Back for its 44th annual celebration, First Night Boston is a fun, free, and family-friendly way to celebrate the new year with your city. The celebration includes hours of live entertainment, including live music, dancing, an ice-skating show and a parade. With dazzling ice sculptures and two fireworks shows, it’s a super spectacle you don’t want to miss! The First Night festivities will run from 10 AM on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 through 1:00 a.m. on Monday, January 1, 2025.
First Night Boston Schedule
This year’s First Night is set to be bigger and better! Find the official First Night schedule with a chronological list of all of the First Night festivities in Boston this year.
The Historical significance of First Night Boston
First Night Boston typically attracts over 1 million people every year. First Night Boston began in 1976, as an idea from artist and visionary Clara Wainwright to create a radically different experience than the lackluster New Year’s Eve parties her and her husband used to attend. For the very first First Night, Clara inspired dozens of artists to perform, put on a fireworks show, and focused on creating one of the world’s first family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebrations.
First Night Boston was such a hit, press in other states were writing about it, and it quickly inspired over 55 of similar events across the U.S as well and even globally in countries like New Zealand and Canada. While New York’s Times Square Ball Drop dates back to 1907, First Night is recognized as the “country’s oldest and largest New Year’s Eve arts festival”– according to their Instagram.
Featured events for this year’s First Night Boston
Many venues around Boston will be hosting events and entertainment for New Year’s Eve, such as the Boston Public Library, Copley Place, Boston Common, and surrounding establishments. Check out the First Night schedule for more details on the times and locations of events.
First Night events are slated to occur all over the city from the Harbor to Boston Common and beyond! Some of the night’s highlights include:
- 10 AM: Mapparium experience
- 1:10 PM: Boston saxophone quartet
- 3 PM: Frog Pond Skating Spectacular Daytime Show (1 of 2)
- 5:30 PM: Frog Pond Skating Spectacular Evening Show (2 of 2)
- 6 PM: First Night Parade from City Hall Plaza to Boston Common
- 7 PM: Family fireworks at Boston Common
- Midnight: Main Boston Harbor Fireworks at Long Wharf
First Night Boston Fireworks display locations
The highlight of First Night is the annual fireworks! What a way to ring in the new year!
There are two spots to enjoy the expansive fireworks displays on First Night. Fireworks will go off at midnight until 12:30 AM on New Year’s Eve at:
- Boston Inner Harbor(Long wharf)
At 7 PM on December 31 there will be an additional “family-friendly” Boston Common firework display for those who can’t make it to midnight! The Common fireworks will take place where the bulk of festivities are and the harbor fireworks are off in a quainter setting near Seaport and above the water which creates a stunning reflection of lights!
Find the Boston Inner Harbor across the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor located at 101 Harborside Dr.(harbor fireworks will be visible from Jefferies Point, Waterfront, and Seaport neighborhoods)
Find the Boston Common at 139 Tremont St.