The 2023 holiday season is wrapping up, and there’s one last question: how are you spending New Year’s Eve? Put on that new gifted sweater, because we’ve compiled a list of festive events still happening in the city so you can finish the year on a high note. Have a wonderful rest of the year, Terriers!

New Year’s Eve Festivities

2024 First Night Boston

First Night Boston, a local tradition since 1975, brings performers of all kinds to the heart of Boston to usher in the New Year with spirit. The festival kicks off at City Hall Plaza with performances by various music groups, as well as arts and crafts activities from the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association. Later in the evening, head to the Frog Pond for a skating show followed by family fireworks on Boston Common at 7 pm. Performances continue into the night until a final midnight countdown at City Hall, complete with a laser show and a performance by the night’s headliner, Sammy Adams.

At midnight, a pyrotechnic display will light up over Boston Harbor. The best viewing sites are at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Fan Pier, and Piers Park.

First Night Boston, various locations around Boston. Find the full schedule here.

Outdoor Fun

Waterfront Ice Sculpture Stroll

Spend the last few hours of 2023 in a winter wonderland at the annual Waterfront Ice Sculpture Stroll. For the past 11 years, Boston Harbor Now has put on a spectacular display of interactive sculptures all the way from Revere Beach to the Seaport. This year is the biggest yet, with more than 30 sculptures made in partnership with local companies. Explore the interactive map and start your icy journey around one of Boston’s most historic areas.

The Waterfront Ice Sculpture Stroll, various locations along the waterfront, December 31 from 1 to 5 pm. Find more information here.

Hatchlings

Ever wonder what would happen if the Esplanade’s massive Hatch Memorial Shell…hatched…like a baby duckling? Walk along the Esplanade and Rose Kennedy Greenway and you’ll find out. Scattered throughout the city’s green spaces, miniature hatch shells, or “hatchlings,” shine brightly with colorful lights. Decorated with 100 percent solar-powered LED lights, the hatchlings reimagine traditional holiday lights for a modern, sustainable future. The installation was designed by Somerville-based Studio HHH in collaboration with the Greenway Conservancy and the Esplanade Association. There are nine in total, but you can find two on the Esplanade near Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields and the Esplanade Playspace playground.

Hatchlings, Hatch Memorial Shell, on display through February 25. Find specific locations and more information here.

Christopher Columbus Park Trellis

Whether you want to start the year with a romantic walk or an Instagrammable selfie, Christopher Columbus Park is where to head. At this historic green haven in the heart of downtown Boston, you’ll find a 260-foot trellis decked out with holiday lights. Named one of the most romantic locations in Boston, this attraction is a wintertime staple. Come see 50,000 blue fairy lights and magnificent wreaths covering the elegant structure, and soak up the last of this season’s holiday cheer.

Christopher Columbus Park, 100 Atlantic Ave. The trellis remains lit until mid-April.

Performances

Stop Making Sense

Is 2024 sounding a little too modern? Take it back 40 years at this New Year’s Eve showing of Stop Making Sense. The 1984 film is considered one of the greatest concert films of all time. It follows the iconic band Talking Heads as they performed live at Hollywood Pantages Theatre to promote their newly released album Speaking in Tongues. This New Year’s Eve, the Brattle Theatre is showing the film in 4K. Come see director Jonathan Demme’s vintage masterpiece on the big screen and enter the new year surrounded by good music, fun performances, and a first-class film.

Stop Making Sense, Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, at 9 pm. Tickets are $14.50; $12.50 for students. Find tickets and more information here.

Disney on Ice: Into the Magic

The “Happiest Place on Earth” is bringing a touch of its magic to BU. Disney on Ice, an ice-skating production that combines arctic acrobatics with Disney’s most popular songs and characters, returns to Agganis Arena through January 1. This year’s show is called Into the Magic and includes iconic characters like Miguel from Coco and Anna and Elsa from Frozen. The fast-paced show is wildly popular with little kids; their adults can treat themselves to a slushie.

Disney on Ice: Into the Magic, Agganis Arena, 925 Commonwealth Ave., through January 1. Purchase tickets, starting at $20, here.

Museums

Polar Express at the Museum of Science

Take a trip up to the North Pole with the cast of the 2004 iconic holiday movie The Polar Express. Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg and starring Tom Hanks in many of the roles, the film follows a young boy on his extraordinary journey north to meet Santa Claus. At the Museum of Science, you can watch this beloved film in 4D, meaning 3D combined with sensory effects. Whether you’re watching for the first time or revisiting a fond childhood memory, this showing of The Polar Express will keep your holiday spirits high.

The Polar Express, Museum of Science, One Science Park, Boston, runs daily through January 1, with the exception of December 25. Showtimes are every 20 to 40 minutes between 9:40 am and 3:40 pm. Tickets are $6 in addition to the Museum of Science’s $29 general admission ticket. Find more information here.

Fashioned by Sargent

Catch this unique exhibition before it leaves the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in mid-January. Fashioned by Sargent explores the breathtaking portraits of John Singer Sargent, considered to be the most important American portrait painter of the late 19th and early 20th century. In his paintings, Sargent used fashion to communicate his subjects’ personalities, professions, genders, and identities. He often tweaked what his subjects wore and made intentional choices with fashion in painting. Come see the MFA’s collection of around 50 Sargent paintings, with historic garments and accessories to accentuate the exhibition. Whether gazing at the iconic Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth painting or the matching 19th-century dress, you’ll be inspired to start the new year with style and artistry.

Fashioned by Sargent, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 465 Huntington Ave., through January 15. General admission is $27 for adults, $10 for youth aged 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and under. BU students with a valid university ID have free admission to the museum. Entry to the exhibition is included with the price of admission.