74 Holiday Events around Boston in 2019 [11/29/19]

74 holiday events worth checking out around Boston this holiday season. All events are listed in chronological order. See a more comprehensive list of all 2019 holiday events around the Boston area on one map here.

1) Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker
Date: Fri, 11/29 to Sun, 12/29
Details: Boston Ballet’s 2019-20 season continues with Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker, a beloved holiday tradition featuring the iconic music of Tchaikovsky.

2) Boston Tuba Christmas
Date: Sat, 11/30
Details: Faneuil Hall Marketplace presents the 34th annual Boston Tuba Christmas Concert with over 150 tuba players serenade the crowd in front of the Blink! tree at Marketplace Center.

3) Charles Square Tree Lighting
Date: Sat, 11/30
Details: Help the Charles Hotel decorate the trees. The Santa Claus’ Jazz Band will perform at 5pm with the tree lighting taking place at 5:30pm, followed by a vista from Santa Claus. Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and holiday treats from Henrietta's Table as well as warm chowder from Legal Sea Foods.

4) Ice Skating in the Fenway: The Rink at 401 Park
Date: TBA
Details: The Fenway's new ice rink will transform The Green for the winter months. The cold is no match for this new ice skating haven. The Rink will give family and friends, neighbors and colleagues, a spot to get outside and active no matter the weather.

5) Boston Seaport Skating Rink
Date: Daily until to Sat, 2/29
Details: A skating rink, tree market, and "warming tent" are coming to the Seaport over the 2019-20 winter season.

6) The Tree Market
Date: Thu, 11/30 to Sat, 12/21
Details: The Tree Market at Seaport has your holiday decor covered with a selection of trees, wreaths, lights and more. Delivery included.

7) Miracle at the Marlowe
Date: Fri, 11/30 to Tue, 12/24
Details: A holiday pop-up cocktail bar. 'Tis the season for festive outfits and cocktails.

8) Sippin' Santa at Shore Leave
Date: Tue, 11/30 to Wed, 1/1
Details: Shore Leave will completely transform with a new menu of signature holiday cocktails, plus a whole lot of lights, garlands, ribbons, and tchotchkes inspired by nostalgic vintage Christmas decorations, and a soundtrack of your favorite holiday songs.

9) Grinch Tea at Rebel’s Guild
Date: Sat & Sun, 12/1 to 12/29
Details: ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ themed tea party with adult and kid menus. Little Whos will also have to opportunity to decorate gingerbread houses and take a photo with a special guest.

10) Old Town Trolley Holiday Lights and Sights Tour
Date: Sun, 12/1 to Mon, 12/30
Details: For the first time, you’ll be able to take in the fun and merriment of the holiday season on an Old Town Trolley Holiday Lights and Sights Tour. Experience the dazzling lights and splendor of the season, riding through town as carolers fill the night air with music.

11) pindrop sessions 19: holidazed with marimba cabaret + guests
Date: Sun, 12/1
Details: Aeronaut, in partnership with WCRB and WGBH, is thrilled to invite you to a holiday special pindrop sessions.

12) Harpoon Winter Market
Date: Sun, 12/1
Details: Enjoy seasonal beers, brunch treats, and shopping with local crafter pop-ups. Exclusive winter seasonal flight available.

13) Samuel Adams Winter Craft Market
Date: Sun, 12/1
Details: Sam Adams Boston Brewery will be transforming its brewhouse into a winter wonderland with local craft artists from JP. The $5 tickets come with a Winter Lager.

14) Celebrate the Most Wonderful Time of the Year at Precinct Kitchen + Bar
Date: Mon, 12/2 to Sat, 12/28
Details: Precinct Kitchen + Bar will be themed to some of the most popular holiday movies created such as (Snoopy) Dog Houe, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or join Kevin McCallister’s “party” with Michael Jordan and friends, and more.

15) Copley Square Tree Lighting
Date: Mon, 12/2
Details: Copley Square Tree Lighting features appearances by NECN’s Jenny Johnson, Santa Claus, and Rudolph along with musical performances. Light refreshments and special programming are included during and after the event.

