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- what to do in Boston this weekend (jan 3 - jan 5)
what to do in Boston this weekend (jan 3 - jan 5)
flowing into the new year
Nicole Tommasulo
02 Jan • Estimated Reading Time: 20 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
Eco-conscious travelers, your dream European journey just got greener: A groundbreaking direct train now links Paris and Berlin, offering a carbon-friendly alternative to flying that turns travel into an unforgettable scenic experience. With tickets starting at 59 euros and a route showcasing the stunning landscapes of the Champagne region and Rhine Valley, this train is the ultimate 2025 travel upgrade for adventure-seekers who want to explore responsibly.
Pompeii is implementing a new visitor management strategy, capping daily entries at 20,000 and requiring personalized, time-slotted tickets to combat over-tourism and preserve the ancient archaeological site. Beyond the main site, park officials are encouraging travelers to explore nearby "Vesuvian sites" like Oplontis and Stabiae, offering a more comprehensive and sustainable experience of the region's rich historical landscape.
food news
Cambridge's newest restaurant, Fallow Kin, is set to revolutionize farm-to-table dining in the Boston area by focusing on sustainability, local sourcing, and vegetable-forward cuisine in the former Craigie on Main space in Central Square. Helmed by a team committed to zero-waste practices, the restaurant will offer innovative tasting menus, à la carte dishes, and a bar menu that creatively repurposes ingredients while showcasing the best of New England's seasonal produce.
unique things to do in Boston: jan 3 - jan 5
Everything here is happening this weekend only. Scroll down for recurring events every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Boston.
last call
This is the last weekend to view Made in Germany? Art and Identity in a Global Nation (September 13, 2024–January 5, 2025) at Harvard Art Museums (32 Quincy St, Cambridge, 02138). Visit on Saturday, Jan 4, or Sunday, Jan 5, for special, hour-long, in-depth tours of this fascinating exhibition. Admission is free.
winter pop-ups
New (reoccurring): For a winter warmer on the other side of the harbor, visit Short Path Distillery’s (71 Kelvin St) Apres Ski Pop Up. Hosted every Friday in January, come and enjoy a fresh menu of exclusive cocktails, including twists on classics like the Hot Toddy and Irish Coffee, plus more fun + bold drinks ready to quench your craving, no matter if you want sweet, spicy, smokey, or straight up boozy. Reservations required.
Ongoing: 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 seasonal 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.
Ongoing: To literally warm up after a walk around Seaport, 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.
Ongoing: Stay warm while enjoying the city skyline at Seaport’s Rooftop at the Envoy (70 Sleeper St, Boston, 02210). Grab one of their signature hot cocktails (or crafted mocktails) and cozy up to your friends in one of the igloos, ice boxes, or around your own fire pit. $25 deposit to book; minimums depend on time + day.
Final weekend: This is the last weekend Seaport’s Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall (306 Northern Ave) will host the Holly Jolly Holiday Bar. Tickets are $18 and include a 90-minute reservation and one holiday-themed cocktail or mocktail.
friday, january 3
first friday
Celebrate the start of the new year and the weekend at the Museum of Fine Art, aka the MFA Boston (465 Huntington Ave, Boston, 02115), at First Night on Friday, Jan 3, from 6 pm - 9 pm. Free for members, $27 for non-members, enjoy music by DJ Dayglow, a signature cocktail, and make + enjoy art. Tickets required.
On the first Friday of every month, come to the South End and visit the artist studios of the SOWA Artists Guild (450 Harrison Ave, Boston, 02118). These First Friday events are free and run from 5 pm - 9 pm.
saturday, january 4
classes
New (reoccurring): If one of your resolutions this year is to try something new, On the Mark Archery is hosting Open Range Night every Saturday at King School (PAUS) Gym (101 Kinnaird Street, Cambridge, 02139). Tickets are $60, including equipment rental, instruction, and 1.5 hours of shooting time.
first saturday
Every first Saturday of the month, Lamplighter Brewing Co. offers tours of their Broadway location (284 Broadway, Cambridge, 02139). Tickets are $30 and include an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tour of Lamplighter, where you’ll learn the basics of craft beer-making. Plus, you’ll receive a sampling of their current favorite draft pours, plus a starter beer to get your sipping syllabus started.
