Pack your jacket, gloves and appetite for clam chowder: New England’s biggest city is looking to be the hottest destination this winter (no, really).
Meet Boston is betting big on winter tourism. The city’s destination marketing organization today announced the inaugural Boston Frostival, a season-long slate of new and existing winter programming designed to reimagine Boston as a premier cold-weather destination. The festival runs from late November through February and layers new large-scale activations atop the city’s classic holiday traditions.
The rollout marks one of Boston’s most ambitious winter tourism pushes to date and folds in existing favorites, from Snowport to the SoWa Winter Festival, under a single, highly marketable umbrella intended to drive incremental visitation in what is traditionally a softer travel season for the region.
“Winter in Boston has always been magical, and now we have more programming to entice visitors to come see for themselves,” Martha J. Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston, said in a statement. “We’ve spent years researching the types of winter events that compel people to travel and stay overnight, developing experiences that are authentic to our destination. Boston Frostival represents our commitment to redefining the city’s winter appeal – not just during the holidays, but throughout the entire season.”
New Seasonal Anchors
Several first-time experiences headline Boston Frostival:
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Weekly Drone Shows Over Boston Common: Running every Saturday night from November 29 through December 20, the illuminated aerial displays will take off from the corner of Boylston and Charles Streets, with two shows offered each evening.
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Copley Square Winter Activation: An immersive Back Bay experience scheduled for February 6–28, timed to coincide with the Winter Games in Milan and designed to draw both locals and overnight visitors.
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Ferris Wheel on the Rose Kennedy Greenway: Planned for the month of February, offering panoramic views of the city and waterfront.
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Femme Fête Wine Festival: A new tasting event celebrating women winemakers, hosted February 28 at the Cyclorama.
Driving Winter Stays
Meet Boston says the Frostival is designed to spur overnight travel, with hotel partners developing dedicated packages tied to festival programming. The initiative also integrates dozens of existing events — including Snowport, Winteractive and long-running neighborhood festivals — under a coordinated marketing effort targeting both leisure travelers and regional visitors looking for short winter getaways.
The festival begins November 29 with the first drone show above Boston Common.
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