16) Startup Holiday Market
Date: Mon, 12/2
Details: Support small businesses by shopping local at General Assembly Boston. Connect with startup founders who have successfully launched great products. Prepare for the holiday season by connecting with local entrepreneurs, and get a head start on your holiday shopping.

17) Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol
Date: Tue, 12/3 to Sun, 12/29
Details: Dickens’s classic characters and Parton’s one-of-a-kind songwriting expertise are certain to make this a special holiday event.

18) Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting Spectacular
Date: Tue, 12/3
Details: The Official Blink! Tree Lighting takes place on December 3 during a live broadcast on WBZ-TV/CBSBoston at 7:30 pm. The event features holiday entertainment, a special visit from Santa, and the kick-off of the New England Patriot’s Holiday Toy Drive.

19) Blink! Light and Sound Show
Date: Wed, 12/4 to Wed, 1/1
Details: Blink!, the world-famous light and sound show, returns to deck the halls this holiday season at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Blink! features the signature holiday tree at Marketplace Center joined by all the trees and lights throughout the property.

20) Illuminus 2019 Festival Lights Up Downtown Boston
Date: Thu, 12/5 to Fri, 12/6
Details: Presented by Downtown Boston BID and LuminArtz, Illuminus 2019 is a spectacular, free nighttime festival where local artists, designers, and performers turn an office-building-heavy section of downtown into an immersive art installation.

21) Boston Common Tree Lighting Ceremony
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: Join the City of Boston in the countdown as Mayor Walsh illuminates Boston's official tree and trees on Boston Common and the Public Garden bridge. This year marks the 47th year Nova Scotia has given a tree to the residents of Boston as thanks for relief efforts following the December 6, 1917, explosion of a munitions ship in Halifax Harbor.

22) Boston Commonwealth Avenue Mall Lighting
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: Mayor Martin J. Walsh and The Committee to Light the Commonwealth Avenue Mall will light the trees on the Mall on December 5 at 8pm., immediately following the Boston Common Tree Lighting.

23) Boston Common Frog Pond Skating Spectacular
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: Celebrate the holiday season with performances from an exciting local cast featuring national and international competitors. This year’s guest star will be the U.S. and International Champion, Max Aaron.

24) Ice Sculpture Stroll on The Row
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: Assembly Row will host for the 3rd year an Ice Sculpture Stroll. Bundle up and follow a map to discover all ten sculptures and treats throughout the property. Enjoy music, giveaways and earn an Assembly memento when you complete the map.

25) Beacon Hill Holiday Stroll and Tree Lighting
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: Charles Street will be closed for Victorian carolers and shoppers. Free horse and buggy rides, and a brass band are all part of the celebration. Earlier in the day, kids can visit Santa at Hill House firehouse, followed by a tree lighting later at 7pm.

26) 9th Annual Spaliday
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: The day-long event will be filled with deals and discounts from all Spaliday vendors, along with raffle prizes ranging in value from $250-500 benefiting The Home for Little Wanderers. Delicious light bites will be included.

27) Winter Market at the Canal
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: A boutique market featuring local artists, artisanal food makers. Enjoy music, food, ice sculptures, and holiday shopping.

28) Christmas in the City Celebrity Holiday Wreath Auction
Date: Thu, 12/5
Details: The live auction at the event will include one-of-a-kind Christmas wreaths decorated by local sports legends. The evening will feature additional silent and live auction items, raffles, tasty nibbles and a cash bar provided by the event sponsor, the Seaport Hotel.

29) Winter Revelry
Date: Fri, 12/6 to Sat, 12/7
Details: The Innovation and Design Building is welcoming back Winter Revelry, a holiday and winter market that features DIY gift wrapping station, pop-up tree farm, winter lounge, and a hand-selected group of master artisans whose products range from home goods, ceramics, skincare, menswear, jewelry and more.

30) SoWa Winter Festival
Date: Fri, 12/6 to Sun, 12/8
Details: 'Tis the season for the 5th annual SoWa Winter Festival – the biggest winter shopping village and holiday festival in Boston. The Festival features food trucks, live ice sculpting, cocktail & beer garden, holiday workshops, as well as the galleries, artist studios, and shops that call SoWa home year 'round.

