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- what to do in Boston this weekend (dec 27 - 29)
what to do in Boston this weekend (dec 27 - 29)
Nicole Tommasulo
26 Dec • Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes
Table of Contents
P.S. If you have an event, new attraction, new hotel, or restaurant opening you’d like me to cover, don’t hesitate to reach out.
travel news
If you want to go to Rome in 2025, now is a good time to reconsider your plants. Kicking off on Dec 24, 2024, and lasting until Jan 6, 2026, Rome is celebrating the Jubilee Year. This centuries-old tradition will transform Vatican City into a spiritual celebration that is expected to draw between 30 and 35 million visitors (compared to the 13 million visitors that passed through the city in 2023).
American Airlines resumed flights after a Christmas Eve “technical issue” grounded all flights nationwide. The issue was resolved within an hour, but the downtime sent a ripple effect through the record-breaking travel day.
food news
UNESCO added 11 new culinary traditions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, including Thailand’s tomyum kung, Korean jang sauces, and Asturian cider culture in northern Spain. Other traditions that made the list include traditional Arabic coffee, sake-making in Japan, and Malaysian breakfast culture.
Maple & Ash, the Chicago-based steakhouse, is expanding east to Boston in 2025. Currently, there are locations in the mid and southwest, but there are plans to add locations in New York City, Miami (opening Jan 2025), and the west coast, in Santa Barbara. According to Boston Restaurant Talk, the Boston location of Maple & Ash will be going in at the shops at Pier 4 in Seaport.
unique things to do in Boston: dec 27 - 29
Everything here is happening this weekend only. Keep on scrolling for recurring events happening every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Boston.
holiday lighting + performances this weekend
This weekend, rewatch the holiday classic Home Alone with Boston Pops on Friday, Dec 27 (7:30 pm), Saturday, Dec 28 (7:30 pm), and Sunday, Dec 29 (3 pm). Tickets are $60 - $185.
Celebrate Hanukkah in Seaport this weekend with a special Menorah Lighting celebration in partnership with Chabad of Downtown Boston on Sunday, Dec 29, at 4:30 pm. Guests will be treated to traditional treats including kosher jelly donuts and chocolate gelt.
final call for these holiday events
This is the last weekend for the annual Holiday Market at Snowport (65 Northern Ave) in Boston’s Seaport District. It runs seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) and features over 120 vendors, great food options, cocktail bars, live music, activities (like curling), and more. East Boston favorite Petrova Chocolates (creator of those viral Dubai Chocolate Bars) has a booth, so be sure to stop by!
If you haven’t been to Avery Bar Chocolat inside The Ritz-Carlton, Boston (10 Avery St) for tableside hot cocoa service yet, this weekend is your last chance. For $39, enjoy hot chocolate paired with decadent pastries curated by Ritz-Carlton, Boston Pastry Chef Christoper Goluszka. Reservations required.
This is the last call for The Winter Market at Publico (11 Dorchester St), where nostalgic Christmas vibes blend with European Christmas Markets for a cozy holiday pop-up bar. Reservations are strongly recommended.
You have one last chance to book your Holiday Tea service at Beacon Hill Books & Cafe (71 Charles). Held from 11 am to 5 pm every Sunday and Monday in December. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Boston’s only Hanukkah pop-up bar is back again this year. From now until Jan 1, you can visit Macabee Bar inside The Charles Hotel (1 Bennett St) in Harvard Square every Monday - Saturday starting at 4 pm. There are limited reservations available; priority is given to walk-ins.
To get festive above Boston, visit ViewBoston’s Stratus Winter Oasis. At the top of Prudential Tower (800 Boylston), Status Bar has been transformed into a winter wonderland where guests can sip festive cocktails while the city glitters around them. Tickets are $38, including admission to ViewBoston exhibits and one beer, wine, or signature cocktail. This also gives you access to The Beacon Bistro, View Boston’s restaurant.
To literally warm up after a Snowport visit, book a table at Deck 12’s heated rooftop outdoor bar (65 Seaport Blvd). Like in previous years, there is an Apres theme, complete with heaters, fondues, chair lifts, gondolas, and more. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Or, head down the street to Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall (306 Northern Ave) and get an infusion of festive cheer at the Holly Jolly Holiday Bar. Tickets are $18 and include a 90-minute reservation and one holiday-themed cocktail or mocktail.
friday, december 27
classes
Cookie and cake decorating classes are usually a no-go if you’re vegan or have allergies. On Friday, Dec 27, Jennifer Lee’s Allergen Free Bakery in Boston Public Market (10 Hanover St) is hosting a Winter Wonderland Cookie Decorating Class with Top 9 allergen-free, vegan cookies, at 1 pm. Tickets are $32.90 and include cookie kit.
Keep the holiday spirit going with a Holiday Candle Crafting Workshop at Lamplighter Brewing (110 North First Street) in Cambridge on Friday, Dec 27, from 6 pm - 8 pm. Tickets are $44.52 and include candle-making supplies for two soy wax candles.
holiday events
Enjoy one last night of twinkling lights and festive flights at Whiskey Wonderland, a holiday pop-up at Short Path Distillery’s Barrelhouse Bar (71 Kelvin Street) in Everett on Friday, Dec 27. Doors open at 6 pm and reservations are required.
saturday, december 28
classes
Spend your Saturday, Dec 28, learning from James Beard-nominated Chef Tracy Chang, and the chefs at Pagu (310 Massachusetts Ave) in Cambridge. This week, they are teaching how to make hand-pulled noodles from scratch. Tickets are $119 and the class runs from 12 pm - 2 pm.
