The 49th annual First Night Boston got underway Tuesday morning with more than 12 hours of free programming for Boston families and residents to enjoy and celebrate the New Year’s holiday.
First Night Boston, a tradition in the city since 1976, this year has added new indoor programming at venues in Boston and Cambridge. It also includes holiday classics like an evening parade, ice sculptures, more than a dozen live music performances in City Hall Plaza and across the city, and two fireworks displays.
Officials said Monday that T service will be free beginning at 8 p.m. and the Boston Police and Fire Departments will be staffed and out in full force to ensure residents’ safety throughout the celebrations.
Historically, First Night has been anchored at Copley Square, but it moved to City Hall Plaza last year because of renovations to the square. This year, events will again be based in City Hall Plaza, with programming at other venues around Boston as well.
Some highlights on the full schedule, which is available online at the First Night Boston 2025 website, include free rides on the Greenway Carousel in the Boston Common beginning at 11 a.m., a concert by the Fuller and Friends Organ Trio at the Boston Public Market at noon, performances and arts and crafts put on by the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association at City Hall, a performance by the Puppet Showplace Theater in Cambridge, and two ice skating spectaculars hosted by the Frog Pond in the Common.
The First Night Parade is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall Plaza, and end at the Boston Common, where the first fireworks of the evening will set off at 7 p.m. More live music performances, a laser display, and countdown to midnight are scheduled at City Hall Plaza, before the final fireworks show at midnight at the Boston Harbor.
Dusty Rhodes, president of Conventures, the company that puts on the event, said First Night Boston is one of the largest New Year’s Eve celebrations in the country, and they expect a crowd of anywhere between 300,000 and 400,000 people to attend.
“It is free, open to the public, it is a much cherished tradition for many families,” Rhodes told the Globe Monday.
Niki Griswold can be reached at niki.griswold@globe.com. Follow her @nikigriswold.
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