Attending First Night in Boston on New Year’s Eve is a rite of passage for both locals and visitors. Its inaugural event, held over 50 years ago, quickly caught on and has become a New Year’s Eve tradition in the city. This free event runs from midday on New Year’s Eve day to New Year’s Day, and features a myriad of performances from DJ Whysham, The Femmes, and beyond, along with exciting events including the First Night Parade. All activities culminate in the fireworks show at midnight — the perfect top-off to a day of sightseeing and merriment. As a bonus, City Hall Plaza is only a short jaunt from Encore Boston Harbor and the resort’s ferry drop-off, making it the perfect location to travel between holiday adventures.

End the year on a delicious note—or start 2026 with a bang—by dining at the restaurants of Encore Boston Harbor, including Rare Steakhouse, Seamark Seafood & Cocktails, and Red 8. On New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Red 8 features its Peking Duck Special: a Whole Duck for $88.88 and a Half Duck for $45.88.

Get ready to start the new year with a fresh look at The Salon at Encore Boston Harbor. Pampering sessions are available by appointment, including manicures and pedicures with signature Dazzle Dry polish; BELLAMI hair extensions for extra volume and pizzazz; cut-and-blowout packages for long-lasting results; and hair styling for everything from going-out looks to special-occasion updos. Men can luxuriate in barber services like hot-towel shaves and beard trims, bringing their partners along for the ultimate self-care session. Beyond the regular maintenance, The Salon offers special-occasion makeup sessions befitting a New Year’s Eve outing.

Venture outdoors for a brisk New Year’s Eve day walk around a true Bostonian institution. Harvard offers a self-guided tour to explore America’s oldest higher education institution at a relaxed pace. Beyond the architecture and glass windows created by Tiffany and La Farge, onlookers stroll by the main campus, library, Cambridge Common, the science center, and other buildings that housed everyone from politicians to celebrities. Each tour covers approximately 1.5 miles and hits 15 significant spots on campus, so expect to spend at least two hours on the tour. Wear a splash of pink to feel like Elle Woods royalty.

If parties are not part of the itinerary, relax with a movie night that won’t soon be forgotten. Get avant-garde with the NYE itinerary at The Brattle, Boston’s centennial one-screen theater.Brazil is the show of the day for the night before New Year’s Eve, a dystopian tale that follows Johnathon Pryce through a tidal wave of conflict, nodding to literary plots from the greats. Gripping and fascinating, the showing of this Terry Gilliam masterpiece takes place at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30.

Boston Baroque is transporting its guests into an auditory heaven for its 2025 New Year’s Eve performance “Water Music,” led by internationally renowned conductor Marc Minkowski and featuring mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey. Composed over three centuries ago for King George I, this rendition will feature Mozart classics and a musical surprise. A sophisticated evening awaits with this New Year’s Eve performance, an experience that will take place at Harvard’s Sanders Theater, an intimate and immersive venue in Brighton beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase on the Boston Baroque website.

While the entirety of First Night constitutes a visit, the First Night Ice Sculptures are a charming catch-as-catch-can event all on their own for all ages to enjoy.

The ice sculptures make their dazzling return to First Night in celebration of the anniversary of Massachusetts, established in 1775. Sculptures will be located in City Hall Plaza and available for public viewing beginning at noon on December 31 to 12:30 a.m. on January 1. Catch the Waterfront Ice Sculpture from 1–5 p.m. on December 31. These delicate creations exist only for a limited time, with dozens of sculptures on display to dazzle visitors from all over. Plan to join the Ice Sculpture Stroll using the interactive map to easily locate each sculpture — and still leave plenty of time for photo ops with the family.

Stone Zoo is featuring its annual ZooLights extravaganza through the year’s end and into January 2026. Combining the allure of exotic animal exhibits with the timeless joy of holiday light displays, every square foot brings cheer to carry the winter season forward. For an exclusive event, holiday, and birthday party, rentals are available with stacked add-on amenities for the best bash ever, including fire pits, s’mores kits, and hot chocolate with reindeer.

Explore the Stone Zoo activity page for additional winter events leading up to New Year’s Eve.

Looking for an exclusive view of the midnight fireworks show? A yacht party is the answer. Take the Northern Lights yacht out on the water after sunset to enjoy a NYE celebration in the company of other stylish partygoers. Each tour takes roughly three hours and marks a picturesque ending to 2025 with loved ones and friends in tow. For an added twist, live music during the fireworks show aboard the Yacht Manhattan invites guests to dance and snap pictures to commemorate an unforgettable evening. Or, venture out for a brunch tour and welcome the year with a waterfront adventure.