Come out to Lamplighter Brewing in Cambridge (110 N First St) on Saturday, Dec 28, from 1 pm - 3 pm for a fun, beginner-friendly Sip & Sculpt Pottery Class. Tickets are $75 and include a pottery kit and a step-by-step tutorial on how to hand-make a pinch pot.
wellness
End 2024 with a New Year Sound Healing session with Cailtin-Rose Yoga & Wellness (245 Boston Street) in Dorchester on Saturday, Dec 28, from 5 - 6:30 pm. This is a free event. Donations are welcomed.
sunday, december 29
workshops
Anyone interested in tarot, whether you’re new to the practice or a seasoned veteran, is invited to a Tarot Study + Art Workshop this Sunday, Dec 29, from 1 pm - 2:30 pm, at Long Live Roxbury Tavern (152 Hampden St) in Roxbury. Tickets are $10, including art supplies. Please bring your tarot deck(s) to share if possible.
reoccurring winter events
As a reminder, the Commuter Rail has $10 weekend passes, which gives the ticketholder unlimited travel on Saturday and Sunday. Pass is activated during your first trip on Saturday and continues to stay active until Sunday night.
tours
Historic Holiday Strolls — guided tours among the holiday lights on Boston’s Freedom Trail — continue on select Fridays and Saturdays through Dec 28. The walks are one hour long and led by guides dressed in 19th-century Dickensian costumes. For tickets and more information, visit the Freedom Trail’s website.
Boston Athenaeum routinely holds Art & Architecture Tours throughout the week and weekend. Tours are always free for members, $15 for adults, $10 for students/educators/military, $8 for children 11 and under, or $4 using your EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare cards.
Whether you’re a local or visiting Boston for the first time, there’s never a bad time to take a tour. For something a little different (and delicious), book a spot on the Freedom Trail: History Tour & Brewery Taste. Follow the Freedom Trail, stopping at 11 of 16 major landmarks along the trail, with Hub Town Tours before enjoying lunch and beer tasting at Democracy Brewing.
classes + workshops
To start your weekend off with a dose of wellness, come to The Hidden Art Gallery (25 Myrtle Street) in Beacon Hill for their weekly Explore Meditation with Watercolor class. Held every Friday from 3 pm - 6 pm, learn the basics of meditation while intuitively creating with watercolor. Classes are $55.
Whether you already love screenprinting or are completely new to this printing method, DARK MODE hosts DIY Screenprinting workshops at their storefront in Bow Market (1 Bow Market Way, #24) in Somerville on Friday (7 pm) and Saturday (6 pm and 7 pm) nights. Tickets are $45, including t-shirts.
DARK MODE also hosts Candle Making and Intention Setting Workshops every Thursday at 7 pm at their storefront in Bow Market in Somerville. Tickets are $50.
Spend your Friday learning to make classic Italian cuisine with Self Up Cooking Classes (19 Kingston St) in Downtown Crossing from 6 pm - 9 pm. Every week, they host an Italian Dinner with Tiramisu Finale cooking class and dinner experience, where you can learn how to make a three-course meal, including a luscious tiramisu for dessert. Tickets are $100 and include all ingredients.
tastings
Coffee lovers, this one is for you. Every Friday at 10 am, Counter Culture Coffee (374 Somerville Ave) in Somerville opens their Training Center for free coffee tastings. Anyone who wants to can learn and commune over perfectly brewed high-quality, sustainable coffee.
Every Friday at 6:30 pm, GrandTen Distilling (383 Dorchester Ave) in South Boston holds Friday Night Flights: a chance to get to know their full line-up of spirits (plus special limited-run bottles not available anywhere else) at an intimate tasting. Tickets are $25 and seating is limited (10 max).
Love Child holds free wine tastings every Friday (5 pm - 7 pm) and Saturday (12 pm - 3 pm) at their South Boston (364 West Broadway) location. These tastings are free and require no reservations.
Come to The Urban Grape (303 Columbus Ave) in Back Bay on Saturday for The After Brunch, between 2 pm and 5 pm, for their weekly free wine tasting.
ice skating in Boston
Boston Common’s Frog Pond Skating Rink (38 Beacon St) is open daily from 10 am - 10 pm, with the last entry admitted 30 minutes before closing. Anyone 58 inches or taller must pay $10 to skate. You can also rent skates ($15 for adults, $10 for kids), rent lockers, and get your skates sharpened ($7). New Year’s hours: Dec 31st: 8:00 AM – 1:00PM; Jan 1st: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
From now until mid-March, enjoy outdoor ice skating at Skate @ Canal District (300 Athenaeum St) in Kendall Square. Lessons and season passes are available. All-day admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students + seniors, and $1 for children 13 and under. Open daily (M, T: Noon - 5 pm; W, TH: Noon - 8 pm; Sat: 11 am - 9 pm; Sun: 11 am - 6 pm).
Located right behind the Stony Brook MBTA stop, the DCR Kelly Outdoor Rink (1 Marbury Terrace) in Jamaica Pain is a volunteer-run, donor-supported operation. Open now through mid-March, Sunday through Friday: 12 pm – 7:30 pm, Saturday: 1 pm – 7:30 pm. Skating is free and all-day skate rental is $4 cash ($5 credit card).
winter markets + festivals
Boston’s annual Winter Festival at Charlestown’s Hood Park (500 Rutherford) continues through Jan 25, with limited days and hours beginning at the end of December. Spread out across two acres, there is an ice skating rink ($20/hr for adults, $15/hr for kids under 10; $10 skate rental), life-size light up castle, an artisan marketplace, Veuve Clicquot Après Ski Gondola lounge, and more. Admission is free. Attendees can park in the Hood Park garage (100 Hood Park Dr) for free for up to three hours.
Farmer’s Market season never ends in Boston; it just moves inside. Visit Somerville’s Winter Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm inside The Center for the Arts at the Armory (191 Highland Ave).
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