Special to the Times
First Night Boston is proud to announce its full schedule of performances for New Year’s Eve, which will fill City Hall Plaza and surrounding venues in the hours leading up to 2026. Musicians, performers, and artists will perform in Boston’s downtown, with the stage, lights, and ice in City Hall Plaza serving as the event’s centerpiece. The latest schedule is included in this release, and all events are free for all.
Festivities for the 50th First Night Boston begin at 10:00 a.m. with performances at the Boston Public Market and exhibits opening at the First Church of Christ, Scientist. At noon, stages alight at Boston Public Library in Copley Square, the Copley Place Mall, and in newly refurbished Copley Square Park. Beginning at 2:00 p.m., outdoor performances kick-off at the main stage in City Hall Plaza with Leaving Irene, Superpink, Houston Bernard, and Mamadou blending a variety of beats for the growing crowds. The ice sculpture gallery will sparkle for all to enjoy, celebrating major events coming to Boston in 2026 and America’s 250th birthday.
The Greenway carousel offers free rides through the afternoon, and at Boston Common, archery for beginners opens for guests to take aim at 12:00 p.m. The Skating Club of Boston hosts its first of two figure skating shows in the Frog Pond at 3:00 p.m.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and others will speak from the main stage in City Hall Plaza at 5:45 p.m., before the First Night Parade brings hundreds of performers to Boston Common for the 7:00 p.m. Mugar Family Fireworks presented by The Mugar Foundation. As the countdown continues, the tempo at City Hall Plaza picks up with Sons of Levin, Veronica Robles, Hill House the Band, Kei, and the Sultans putting their local roots and vibrant sounds on display.
As the clock strikes midnight, a second fireworks display will set Boston aglow, with the best vantage points available at Christopher Columbus Park, the North End, and East Boston. The fireworks and headlining performance will cap more than 12 hours of free entertainment, light shows, ice sculptures, and other family-friendly programming ringing in 2026, and continuing the longest-running First Night celebration in the world.
For more information and to support First Night with a donation, the public is invited to visit www.firstnightboston.org.
Full Performance Schedule
(As of December 17, 2025. All times subject to minor changes.)
Church of Christ Scientist
210 Massachusetts Ave., Boston MA 02115
First Church of Christ, Scientist – The Mother Church Extension
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy free admission to the How Do You See the World? experience + Mapparium globe from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., tours of The Mother Church at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m.
First Night Organ Concert
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Soul-touching performances from organists upon one of the world’s ten largest organs
Boston Public Market
100 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02108
Jeff Jam Sing-a-long
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Get ready to sing-a-long and dance in the Nook at the Boston Public Market
Fuller and Friends Trio
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Rooted in jazz, funk, and soul music, Fuller and Friends journeys across all genres of music and have you tapping your toes.
Boston Public Library –
Newsfeed Cafe
700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Boston Saxophone Quartet
12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m.
Performing for more than 30 years, BSQ programs have been successful with developing high school saxophonists the Boston area.
ToriTori
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Boston-born singer, songwriter, bending R&B and Soul into something unique. 2023 R&B Artist of the Year by the Boston Music Awards and Act of the Year by the New England Music Awards
Copley Place Mall
100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02116
Chu Ling Dance Academy
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Performing at First Night since 1999, a colorful and inspiring performance that showcases the diversity, culture, and art in Boston
Puppet Showplace Theater
1:30 p.m. – 2:10 p.m., 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Two shows: Party Animals follows five furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives – throwing a party! Holiday Sing-Along: A Puppet Variety Show starts at 2:45 with singalongs and festive friends.
Copley Square Park
Copley Square, Boston
Performances by the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Drumming, dulcimer, guzheng, and Chinese yo-yo performances for all to enjoy
A Trike Called Funk
1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Participatory dance and arts experience featuring various music and dance forms, pulsing from a customized cargo tricycle and its sound system.
Boston Public Library –
Raab Auditorium
700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Chester Brezniak and Yelena Beriyeva
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Beriyeva has been hailed “the paragon of the concert pianist” and “a standout performer.” Brezniak has performed extensively as an orchestral and chamber music player throughout the US
Alex Minasian Trio
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
New York-based pianist, musical director, and educator known for his versatility across jazz and soul genres. Alex bridges generations of music with deep skill & soul
Trinity Church
206 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116
Emancipation Proclamation Concert
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Handel and Haydn Society and the Museum of African American History co-present the Emancipation Proclamation Concert, a celebration of liberty and freedom
Boston Common
Archery on the Common
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
On the Mark Archery is a professional traveling archery service dedicated to teaching youths and adults this unique Olympic sport
Frog Pond Skating Spectacular
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.,
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
See national and international competitive figure skaters, soloists, groups, wee skaters, and more at the two shows
Mugar Family Fireworks
7:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.
A spectacular Fireworks display over the Boston Common presented by the Mugar Foundation
City Plaza Main Stage
1 City Hall Sq.
Leaving Irene
2:00 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
A soundscape of raw emotion, layered with shimmering guitar work and heartfelt lyrics
SUPERPINK
3:00 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
An indie disco band — sometimes instrumental, sometimes lyrical, always funky
Houston Bernard
4:00 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.
Drawing inspiration from Springsteen and Parton, Bernard plays with power, twang, and authenticity
MAMADOU
5:00 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.
Blends West African rhythms with, rumba, samba, salsa, and reggae, all rooted in rich guitar and percussion
Boston Music Project
6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Creative youth development program highlighting students unleashing their musical creativity
Sons of Levin
7:20 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Boston-based rock band inspired by acts such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, Phish, Grateful Dead and other classic rock mainstays.
Veronica Robles
8:10 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Performance by the Mariachi singer, musician, and Latin American folkloric dancer and choreographer
Hill House the Band
8:50 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Performing a dynamic fusion of funk, soul, and pop
Kei
9:50 p.m. -10:10 p.m.
Performance by Boston’s best R&B artist, including singing, dance, and energy
The Femmes
10:30 p.m. – 11:10 p.m.
A performance by an all-woman and non-binary party band specializing in songs by female and non-binary artists
The Sultans
11:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
The Sultans, one of the area’s best cover bands will keep the crowd on their feet as the countdown continues
Old South Church
645 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Pipes and Pops Concert
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
The best of Boston’s brass and percussion artists join organist Mitchell Crawford in a supersonic program of popular classics. Experience Old South’s incredible E. M. Skinner organ, with over 7,000 room-shaking pipes
Boston Harbor
(Off of Long Wharf)
Boston Harbor Fireworks
12:00 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Breathtaking fireworks display over the Boston Harbor, brought to you by Meet Boston.