31) 13th Annual North End Holiday Stroll
Date: Fri, 12/6
Details: This year’s holiday stroll will feature a stylish line up of 14 independently owned shops, boutiques, and galleries, innovative pop ups, food, drink and entertaining festivities. Come celebrate and shop local this holiday season while exploring the festively decorated streets of Boston’s “Little Italy” and its trendy boutiques, galleries, and speciality shops.

32) Light Up Seaport
Date: Fri, 12/6
Details: Light Up Seaport is now in its fourth year. Enjoy live holiday tunes, an interactive art installation, and fun for the whole family. Warm up at participating stores in the Seaport for hot chocolate, cookies, and other fun surprises.

33) SantaCon Boston
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: SantaCon is a free-to-attend pub crawl & mass gathering where people dress in Santa Claus costumes or as other Christmas/holiday characters and parade throughout Boston. Last year, over 3,000 Santa's participated. This year, Santas will have two routes to choose from: a Boston route and a Cambridge route.

34) The Holiday Stroll at Boston Landing
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: Sip and stroll as you enjoy an afternoon of shopping, cookie decorating, sending letters to the North Pole, dreidel decorating and more. Beer & wine pop-up available for 21+.

35) 15th Annual Boston Jolly Jaunt
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: Join the 15th annual Boston Jolly Jaunt to run or walk and help raise money to benefit local Special Olympics athletes. This is a professionally timed flat 5k course through Boston's Back Bay that has a fun holiday theme with prizes for best holiday costume and jingle bells for each participant.

36) Boston Athenæum’s Holiday Pop-Up Bookstore
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: Books make the perfect holiday gifts. Join Athenæum staffers for a review of this season’s best books. Enjoy tea, cocoa, and cookies while you shop for your holiday gifts. Gift wrapping will be available.

37) Mrs. Claus' Bizarre Bazaar
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: This holiday party features live performances by female dancers, musicians and comedians, as well as locally made art/wears by female artisans. All donations will benefit ...that's what she said, a dance theater project that provides to support to female/femme choreographers.

38) MassArt Made Holiday Market
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: Over 70 MassArt students and alumni will sell handmade items including glass, ceramics, photographs, paintings, prints, fibers to jewelry and more in the Design and Media Center's Atrium and Fenway Studio.

39) City of Revere Annual Tree Lighting
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: Join Revere's annual tree lighting ceremony with Mayor Brian Arrigo. The annual tree lighting includes a free photo with Santa, trackless train, pony rides, cookie decorating, and Silly Willy the Clown.

40) Light the World
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: Featuring master storytellers, Light the World concert features songs from cultures around the world celebrating light and all it symbolizes.

41) Holiday Tales on The T: A Christmas Musical
Date: Sat, 12/7
Details: This adventurous and family-friendly musical set features complimentary refreshments and a street musician, Charlie, performing everyone’s favorite Christmas songs.

42) Holiday Brunch Cruise aboard the Northern Lights
Date: Sun, 12/8
Details: Take a relaxing morning cruise through the Boston Harbor on our Holiday Brunch Cruises in the warm, cozy, and festively decorated interior of Northern Lights.

43) Boston Women's Holiday Market
Date: Sun, 12/8
Details: Boston Women’s Market is not just another market. It’s an opportunity to support your community of local womxn makers and founders. Featuring candle and jewelry makers, woodworkers, bakers, live music, DIY mulled winemaking, and more.

44) East Boston Tree Lighting 2019
Date: Sun, 12/8
Details: Head to East Boston for the neighborhood's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Mayor Walsh's annual Enchanted Trolley Tour. Enjoy arts, entertainment, and meet Santa and his holiday helpers. Refreshments will be provided.

45) Holiday Cooking & Cocktail Demo
Date: Sun, 12/8
Details: Learn how to batch Casa Cana’s favorite holiday cocktail from the experts a flor de cana. After the cocktail demo, Casa Cana’s Executive Chef will teach you how to prepare a classic mojo chicken and pork empanada with a fun holiday twist.

46) Winter Makers Market at Boston Landing
Date: Tue, 12/10 to Wed, 12/11
Details: The market will showcase local artists & vendors from Massachusetts. There will be gifts, jewelry, home accessories, baked goods and more.

