Boston's annual First Night celebrations kick off New Year's Eve with ice sculptures, musical acts, fireworks displays and the People's Procession.
Tuesday's free event starts at noon and goes until 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.
With the majority of First Night activities being held in Boston's Copley Square, there are a number of road closures and parking restrictions going into place.
Road closures: Dartmouth Street in Boston’s Back Bay will close to vehicular traffic between St. James Ave. and Boylston Street from 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, until 1 a.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. Boylston Street between Ring Road (near Dartmouth Street) and Charles Street will close to vehicular traffic on Dec. 31 from approximately 4 to 8 p.m. Charles Street between Boylston Street and Beacon Street will be closed to traffic on Dec. 31 from approximately 5-8 p.m.
Parking: First Night does not have specified event garages. However, the following are close by: Clarendon Garage at 100 Clarendon St., Copley Place, Prudential Center, and Boston Common Garage. Street parking is available on some streets, but extremely limited. If parking on area streets, please obey area signs as several parking bans and restrictions will be in place.
Public transportation: Copley Square can be reached by taking the MBTA subway or commuter rail. The following stops are all within a 20-minute walk from Copley Square:
• Green Line: Copley Square Station
• Orange Line: Back Bay Station
• Red Line: Park Street Station
All MBTA services will be free between 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and continue until 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Subway lines will begin Dec. 31 on a weekend schedule, and then increase to rush-hour frequency by 3 p.m. Service will continue through 2 a.m. and then resume on New Year’s Day, following a Sunday schedule.
MBTA Commuter Rail trains will operate on a weekday schedule on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and provide late-night service to all stations. On Wednesday, Jan. 1, the MBTA Commuter Rail will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Buses, ferries, and the RIDE will operate on a weekday schedule on Dec. 31. Buses and the RIDE will use a Sunday schedule for Jan. 1, while all ferry services will be suspended for the day.
To plan your trip, visit www.mbta.com.
For any additional questions, email info@firstnightboston.org.
