Things to Do in Boston in Winter
Photo: Ethan Long (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Boston winters are long, but the city doesn’t hibernate. December is packed with markets, lights and holiday shows, and January through March is prime time for hockey, basketball, comedy and the museums’ free nights. The highlights are here, and every listing from December 1 to mid-March is below.
Highlights
Comedy New Year’s Eve: Best in Boston Showcase
Laugh Boston · From $33 plus fees · 16+
+1 more date
Live Music Pigeons Playing Ping Pong: NYE 2026 (21+)
Brighton Music Hall · 21+
Boston Common Tree Lighting
Boston Common (by the Visitor Information Center)
Holiday Holiday Pops 2026: Opening Night
Symphony Hall
Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall
Commonwealth Avenue Mall · Free
Snowport Holiday Market
Snowport · Free
SoWa Christmas Market
SoWa Power Station · $10
Boston Early Music Festival: The Tallis Scholars
St. Paul Church
Boston Early Music Festival: Ensemble Correspondances
First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Boston Ballet: The Nutcracker
Citizens Opera House
Live Music Nickelback
TD Garden
Live Music Straight No Chaser
Orpheum Theatre
Live Music Allman Betts Family Revival: A DECADE OF REVIVAL
Orpheum Theatre
Comedy Nikki Glaser: The Stunning Tour
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
+2 more dates
Live Music An Evening with Lord Huron
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Live Music Gov’t Mule (18+)
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Live Music Stella Lefty: Long Way Home Tour
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Live Music Dylan Scott
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Every date
Tuesday December 1
Wednesday December 2
Thursday December 3
Boston Common Tree Lighting
Boston Common (by the Visitor Information Center)
Holiday Pops 2026: Opening Night
Symphony Hall
Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall
Commonwealth Avenue Mall · Free
Allman Betts Family Revival: A DECADE OF REVIVAL
Orpheum Theatre
Nikki Glaser: The Stunning Tour
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Blippi The Musical
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Friday December 4
Saturday December 5
Sunday December 6
Tuesday December 8
Wednesday December 9
Thursday December 10
Friday December 11
Saturday December 12
Sunday December 13
Boston Early Music Festival: Ensemble Correspondances
First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
An Evening with Lord Huron
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Kapo
Big Night Live
The Notebook (Touring)
Emerson Colonial Theatre
The Notebook (Touring)
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Tuesday December 15
Wednesday December 16
Thursday December 17
Friday December 18
Saturday December 19
Sunday December 20
Monday December 21
Tuesday December 22
Wednesday December 23
Saturday December 26
Sunday December 27
Monday December 28
Tuesday December 29
Wednesday December 30
Thursday December 31
New Year’s Eve: Best in Boston Showcase
Laugh Boston · From $33 plus fees · 16+
New Year’s Eve: Best in Boston Showcase
Laugh Boston · From $33 plus fees · 16+
Gov’t Mule (18+)
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero
Agganis Arena
Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero
Agganis Arena
Oh, Mary!
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Oh, Mary!
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Friday January 1
Saturday January 2
Sunday January 3
Friday January 8
Saturday January 9
Wednesday January 13
Saturday January 16
Sunday January 17
Friday January 22
Saturday January 23
The Wiz (All audience members regardless of age must have a ticket. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult)
Emerson Colonial Theatre
The Wiz (All audience members regardless of age must have a ticket. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult)
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Sunday January 24
The Wiz (All audience members regardless of age must have a ticket. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult)
Emerson Colonial Theatre
The Wiz (All audience members regardless of age must have a ticket. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult)
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Saturday February 6
Wednesday February 10
Friday February 12
Wednesday February 17
Friday February 19
Saturday February 27
Thursday March 4
Friday March 5
Saturday March 6
Sunday March 7
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Wednesday March 10
Times, prices and age rules are checked against each venue or organizer’s own page; the check date is on every listing. Plans change, so confirm with the venue before you go.
December
- Snowport in the Seaport (free, through December 27) and the SoWa Christmas Market in the South End (through December 27).
- The Boston Common tree lighting is Thursday, December 3, from 6 to 8 PM, and the Holiday Pops open at Symphony Hall the same night. Here’s every Holiday Pops date.
- Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker runs November 27 to December 31 at the Citizens Opera House.
- New Year’s Eve plans, First Night included, go on our New Year’s Eve page as they’re announced.
Skating
The Frog Pond on Boston Common is the classic, and it usually opens in November; Porrazzo Rink in East Boston has indoor public skating for $10. Dates and prices are on our ice skating page, which we update as rinks announce.
Indoors when it’s cold
- Free museum nights: the ICA and the Gardner are free on Thursdays from 5 to 9 PM, and the MFA is $5 on the third Thursday. See free museum nights.
- The Celtics and Bruins play at TD Garden all winter; home games are on our Celtics & Bruins page, and BU hockey plays at Agganis Arena.
- A movie at the Brattle, stand-up any night on our comedy page, or free Berklee concerts almost every night of the school year.
- More ideas for bad-weather days in our rainy day guide, and kitchens open late after a show in the late-night food guide.
By month: November and December. Every listing below is checked against the venue’s own site.
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