47) Very Merry Mixology with Bully Boy Distillers
Date: Wed, 12/11
Details: Don’t let the cold keep you indoors. This class will teach you how to create three holiday cocktails from start to finish using local spirits made right here in New England. Come on out and learn how to impress your guests this holiday season with take-home recipes that will have everyone talking.

48) Allston-Brighton Winter Market
Date: Thu, 12/12 to Sun, 12/15
Details: As a hyper-local neighborhood holiday market, the Winter Market celebrates Allston-Brighton with a four-day event featuring vendors of crafts, artisanal goods, gifts, and fine art, as well as live music, food & drinks for purchase, a beer garden, and special interactive art programs.

49) Maccabee Bar at backbar
Date: Thu, 12/12 to Mon, 12/30
Details: Backbar is proud to host Maccabee Bar for the 2019 season! From December 12th-29th, Backbar will be transformed.

50) Union Square Holiday Market
Date: Fri, 12/13 to Sat, 12/14
Details: Join the 6th Annual Holiday Market for two days of locally made art, jewelry, housewares, tasty treats and more.

51) Hallmark Channel Presents: Mariah Carey
Date: Fri, 12/13
Details: Global singing and songwriting icon Mariah Carey has announced an exclusive limited engagement holiday run with her All I Want For Christmas Is You Tour at the Boch Center Wang Theatre. This tour marks a special milestone in the legacy of Carey’s beloved album, Merry Christmas, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this holiday season.

52) An Irish Christmas Carol Cruise
Date: Fri, 12/13
Details: Take to the water on this 90-minute cruise and get into the holiday spirit with an Irish house band and sing some merry holiday ballads the way the Irish do, with a beer in hand and a whiskey or two.

53) Christmas Pilgrimage
Date: Fri, 12/13
Details: This Holiday program explores the guiding light of Epiphany featuring vocal soloists soprano Jessica Petrus, alto Sophie Micheaux, tenor Jason McStoots, and baritone Bradfod Gleim.

54) 12th Annual Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl
Date: Sat, 12/14 to Sun, 12/15
Details: Crawl your way into the holiday spirit with the 12th Annual Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl in Back Bay with bowling, drinks, food, photobooths, and more fun.

55) 5th Annual Union Square Holiday Stroll
Date: Sat, 12/14 to Sun, 12/15
Details: Enjoy Union Square discovery filled with festive happenings and holiday delight featuring rad retail, unique eats, music from around the world, visits with Santa, creative crafts, sparkly lights and more.

56) 8th Annual Winter Market and Open House
Date: Sat, 12/14 to Sun, 12/15
Details: Featuring beautiful jewelry, woodworking, fiber arts, laser-cut, and 3D printed items, plus art for all tastes and budgets. All made at Artisan's Asylum.

57) Kendall Square Holiday Ice Show
Date: Sat, 12/14
Details: Back for the 14th year, Kendall Square Holiday Ice Show features original numbers, local and international competitors, and world class professional skaters.

58) 20th Annual Santa Speedo Run
Date: Sat, 12/14
Details: The Santa Speedo Run started with five drunk dudes running down Newbury Street with a boombox playing Muppets Christmas carols. In what can only be classified as a Christmas miracle, no one called the police, and people actually cheered them on. Since then it has grown to include 700 men and women each year and has become an annual holiday tradition that has hosted thousands of participants who have helped to raise nearly $2 million for local children in need.

59) Cultural Survival Bazaar
Date: Sat, 12/14
Details: This family-friendly festival features art, crafts and other ethically made cultural products created by Indigenous artists from dozens of countries. Enjoy demonstrations by artists, Indigenous cuisine, and live music from around the world.

60) Cambridge Holiday Market
Date: Sat, 12/14
Details: Featuring 70 local vendors with a curated mix of handmade giftable art and designer wares, home goods, jewelry, fair trade imports, specialty food, vintage, antiques and much more.

61) Navidad Latina Concert
Date: Sat, 12/14
Details: Celebrate the Holiday season with Unita. Featuring traditional Vilancicos from across Latin America alongside traditional holiday favorites, sung in both English and Spanish with a 23-piece chamber orchestra and guest vocalist/MC Christian Figueroa.

