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By Michael Gonzales ยท Updated October 22, 2026
Boston's Christmas lights switch on in a run of free City of Boston ceremonies between November 23 and December 3, 2026. The biggest is the Boston Common Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 3, from 6 to 8 p.m., with the Commonwealth Avenue Mall lit right after. On other nights, try ZooLights at Stone Zoo or a holiday trolley tour.
Below are the 2026 dates the City and the organizers have posted so far, two easy walking routes, the light shows worth a drive, and where to stay so you can walk to the lights.
When are the Boston tree lightings in 2026?
The City's Parks Department runs five lightings in late November and early December, and all of them are free.
| Lighting | Date and time (2026) | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Park trellis | Mon., Nov. 23, 5 to 6 p.m. | 110 Atlantic Ave., North End waterfront | Free |
| Nova Scotia tree arrives | Tue., Nov. 24, about 11 a.m. | Boston Common | Free |
| Martin's Park ship | Sat., Nov. 28, 5 to 6 p.m. | 64 Sleeper St., Seaport and Fort Point | Free |
| Copley Square tree | Mon., Nov. 30, 5 to 6 p.m. | 560 Boylston St., Back Bay | Free |
| Boston Common tree | Thu., Dec. 3, 6 to 8 p.m. | 139 Tremont St. | Free |
| Commonwealth Avenue Mall | Thu., Dec. 3, about 8 to 8:15 p.m. | Arlington St. to Charlesgate | Free |
| Faneuil Hall Marketplace tree | 2026 date not posted yet | Between Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market | Check the marketplace |
Sources: the City of Boston's event pages for the trellis, the tree arrival, Martin's Park, Copley Square, Boston Common and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, checked October 20, 2026.
One thing to watch: the City's tree-arrival page says Tuesday, November 24, but its Copley Square page says the tree arrives November 17. Check boston.gov the week before if you want to see it come in.
What's the best place to see Christmas lights in Boston?
The Commonwealth Avenue Mall is the one I'd make time for. Its trees stay lit from early December to late March, from Arlington Street to Charlesgate, according to the Friends of the Public Garden, so you don't have to be there on lighting night.
The Friends say the display has run for the past 26 winters and was inspired by the lit, tree-lined boulevards of Paris. It's paid for entirely by private gifts.
The other spots worth seeing:
- Boston Common. The City's official tree, a gift from Nova Scotia, stands near the Visitor Information Center at 139 Tremont Street.
- Christopher Columbus Park. The park's 260 feet of trellis are lit, near the Boston Marriott Long Wharf and through the rest of the park, the City says.
- Martin's Park. The play ship, the beach fencing and the footbridge get more than 1,500 feet of blue and white tube lights.
- Copley Square. The 2026 lighting doubles as the grand reopening of the renovated Copley Square Park.
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The marketplace tree stands between Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, Meet Boston says.
What time is the Boston Common tree lighting?
The Boston Common Tree Lighting runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2026, next to the Visitor Information Center at 139 Tremont Street. It's free. At about 8:15 p.m., Mayor Michelle Wu joins the Friends of the Public Garden to switch on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights, according to the City of Boston.
2026 is the 55th year Nova Scotia has sent the tree, as thanks for the help Boston sent after the Halifax Harbor explosion of December 6, 1917. Our Boston Common Tree Lighting guide has the full story and more on the night itself. The event listing has calendar buttons.
When is the Faneuil Hall tree lighting?
Faneuil Hall Marketplace hadn't posted its 2026 date as of October 20, 2026. Meet Boston lists the tree and its lighting ceremony as returning for 2026, date to be announced.
For a rough idea, the 2025 lighting was on Saturday, November 22, from 2 to 7 p.m., with the 50-foot tree lit at 6 p.m., according to Faneuil Hall Marketplace. There were performers, face painting and a visit from Santa. Watch the marketplace's events calendar for 2026.
Can you see Boston's Christmas lights on foot in one evening?
Yes. Most of the downtown lights fall along two walks, and you can do either one in an evening after December 3.
Route 1: the Common to Back Bay. Start at the tree on Boston Common. Cross Charles Street into the Public Garden and leave by the Arlington Street side, where the lit Commonwealth Avenue Mall begins. Walk the Mall west as far as you like toward Charlesgate, then cut down to Copley Square for its tree and dinner on Boylston Street.
Route 2: the waterfront. Start at the tree between Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, then walk to the trellis at Christopher Columbus Park on Atlantic Avenue. It's an easy add-on before dinner in the North End.
Martin's Park is over in the Seaport and Fort Point area, so I'd treat it as its own stop, especially with kids.
Where can you see Christmas light displays near Boston?
These are the big ticketed displays. They give you a walk-through or a train ride rather than a single tree.
| Display | Where | Dates listed | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZooLights | Stone Zoo, Stoneham | Nov. 20 to Jan. 3; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day | 4 to 9:30 p.m.; last entry 8:30 p.m. |
| Winter Wonderland Train and Lights Festival | Edaville, Carver | Nov. 27 to Dec. 27 | Fri. 4 to 9 p.m., Sat. 2 to 9 p.m., Sun. 3 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience | Franklin Park Zoo, Boston | Ends Nov. 8 | 5 to 10:30 p.m. |
ZooLights is Zoo New England's walk along tree-lined paths covered in lights at Stone Zoo. Tickets use plan-ahead pricing, so the price changes by date and time. Children under 2 get in free, and the ZooLights ticket doesn't include daytime zoo admission. Zoo New England says most visits take an hour to an hour and a half, and parking is free.
