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Photograph: Courtesy GBCVB/Kyle Klein PhotographyBeacon Hill

December 2020 events in Boston

Plan out your December in Boston with our picks for the best things to see and do

Written by
Eric Grossman
&
Time Out Boston Staff
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December in Boston brings shorter days and colder temps, but at least there's increasing holiday cheer with every passing day. Especially this year, everyone wants to get outside and moving whenever they can, so make plans to check out the best ice skating rinks and best skiing spots near Boston. As with any December in The Hub, you can count on a roster of fun stuff to carry you throughout the entire holiday season. Check out one of the best museums in Boston, or bring your crew to see the best holiday lights in Boston.

RECOMMENDED: The 50 best things to do in Boston

29,000 sq ft of fantastic cuisine, cocktails and culture

  • Restaurants
  • Fenway/Kenmore

If you will be on the other side of Boston from Quincy Market, head to Time Out Boston for a great food hall experience. Time Out Market is Boston’s coolest destination for all things food and drink offers 29,000 sq ft of fun at 401 Park in the Fenway. Keep an eye on the @timeoutmarketboston IG handle for specific events and offerings. 

Best events and things to do in Boston: December 2020

ZooLights, presented by National Grid, offers a winter wonderland in which visitors take a socially distanced, one-way stroll along tree-lined paths lit by twinkling lights. Spanning the Zoo's 26 acres, walk through the beautifully lit Yukon Creek and see black bears, a bald eagle, Canada lynx, arctic foxes and reindeer. (Nov 27-Jan 3; 4pm-9:30pm—closed Dec 25)

This year’s Quincy winter market will be held outdoors at Kilroy Square, located between The Fours and the new Hancock Parking Garage in Quincy Center. Dozens of local artisans and specialty shops will come together for a festive holiday market. (Nov 27-Dec 20)

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  • Museums
  • Art and design
  • Fenway/Kenmore
  • price 2 of 4

Head to the MFA to check out a pair of particularly timely exhibits. “Women Take the Floor” challenges the dominant history of 20th century American art by focusing on the overlooked and underrepresented work and stories of women artists, while “Black Histories, Black Futures,” which was curated by young scholars as part of the MFA’s new partnership with local youth empowerment organizations, focuses on works by 20th century artists of color.

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • South End

As the city's premier artistic hub, the 450 Harrison building is a veritable hive of artistic activity in the back of the South End. Find the perfect gift on Sundays from 11am-4pm, when the city's coolest vintage market features a rotating roster of vendors specializing in curated collections of fashion, jewelry, art, furnishings and more.

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ArtsEmerson is partnering with Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) to stage Arts & Healing: Bangsokol Virtual Festival from Dec 11–20. This two-week series of online performances, film screenings, and conversations will bring artists, audiences, and leading cultural organizations from around the world together to revisit the making of the original Bangsokol stage production and to reflect on what that work and this project has meant to them.

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  • Things to do

Depending on how you look at it, holiday shopping this year could end up being a breeze. No need to brave the crowds and parking to shop for gifts. You can still find unique, locally-made gifts from Boston makers at a handful of virtual holiday markets. There are a few in-person markets too. Whichever you choose, be sure to shop local this holiday season.

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • South End

On the first Friday of every month (Dec 4), head to the 450 Harrison building in the the South End for a blast of art and culture. Many artists open their doors for open studios events where they greet locals and visitors. In normal times, more than 200 artists, galleries, shops and showrooms welcome everyone from art aficionados to afterwork activity-seekers for an evening of art, wine, cheese and mingling.

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