Festivals & Expos

Kick off 2024 with First Night in Boston

The city's annual free New Year's Eve celebration moves to City Hall Plaza this year.

The New Magnolia Jazz Band played at First Night in Boston in 2019. Erin Clark / The Boston Globe

By Natalie Gale

Event Link

https://www.firstnightboston.org/

This year, Boston’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration is moving from Copley Square to the newly refurbished City Hall Plaza. Programming like live music starts at noon on Sunday, Dec. 31, and continues through 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.

While centrally located around City Hall Plaza, other programming will take place on Boston Common and at a handful of indoor performance venues, too. The event’s signature ice sculptures will be placed throughout City Hall Plaza and the Common in the afternoon of the 31st, and will light up at night. 

The parade also returns this year, proceeding from City Hall Plaza to Boston Common at 6 p.m. following a speaking program with Mayor Michelle Wu. It’ll arrive at the Common before 7 p.m., just in time for the early 7 o’clock fireworks (perfect for families of young ones). 

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The midnight fireworks will go off over Boston Harbor, and there will also be a brief pyrotechnic display over City Hall Plaza at midnight.

First Night was established on Dec. 31, 1976 by artist Clara Wainwright to provide Boston-area musicians and artists family-friendly places to play and exhibit for one night at venues across the city. The event has united the city for over 46 years, growing year by year — and in 2015, it was made completely free and open to the public.

The event’s official schedule, including live music performances, will be announced in the coming weeks. Taking public transportation to and from downtown Boston is strongly recommended. For more information, visit firstnightboston.org.

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