Annual Events in Boston, Month by Month

At a glance

• What: Fourteen events that recur in Boston every year, listed by their usual month
• Busiest stretch: April through August, then October and December
• Cost: Many are free to watch; the Beanpot, Boston Calling and The Nutcracker need tickets
• Dates: Organizers set dates each year; check each official site before you plan

Boston's biggest annual events run on a steady rhythm: the Beanpot in February, the St. Patrick's Day/Evacuation Day Parade in March, the Boston Marathon in April, fireworks on the Charles River Esplanade in July, Saint Anthony's Feast in the North End in August, the Head of the Charles Regatta in October and First Night on New Year's Eve. This guide lists the months in order, gives each event's usual timing rather than a specific year's date, and links the organizer's own site.

Organizers announce exact dates each year, and some shift with the lunar calendar, the weather or city licensing. Treat the month as your planning anchor and confirm the day on the official site.

How we chose

We kept only events that happen in Boston itself and that the organizer's own website still lists as running. We left out a month when we couldn't verify anything for it, so you won't find September, November or January entries here. We also left out events held mainly across the river in Cambridge, and events whose official page we couldn't read. For a wider list of what is on right now, see the Boston events calendar.

What happens in Boston in February?

February brings college hockey and the start of the Lunar New Year season. Both are indoors or in the neighborhood, which suits the cold.

Beanpot Hockey Tournament, West End

The men's Beanpot is a four-team college hockey tournament held in February at TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, in the West End. Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern play semifinals on one Monday and the final the next Monday. A women's Beanpot with the same four schools has been played at TD Garden in January. Tickets are sold through the arena, so check the TD Garden Beanpot page for the schedule.

Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade, Chinatown

The Lunar New Year season in Chinatown centers on a lion dance parade and a cultural village, organized by Chinatown Main Street. Because it follows the lunar calendar, it can land in February or early March, and it has been held on a Sunday at the China Trade Center, 2 Boylston Street. The organizer lists events at Chinatown Main Street.

Is there a restaurant week in Boston?

Yes. Boston's restaurant week is Dine Out Boston, run by Meet Boston, the city's visitor bureau.

Dine Out Boston, citywide

Dine Out Boston runs twice a year, typically for about two weeks from late February into early March and again in the first half of August. Participating restaurants across Boston offer fixed-price lunch and dinner menus in a few set price tiers. Prices and the restaurant list change each edition, so read the Dine Out Boston page before booking. Browse more places to eat on our food and dining listings.

Which Boston event is in March?

The St. Patrick's Day/Evacuation Day Parade in South Boston is held on a Sunday in March, usually the one closest to March 17. It marks both St. Patrick's Day and Evacuation Day, the anniversary of the British leaving Boston in 1776 after Washington's cannon went up on Dorchester Heights, a hill in South Boston. That second holiday is why the parade has a double name. It is organized by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, and its route has changed between years, so check the parade's official site for the route and start time before you go.

When is the Boston Marathon?

The Boston Marathon is held in April, in recent years on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of the month. The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) runs it from Hopkinton to Boston, and spectators line the final stretch toward Boylston Street. The B.A.A. calls it the world's oldest annual marathon; John J. McDermott won the first race on April 19, 1897. The race is free to watch from the sidewalk. Dates, course details and spectator guidance are on the B.A.A. site.

What is on in Boston in May and June?

Late spring has one free garden tradition and one ticketed music festival.

Lilac Sunday, Jamaica Plain

Lilac Sunday happens on Mother's Day in May at the Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway in Jamaica Plain, typically from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and free. The Arboretum, which is run by Harvard, says its lilac collection holds more than 400 plants of 173 kinds. Picnicking is allowed in the Arboretum only on this one day. The flowers are along Bussey Hill Road. Read the Arnold Arboretum announcement for current details.

Boston Calling Music Festival, Allston

Boston Calling is a multi-day music festival at the Harvard Athletic Complex on the Charles River in Allston, typically in late May or early June. Each edition is subject to licensing approval from the City of Boston, so check bostoncalling.com for confirmed dates and tickets.

What happens in Boston in July?

July is the city's loudest month, and both big events are about the waterfront.

Boston Harborfest, Downtown and the waterfront

Boston Harborfest is a multi-day festival around July 4th. Past schedules have put an opening ceremony in Downtown Crossing, a concert at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, and fireworks launched from a barge off Long Wharf. The festival's organizer is based in the Seaport, but the events are spread around Downtown and the harbor. The schedule is on the Boston Harborfest site.

Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, Charles River Esplanade

The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is the July 4th concert and fireworks show on the Charles River Esplanade, with the Boston Pops playing at the Hatch Memorial Shell. The Boston Symphony Orchestra runs it and posts updates on its Boston Pops Fireworks page. Expect big crowds on the Esplanade, arrive early, and plan your way home by MBTA before you go.

Which Boston feast is in August?

Saint Anthony's Feast in the North End is held over several days in late August and is billed as the Feast of All Feasts. The feast centers on a grand procession that begins on Endicott Street, plus food stands, music and a Mass. The organizers' website lists the weekend's schedule, but the weekday listings on it can lag behind the calendar, so confirm the procession day at stanthonysfeast.com. Bring cash and patience, and eat a cannoli once the crowd thins.

What is the big Boston event in October?

The Head of the Charles Regatta takes over the Charles River for a weekend in late October. Crews from around the world race along the river past Boston and Cambridge, and the shores fill with spectators. Dates fall in mid-to-late October and shift a little each year. Watching from the riverbanks and bridges costs nothing; only the regatta's hospitality enclosures are ticketed. The official site, hocr.org, has course information and the race schedule.

What happens in Boston in December?

December has three traditions, two of them free.

Boston Common Tree Lighting, Downtown

The City of Boston lights its official tree on Boston Common beside the Visitor Information Center, 139 Tremont Street, in early December, typically on a Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. The tree is a gift from the Province of Nova Scotia, which sends one every year to thank Boston for the relief it sent after a munitions ship exploded in Halifax Harbor on December 6, 1917. The city hosts the ceremony with the province, and it is free. Details are on the City of Boston's tree lighting page.

Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker, Downtown

Boston Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the Citizens Opera House, 539 Washington Street, from late November through the end of December. The performance runs about two hours with one intermission, and the company says it is the only official ticket seller, so buy through the Boston Ballet page rather than a reseller.

First Night Boston, Back Bay and Boston Common

First Night Boston is the New Year's Eve celebration, centered on Copley Square in Back Bay. A procession walks from Copley Square to Boston Common, and the organizers list ice sculptures, two fireworks shows and free admission. Schedule and updates are at firstnightboston.org.

Save this: a one-year Boston calendar

• February: Beanpot at TD Garden; Lunar New Year in Chinatown.
• Late February and August: Dine Out Boston.
• March: St. Patrick's Day/Evacuation Day Parade, South Boston.
• April: Boston Marathon.
• May: Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum.
• Late May or June: Boston Calling, Allston.
• Early July: Harborfest and the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
• Late August: Saint Anthony's Feast, North End.
• Late October: Head of the Charles Regatta.
• December: Tree Lighting, The Nutcracker, First Night.

If you can only plan around one weekend, pick Lilac Sunday or Saint Anthony's Feast: both are free and tied to a single neighborhood. Many of these events pull in big crowds, so use the MBTA when you can and check the weather page before you head out.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest annual events in Boston?

The biggest annual events in Boston are the Boston Marathon in April, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on July 4th, the Head of the Charles Regatta in October and First Night on New Year's Eve. The St. Patrick's Day/Evacuation Day Parade in South Boston and Saint Anthony's Feast in the North End are also long-running traditions.

When is the Boston Marathon held?

The Boston Marathon is held in April, run by the Boston Athletic Association from Hopkinton to Boston. The B.A.A. says John J. McDermott won the first race on April 19, 1897.

Where are the Boston fireworks on July 4th?

The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular takes place on the Charles River Esplanade, with the Boston Pops performing at the Hatch Memorial Shell. Boston Harborfest also schedules harbor fireworks launched from a barge off Long Wharf around the same week.

What happens in Boston on New Year's Eve?

First Night Boston is the New Year's Eve celebration, centered on Copley Square in Back Bay. Its organizers list a procession from Copley Square to Boston Common, ice sculptures and two fireworks shows, with free admission.

Is the Head of the Charles Regatta free to watch?

Yes, watching the Head of the Charles Regatta from the Charles River banks and bridges in Boston and Cambridge is free; only hospitality enclosures are ticketed. The regatta is held over a weekend in mid-to-late October, and the official site at hocr.org has the schedule.