Boston Common Tree Lighting

The Boston Common Tree Lighting is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The celebration is free. Mayor Michelle Wu hosts the evening, which centers on the tree Nova Scotia sends each year in thanks for Boston’s help after the 1917 Halifax explosion.

The stage is on Boston Common next to the Visitor Information Center at 139 Tremont Street. At about 8:15 p.m., right after the Common program ends, the lights on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall are switched on from Arlington Street to Charlesgate with the Friends of the Public Garden. The Boston Parks and Recreation Department can be reached at 617-635-4505.

Event details from the organizer