First Night: A schedule of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Boston

From fireworks to ice sculptures to archery, Boston’s First Night celebration is stacked with a line up of lively activities to ring in the new year on Wednesday.

Every year the annual New Year’s Eve tradition in Boston includes family friendly programming throughout the day, with music, food and events for hundreds of thousands of attendees in the downtown area. For the third year, the over 12 hours of free programming will center around City Hall plaza, with additional activities at Long Wharf, Boston Common, Copley Square and more.

The revelries begin at 10 a.m. with a kid-friendly sing-a-long with Jeff Jam at Boston Public Market and the opening of the Mapparium and exhibits at the Christian Science Plaza for free admission and tours.

At 11 a.m., the Greenway Carousel will also open for free rides on the Rose Kennedy Greenway through 6 p.m.

At noon, visitors can see the famous ice sculptures exhibited at City Hall plaza. The sculptures will be up through the night and into New Year’s day, weather permitting.

The ice sculpture display will team up with the Boston Harbor’s annual ice sculpture stroll, lasting from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and including free water shuttle rides between East Boston’s Lewis Mall Dock, Fan Pier, and Lovejoy Wharf near North Station.

Also at noon, the Boston Saxophone Quartet will kick off music at the central branch of the Boston Public Library, followed by pianist Yelena Beriyeva, singer ToriTori, and the Alex Minasian trio. The Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association will also kick off performances and music at Copley Square, followed by the performance group, A Trike Called Funk.

The Chu Ling Academy also will dance at Copley Place at noon, followed by puppet shows from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and free archery lessons will begin at Boston Common through 3 p.m.

At 12:30 p.m., more live music from the Fuller and Friends Trio will come to Boston Public Market.

At 1 p.m., the Trinity Church will host a Emancipation Proclamation Concert, celebrating “liberty and freedom.”

At 2 p.m., live music at City Hall Plaza will begin, lasting through 12:30 a.m. and featuring artists like Leaving Irene, SUPERPINK, Hill House The Band, and finishing off with The Sultans.

At 3 p.m., the first Frog Pond Skating Spectacular will come to the Boston Common, with another performance at 5:30 p.m.

At 5 p.m., the Brighter Ignited interactive art exhibit will launch at City Hall Plaza.

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Super sips to ring in the New Year

At 6:30 p.m., the Pipes and Pops Concert will begin at Old South Church, followed by another performance at 8 p.m.

At 7 p.m., the first round of spectacular fireworks shoot off over the Boston Common, lasting for 15 minutes.

Then at midnight, the next round of fireworks kick off over the Boston Inner Harbor, lasting through 12:30 a.m.

More information on the First Night programming can be found at firstnightboston.org/schedule.

Workers from Brilliant Ice Sculpture work outside the N.E. Aquarium on Tuesday. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

 

Ice sculptor Jeff Hayward shapes a block of ice outside the N.E. Aquarium. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
A close look at the cold work of ice sculpture ahead of Boston’s First Night festivities. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

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