First Night Boston - New Year's Eve Celebrations in Boston

First Night Boston is the home of the original First Night New Year's Eve celebration. This Boston New Year's Eve celebration began in 1976 when a small group of artists and local residents decided they wanted to create an alternative to the normally alcohol fuelled New Year's Eve. The result was a substance free celebration of culture for those of all ages with the aim of bringing the community together by using the creative arts and active participation. Since its inception it has grown into the biggest New Year's Celebration in Boston, perhaps in all of New England, attracting over one million people each year.

First Night Boston takes place in over thirty indoor and outdoor venues in downtown Boston. There are more than 250 performances and exhibitions that are put on by both local and international artists. First Night Boston is a family orientated New Year's Eve celebration that includes music, theatre, visual arts, dance and spoken arts finishing off with the ever-popular fireworks display at Boston Common. Some of the most popular Boston New Year's Eve events besides the Fireworks display are the Family Festival, Giant Ice Sculptures and the Grand Procession.

The Grand Procession is carried out in true carnival style; you may even think you ended up at Mardis Gras by a pleasant accident. The Boston First Night Grand Procession begins at 5:30pm from the Hynes Convention Centre moving through the streets and ending at Boston Common around 7pm. It includes a huge variety of performers in festive costumes, dancing, stilt walking, playing Jazz, Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian music, baton twirlers, decorated bikes and much much more!

The popular Family Festival takes place at the Hynes Convention Centre. Activities and events include puppet shows, dance performances, storytelling and magic. One of the most popular performers that participates in the Boston New Year's Eve Family Festival is Bob Hickman. Each year he performs to a packed house with hilarious stunts, magic tricks and audience participation.