62) Illuminations Tour 2019
Date: Sat, 12/14
Details: Come celebrate the folk artistry of residents who transform their houses and yards with lights, illuminated ornaments, and shrines of devotion and fantasy. The tours are approximately 45 minutes. Coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies will be served at City Hall plus craft activities for children and the Somerville Community Chorus will perform.

63) 23rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Jingle Ride
Date: Sun, 12/15
Details: The 23rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Jingle Ride is one of the longest-running Boston holiday sporting events. The 22-mile ride follows the Minuteman Bikeway and then heads for Harvard Square, the Esplanade, Boston Common, and Newbury Street. The group makes occasional stops to sing carols for passersby, and enjoys bringing some unexpected holiday cheers.

64) A Super Gay Christmas
Date: Sun, 12/15
Details: Twinkling lights. Stocking stuffers. Disco Santa. 200+ Boston Gay Men’s Chorus members singing traditional favorites and modern classics. Come out and see how the BGMC puts the merry (and gay) into Christmas.

65) iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour
Date: Sun, 12/15
Details: KISS 108's Jingle Ball 2019 Presented by Capital One at TD Garden featuring Halsey, 5SOS, Niall Horan, Charlie Puth, Lizzo, and Why Don’t We.

66) Screening of ‘Elf’ in the Harpoon Beer Hall
Date: Mon, 12/16
Details: Free screening of the holiday classic, ‘Elf’, starts at 6pm with free popcorn and Elf themed treats. Drinks and full menu available for purchase, including Harpoon’s Winter Specialty Pretzel: Candy Cane.

67) Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Date: Tue, 12/17 to Fri, 12/27
Details: The timeless movie “White Christmas” is adapted for the stage in a lavish new production that the New York Times says to “put on your wish list.” The show tells the story of a song-and-dance team putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn and falling for a stunning sister act in the process.

68) Hanukkah at MFA Boston
Date: Wed, 12/18
Details: Come together for an evening of art, music, and activities in celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Immerse yourself in history and tradition with a tour of the MFA’s Judaica collection, catch an array of musical performances by artists from around the world, and view a one-of-a-kind menorah created by a local artist before participating in a community candle lighting.

69) A Baroque Christmas
Date: Thu, 12/19 to Sun, 12/22
Details: Torelli’s ethereal Christmas Concerto and Biber’s joyful Mystery Sonata celebrating the birth of Jesus are jubilant music to brighten a wintery day and nourish your spirit all year long.

70) Urban Nutcracker
Date: Thu, 12/19 to Sat, 12/28
Details: Anthony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker, the modern Boston-centric holiday classic, will celebrate its 19th annual season at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre. The performances showcase winter scenes set in present-day downtown Boston with a broad range of dance forms such as tap, hip hop, flamenco, and jazz, accompanied throughout the performance by a small live orchestra, a first for Urban Nutcracker.

71) Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment
Date: Fri, 12/20 to Sun, 12/29
Details: This action-packed ice spectacular showcases beloved characters from Disney and Pixar Cars, Toy Story 3, Disney's The Little Mermaid and the Academy Award®-winning Frozen.

72) Boston's Big Band Christmas at City Winery
Date: Mon, 12/23
Details: The 19-piece Compaq Big Band debuts at the fabulous City Winery with ‘Boston’s Big Band Christmas’ with seasonal favorites. The band features the power of 14 horns, a cookin’ rhythm section, and amazing jazz vocalist Renee Dupuis out front.

73) Emmanuel Music: Bach Cantata
Date: Tue, 12/24
Details: Continuing their 49-year old tradition, the Orchestra and Chorus of Emmanuel Music presents Bach’s astounding human document, in the liturgical setting for which it was intended, as well as other sacred works on Christmas’ Eve.

74) First Night Boston
Date: Tue, 12/31
Details: The celebration kicks off at noon with live performances in Copley Square, the Prudential Center and Copley Place. In the afternoon and evening, the ice sculptures light up and a large procession makes its way to Boston Common for the first fireworks show. Live music performances rock the hours until midnight when the countdown begins.

See them all listed in one map: #holidayevents

74 Holiday Events around Boston in 2019

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74 Holiday Events around Boston in 2019

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