On the first Saturday of every month, take a free tour + guided tasting at Short Path Distillery (71 Kelvin Street, Everett, 02149). Learn about the distilling process during a thirty-minute tour of the stills, brewhouse, and barrelhouse, where Short Path produces and ages their spirits. Open Distillery format: grab a drink + join the tour, then hang out after either by the stills, in the main brewhouse, or at the barrelhouse bar.
wellness
Keep your commitment to movement with an afternoon pilates class with Papaya Pilates x Boston Girls Who Walk. The class will be held on Saturday, Jan 4, from 1 - 1:50 pm at Lululemon Experimental (second floor of 208 Newbury St, Boston, 02116). Tickets are $30 and include yoga mats.
tastings
Deepen your understanding and appreciation for tequila at a Tequila Tasting experience held at La Posada Restaurant & Tequila Bar (505 Medford St, Somerville, 02145) this Saturday, Jan 4, from 9 - 10 pm. Tickets are $75 and include a sampling of five different types of tequilas paired with small plates, appetizers, and garnishes meant to enhance the flavors and aromas of the tequila.
for book lovers
Find some new reads and new friends at Trident Booksellers & Cafe’s (blind) Book Swap on Saturday, Jan 4, from 6 - 8 pm. Bring up to three WRAPPED books to exchange. They’ll provide “blind date with a book” slips to fill in (genre, tropes) to display. Food + beverages will be available for purchase.
sunday, January 5
classes + workshops
Pottery with a Purpose returns to Boston this weekend for a Plant Pottery Class at Blu Dot (141 Seaport Blvd, Boston, 02210) in Seaport from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm. Tickets are $75 and include a beginner pottery kit, a two-hour workshop on creating pinch pots + coils, + a goodie bag with 10% off your first purchase at Blue Dot.
If one of your missions in 2025 is to get better at photography, sign up for Boston Photography Workshops’ Better Composition: Photo Walk on Sunday, Jan 5. For $90, spend 1.5 - 2 hours learning how to scout photos, build competition, and how to use manual mode.
Learn the secret to making perfect sushi with James Beard-nominated chef Tracy Chang’s acclaimed team at PAGU (310 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 02139) at the Sushi and Handroll Class from 12 pm - 2 pm. Tickets are $119 and include ingredients + instructions on how to prepare sushi rice, torch, and make unique sushi sauces.
Whether you’re practicing Dry January, are sober curious, or want to be around foodies for a few hours, you’ll enjoy PAGU’s Spirited Away NA class. For $80, join James Beard nominated chef Tracy Chang from 11 am - 1 pm for snacks, lunch, and a flight of five sparkling teas and mocktails. Plus, learn tips + tricks for creating your own mocktails at home.
wellness
Start 2025 with a flow + good vibes by attending a morning yoga session at the Museum of Modern Renaissance (115 College Ave, Somerville, 02144) on Sunday, Jan 5, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tickets are $45 and include a rejuvenating yoga session with Pete Sacco (aka @bulldogflowboston) and a dance session with music provided by DJ Anthony Mansi.
Warm up and connect with your core with a Warm Yoga x Pilates session with Gabby Pacheco at MOTA Fitness, upstairs at Bow Market (11 Bow St, Somerville, 02143). For $25, you’ll have a 25-minute Pilates practice and 25-minute yoga flow in a 75-degree space. Cool lavender towels will be provided at the end of the class. Please bring your own water and yoga mat.
Head into the first full week of 2025 with a Candlelight Flow + New Year Reflection yoga session Upstairs at Bow (1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, 02143) on Sunday, Jan 5, from 6 - 7:15 pm with Zola of Be Easy Meditation. Tickets are $15. Note: Please bring your own yoga mat.
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
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.
wellness
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.
Reconnect with your ability to digest and rest during a Sound Bath Meditation with Ramon of Ib and Flow (247 Walnut St, Brookline, 02445). Sessions ($50) are held every Sunday.
Chase away — or press pause — on your end-of-weekend stress with a movie night at Sam Adams Boston Brewery (30 Germania St, Jamacia Plan, 02130). From 6 to 9 pm every Sunday, the brewery hosts a free weekly watch party. For January, their movie theme is winter movies: The Day After Tomorrow (Jan 5), The Shining (Jan 12), Grand Budapest Hotel (Jan 19), and Ice Age (Jan 26).
classes + workshops
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).
On Saturdays, Boston Harbor Distillery (12R Ericsson St, Boston, 02122) leads VIP tours ($50) and barrel-side tastings of their spirits ($20).
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).
Rosalind Village is celebrating the return of its Winter Farmers Market. Every Sunday from 11 am - 2 pm in the ABCD Parking Lot (32 Birch St, Boston, 02131), shop fresh produce, meat, fruits, and specialty foods, plus appearances from summer market favorites, including The Neighborhood Farm and Lilac Hedge Far.
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