27 dates by late October. Check our ice skating guide for updates. For Dec. 31, see our First Night Boston guide. The 2026-27 program hadn’t been announced as of Oct. 29.
Planning tips
- Take the T to tree lightings. Park Street and Boylston serve the Common, Copley serves Copley Square, and Aquarium is closest to Columbus Park.
- Check MBTA work before you go. Green Line shutdowns are scheduled for Nov. 7–15, so see our MBTA guide.
- Outdoor events can be called off for ice or high wind. Our Snow Day & Storm Center tracks storms.
- For more ideas, browse the Boston events calendar and our things to do this weekend page.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Boston Common tree lighting in 2026?
Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Boston Common near 139 Tremont St. It’s free, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights follow at about 8 p.m.
When is the Faneuil Hall tree lighting in 2026?
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, at Quincy Market. Festivities start at 2 p.m., and the tree is lit at 6 p.m.
When do Boston’s holiday markets open?
Snowport in the Seaport opens Nov. 6 and SoWa in the South End opens Nov. 20. Both run through Dec. 27.
Are Boston tree lightings free?
Yes. The Boston Common, Faneuil Hall, Copley Square, Columbus Park and Martin’s Park lightings are all free.
Is the First Night 2026-27 schedule out?
Not as of Oct. 29, 2026. We’ll add it when the organizers post the program.
Sources
- City of Boston: Boston Common Tree Lighting
- City of Boston: 2026 Copley Square Tree Lighting
- City of Boston: 2026 Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall
Additional sources
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace: Annual Holiday Tree Lighting
- SoWa Boston
- Zoo New England: ZooLights
- La Salette Shrine
- Edaville
- First Night Boston
Featured image: Photo: John B. Sanromá (Boston Public Library, via DPLA), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.