Edaville, in Carver, south of Boston, pairs light displays with the Edaville Holiday Express train, Santa, skating and carriage rides. The hours above are the ones Edaville lists for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
If you searched "zoo lights Boston," note that Boston Lights at Franklin Park Zoo is a lantern show, not a Christmas display, and the 2026 run ends November 8. Our Boston Lights listing has the details.
Is there a Christmas lights tour in Boston?
Yes. Old Town Trolley runs the Holiday Sights and Festive Nights tour from December 4 to 30, 2026, with no tours on December 25, according to Old Town Trolley Tours. It's a 75-minute ride with a costumed guide that stops at Boston Common and rolls down Charles Street.
It leaves from the Marriott Long Wharf, 200 Atlantic Avenue. You need a reservation, and tickets can't be refunded, but you can reschedule up to 24 hours ahead. It's more holiday history than a pure lights tour, which suits a family.
If you'd rather see the skyline from the water, the Boston Holiday Cocoa Cruise on Viator is a 90-minute cruise on a yacht decorated for the holidays, with hot cocoa and a heated salon. Check the sailing dates when you book.
What is the Mayor's Enchanted Trolley Tour?
It's the City's tour of neighborhood tree lightings, where a trolley carrying Santa and other Christmas characters stops in one neighborhood after another. Only staff and the characters ride, so you meet it at a stop rather than climb aboard, the City of Boston says.
The 2026 stops weren't posted as of October 20, 2026. The City's page still shows the 2025 tour, on Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7. Its stops ran from West Roxbury and Mattapan to Dorchester, Chinatown, the North End, Charlestown and East Boston.
Where should you stay to see the Christmas lights in Boston?
Stay near Boston Common or in Back Bay and you can walk to the main lights.
| If you want | Stay in | Hotels to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Walk to the Common tree | Downtown | Omni Parker House, 60 School St. |
| The Public Garden and the Mall | Back Bay, by the Public Garden | Four Seasons Hotel Boston, 200 Boylston St.; The Newbury Boston, 1 Newbury St. |
| A room on the lit Mall | Back Bay | The Eliot Hotel, 370 Commonwealth Ave. |
| The Copley Square tree | Back Bay | Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 St. James Ave. |
| The trellis and the trolley tour | Waterfront | Boston Marriott Long Wharf, 296 State St.; Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall |
After the Copley Square lighting, the City says, guests are invited for cookies and pictures with Santa inside the Fairmont Copley Plaza at 6 p.m. Our Boston hotels by neighborhood guide compares the areas. You can also check Back Bay hotel rates on Expedia.
How do you get to the tree lightings?
Take the T. Park Street station is right on Boston Common, Copley station is on Copley Square, and Aquarium station is a short walk from Christopher Columbus Park. Plan your trip with the MBTA trip planner.
Dress warm. These are outdoor evening events in late November and December, and you'll be standing still while you wait for the switch. Our Boston winter guide covers what to pack, and winter in Boston with kids has more for families. For the whole month, see things to do in Boston in December, and for December 31, see New Year's Eve in Boston.
Plan your trip
Frequently asked questions
What time is the tree lighting on Boston Common? From 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2026, by the Visitor Information Center at 139 Tremont Street. The Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights follow at about 8:15 p.m.
Do I need tickets for the Boston tree lighting? No. The City of Boston lists the Boston Common, Copley Square, Christopher Columbus Park and Martin's Park lightings as free.
Where is the Christmas tree lighting in Boston? The City's official tree is on Boston Common, near 139 Tremont Street. There are also City lightings at Copley Square, Christopher Columbus Park and Martin's Park, plus the Faneuil Hall Marketplace tree.
What is the famous tree on Boston Common called? The City calls it the Tree for Boston. It's Nova Scotia's yearly thank-you for Boston's help after the 1917 Halifax explosion. The 2026 tree is a 45-foot white spruce donated by Ronald and Claire Feener of Lunenburg County.
How long do the Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights stay up? From early December to late March, according to the Friends of the Public Garden.
What time do the Boston lights start? Boston Lights at Franklin Park Zoo opens at 5 p.m. and runs through November 8, 2026. ZooLights at Stone Zoo opens at 4 p.m. nightly from November 20, except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
How is Boston during Christmas? Cold and lit up. The tree lightings run from late November to December 3, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall stays lit all winter.
Sources
All checked October 20, 2026.
- City of Boston: Boston Common Tree Lighting
- City of Boston: 2026 Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall
- City of Boston: 2026 Official Holiday Tree Arrival
- City of Boston: 2026 Trellis Lighting at Christopher Columbus Park
- City of Boston: 2026 Lighting of the Ship at Martin's Park
- City of Boston: 2026 Copley Square Tree Lighting
- City of Boston: Mayor's Enchanted Trolley Tour
- Friends of the Public Garden: Holiday Lights
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace: 2025 Tree Lighting
- Meet Boston: Holiday Lighting Ceremonies
- Zoo New England: ZooLights
- Zoo New England: Boston Lights
- Edaville: Winter Wonderland Train and Lights Festival
- Old Town Trolley Tours: Holiday Sights and Festive Nights