Tree lighting · Boston · Thu Dec 3
Boston Common Tree Lighting
Boston lights the giant tree from Nova Scotia from 6–8pm, free. The Commonwealth Avenue Mall trees light up right after, at 8pm.
City of Boston event pageHoliday season
Holiday lights, tree lightings and Santa near Boston.
The lights come on in late November and the best nights fill up fast. Most tree lightings are free; zoo lights and Santa visits need tickets. Bundle the kids up — almost everything here is outdoors.
Guide reviewed October 27, 2026. Check each organizer's own page the day you go.
Tree lighting · Boston · Sat Nov 21
Faneuil Hall Holiday Tree Lighting
Live performances and Santa from 2pm, with the tree lit at 6pm sharp. The holiday market upstairs in Quincy Market is open weekends from November 20.
Official event pageTree lighting & Santa · Melrose · Dec 4–6
Melrose Home for the Holidays
Friday: caroling, the City Hall tree lighting and Santa arriving on a fire engine. Saturday: Santa, cookie decorating and "reindeer" rides at Cedar Park, plus free trolleys around the city (no strollers on board). Sunday: a free children's party at Mount Hood.
Melrose Chamber pageLight show · Stoneham · Nov 20 – Jan 3
ZooLights at Stone Zoo
Glowing displays all through the zoo, nightly 4–9:30pm (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Everyone 2 and up needs a dated ticket; plan-ahead prices change by date.
Official ZooLights pageSanta · Stoneham · weekends Nov 27 – Dec 23
Visit with Santa at ZooLights
$5 per guest age 2 and up, on top of a ZooLights ticket, sold on site. For something extra, "Hot Chocolate with the Reindeer" (booked ahead) starts at 3:30pm before ZooLights opens.
Official Santa pageHoliday market · Seaport, Boston · Nov 6 – Dec 27
Snowport Holiday Market
Free general admission, open daily (closed Thanksgiving), with a LEGO Creativity Corner where kids drop in for crafts.
Official market pageHoliday market · South End, Boston · Nov 20 – Dec 27
SoWa Christmas Market
An indoor market in the SoWa Power Station. Kids 12 and under get in free; adults pay $10. Closed Mondays and Christmas Day.
Official market pageFree skating · Cambridge · Dec 12–13
Kendall Square Winter Art Market
Free community skating, skate shows, face painting and wreath-making workshops, 11am–4pm both days.
City of Cambridge event pageMenorah lighting · Reading · Sun Dec 6
Reading Community Menorah Lighting
The town lights the menorah at 4pm. The town calendar says more details are coming, so check the location closer to the day.
Town of Reading calendar