# Christmas parades and tree lightings in Boston, 2026

> We found five Christmas parades and tree lightings in and around Boston with 2026 dates: five tree lightings and lighting nights, all free to watch. Each one has the date, start time, price and a link to the organizer’s page.

- Last checked: 2026-10-29
- 5 parades and tree lightings with 2026 dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/boston/christmas-parades/
- Christmas break (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/boston/christmas-break/index.md
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- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/boston/llms.txt

## Tree lightings and lighting nights

- **Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Tree Lighting** at Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Downtown. When: Sat, Nov 21, 2026. Time: 2–6pm; tree lit at 6pm. Price: Free. An afternoon of performances around the marketplace that ends with the tree lighting. Santa is part of the evening. Official page: https://faneuilhallmarketplace.com/do/faneuil-hall-marketplaces-annual-holiday-tree-lighting (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Christopher Columbus Park Trellis Lighting** at Christopher Columbus Park, North End. When: Mon, Nov 23, 2026. Time: Not listed. Price: Free. The city lists this lighting with its other neighborhood holiday lightings. A start time hasn’t been posted yet. Official page: https://www.boston.gov/calendar/2026-copley-square-tree-lighting (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Martin’s Park Ship Lighting** at Martin’s Park, Children’s Wharf Harborwalk, Fort Point. When: Sat, Nov 28, 2026. Time: Not listed. Price: Free. The pirate-ship play structure at this waterfront playground gets its holiday lights. The city hasn’t posted a start time yet. Official page: https://www.boston.gov/calendar/2026-copley-square-tree-lighting (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Copley Square Tree Lighting** at Copley Square, 560 Boylston St., Back Bay. When: Mon, Nov 30, 2026. Time: 5–6pm. Price: Free. Santa and Rudolph come by for the lighting. Afterward there are cookies and photos with Santa at the Fairmont Copley Plaza starting at 6pm. Official page: https://www.boston.gov/calendar/2026-copley-square-tree-lighting (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Boston Common Tree Lighting** at Boston Common, 139 Tremont St., Downtown. When: Thu, Dec 3, 2026. Time: 6–8pm. Price: Free. The 85th annual lighting, hosted by the city and the Province of Nova Scotia. Official page: https://www.boston.gov/calendar/boston-common-tree-lighting (checked 2026-10-29)

## Parades and tree lightings that come back every year

- [Boston Common Tree Lighting](https://littlesweekly.com/boston/events/boston-common-tree-lighting/): next dates Dec 3, 2026

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### When is the Christmas tree lighting in Boston?
Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Tree Lighting at Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall Marketplace: Sat, Nov 21, 2026, 2–6pm; tree lit at 6pm. Christopher Columbus Park Trellis Lighting at Christopher Columbus Park: Mon, Nov 23, 2026, Not listed. Martin’s Park Ship Lighting at Martin’s Park, Children’s Wharf Harborwalk: Sat, Nov 28, 2026, Not listed. Copley Square Tree Lighting at Copley Square, 560 Boylston St.: Mon, Nov 30, 2026, 5–6pm.

### Are Christmas parades and tree lightings in Boston free?
All of the ones we list are free to watch: Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Tree Lighting, Christopher Columbus Park Trellis Lighting, Martin’s Park Ship Lighting and Copley Square Tree Lighting. Some charge for extras like Santa photos or rides, and each card says so.

### Which are best for little kids?
Daytime ones are easiest with toddlers: Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Tree Lighting, Christopher Columbus Park Trellis Lighting and Martin’s Park Ship Lighting. Evening ones start after dark and are colder, so bring layers and a blanket for the stroller. Get there early for a curb spot near the start so little ones can see.

### How do you check these parades and tree lightings?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 29, 2026, and we recheck them every week through early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).