Preparations underway for First Night festivities on City Hall Plaza – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

BOSTON (WHDH) – Crews were hard at work preparing City Hall Plaza to host Boston’s First Night festivities.

This year’s celebration has been moved to City Hall Plaza due to ongoing construction at Copley Square.

The free and family-friendly event will feature performances, ice sculptures, fireworks, and more. The City is a partner of the New Year’s Eve event, which is formally run by Boston Celebrations, Inc, and managed by Conventures, Inc. All parties are taking steps to ensure public safety as Boston celebrates the New Year. 

“First Night is a beloved tradition in Boston and beyond, having created delightful experiences for neighborhood residents and visitors from around the world,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement. “Our newly renovated City Hall Plaza is the perfect venue to welcome families from all over to ring in the New Year. I encourage all our residents to celebrate safely as we welcome 2024.”

New this year, there will be programming inside Boston City Hall, comedy at the ImprovAsylum, and six hours of free carousel rides on the Greenway.

The Boston Police Department will be present at First Night to support this family-friendly event. Additionally, Boston Police are reminding attendees not to consume alcohol or marijuana in public spaces or prohibited private spaces, not to fly drones at any First Night activities, to dress accordingly for the weather, and to report any suspicious activity.

A parade from City Hall Plaza to the Boston Common at 6:00 p.m. will lead up to the Family Fireworks over the Common starting at 7:00 p.m. Midnight Fireworks over Boston Harbor presented by Meet Boston will cap off the night. More information on programming for Sunday, December 31, can be found at firstnightboston.org.

The public is reminded that it is illegal for private citizens to use, possess, or sell fireworks, and that illegal fireworks pose significant dangers to the safety of residents and their property.

Boston EMS will be deploying additional personnel at dispatch operations and in ambulances across the city to support emergency medical needs on New Year’s Eve. 

First Night festivities will impact traffic and parking in Downtown Boston. People coming into the City to celebrate are strongly encouraged not to drive. Details on parking and traffic restrictions can be found here.

The MBTA will not be collecting fares after 8:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Updated holiday schedules can be found here. 

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