Meet Boston has confirmed the second edition of the Boston Frostival, a citywide winter festival designed to drive visitor traffic during the traditionally slower months. Running from December 2026 through April 2027, the programme adds several new attractions, including holiday drone shows, a 75-foot Ferris wheel, and an expanded lodge in Copley Square.
The festival is part of a broader push by the city's destination marketing organisation to position Boston as a year-round leisure and business travel hub. With winter tourism a key growth area for many Northeast US cities, the Frostival aims to bundle existing attractions—from sports events at TD Garden to theatre performances—into a single, marketable package for tour operators and travel agents.
Key attractions and dates
The headline events include:
- Holiday Drone Shows – Saturdays in December over Boston Common, featuring two 15-minute aerial displays that highlight Boston landmarks and traditions, produced in partnership with radio station Magic 106.7.
- The Frostival Lodge – Located in Copley Square and furnished by Wayfair, the lodge will offer a full bar, tea service, wine tastings, trivia, bingo, literary readings, and live sports broadcasts from January 22 to February 28, 2027.
- Frostival Ferris Wheel – A 75-foot wheel on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, running from February 1 to April 25, 2027, providing panoramic views of the city.
Additional programming includes twinkling light displays, First Night Boston celebrations, winter art installations, and a range of dining and nightlife events. Visitors can also enjoy ice skating and live games at TD Garden.
Martha Sheridan, President and CEO of Meet Boston, said: "Boston has so much going on during the winter months. We are creating a programme to tie it all together." The festival builds on the success of its inaugural run, which helped boost hotel occupancy and restaurant traffic during the off-peak season.
For travel professionals, the Frostival offers a ready-made itinerary component for group travel and MICE planners. The extended timeline—spanning the holiday season through spring—allows agents to package the festival with other Boston attractions, such as museum exhibitions and shopping districts.
Meet Boston is also working with local hotels and restaurants to offer special packages, though specific partner rates have not yet been announced. The organisation expects the drone shows and Ferris wheel to draw significant crowds, similar to other winter festivals in cities like Chicago and Montreal.
As winter tourism becomes increasingly competitive, destinations are investing in anchor events to attract visitors. The Frostival's mix of technology-driven spectacles and traditional winter activities positions Boston to capture a share of the market, particularly from drive markets in New England and the Northeast corridor.
For agents looking to build winter packages, the festival can be combined with Emirates' winter campaign for inbound travellers from the Gulf, or with Air Canada's expanded Latin America network for connections via Toronto or Montreal. The Frostival also complements other winter offerings in the region, such as Nassau & Paradise Island's winter lineup for those seeking a warm-weather alternative.
More details on ticket pricing and hotel partnerships are expected closer to the launch. Meet Boston will release a full calendar of events in late 2026.
