#BostonWinter Transforms City Hall Plaza

New England’s First European Style Holiday Festival Transforms Boston’s City Hall Plaza

For the entire month of December, Boston’s City Hall Plaza will be transformed into a magical land of winter festivities, New England’s first European-inspired holiday market featuring 42 shopping chalets, and attractions. Bostonians and visitors alike will be dazzled by the eclectic array winter activities with more than 50 things to do, from wine and chocolate tastings, ice skating, live events and local artisans and musicians. #BostonWinter has plenty to offer all ages every day of the week from 11 a.m. daily through New Year’s Day. See website for holiday hours and evening closing times. Tickets for paid attractions are available online in advance (bit.ly/BostonWinterTix); shopping, public performance and browsing is free and open to the public. 

This December holiday experience includes one-of-a-kind attractions like Vinopolis Interactive Wine Experience and Tastings, The Chocolate Story, Santa’s House, Bavarian Village, the Pedal-powered Holiday Tree and a Spectacular Menorah.

The holiday shopping market and attractions is operated by Millennial Exhibitions (MX), a global provider of traveling exhibitions and seasonal experiences. “We are thrilled to welcome a mixture of local and international specialty retailers to Boston’s City Hall Plaza,” said Lena Romanova, CEO of Millennial Exhibitions. “We are pleased to be bringing world-class shopping and museum-style attractions to the Plaza - a brand new destination for New Englanders.”

European Inspired Shopping Chalets: At #BostonWinter, 42 decorative chalets offer shoppers unique products, many of them locally-made and sourced. Brands such as The Grommet and Lovepop and Etsy Artists of Boston shine a light on the importance of supporting our local craftspeople.

Vinopolis Interactive Wine Experience & Tastings: London’s beloved wine exhibit has made its way across the pond to Boston, inviting wine enthusiasts to embark on a journey from grape to glass. Visitors can learn from sommeliers and wine pros all about wine production, while experiencing wines across different regions of the world, including wines from Latitude Beverage Company. Participate in a masterclass or assess your wine profile using an interactive wine app. Vinopolis is a unique and immersive experience all wine lovers will enjoy.

The Chocolate Story: This educational tour traces the origins of chocolate from the cacao tree to the sweet treat. Interactive games bring to life the history of chocolate, from original recipes to manufacturing inventions that made mass production possible. Chocolate tastings vary daily, including chocolates from featured partner Taza Chocolate.

Santa’s House: Tour the home of Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Santa’s elves. Children may enjoy freshly baked gingerbread cookies, while Santa reads a holiday tale. Santa’s interactive app allows visitors of all ages to determine if they were “naughty or nice” and deserving of presents this holiday season. For those with fur babies, Santa has a special visitation day for you as well. Photos with Santa are available throughout the week at designated hours.

Bavarian Village: For those familiar with traditional European Christmas markets, you may recall foods like Bratwurst sausages, pretzels and sweet mustard, sauerkraut, fondue and, of course, mulled wine. The Bavarian Village offers nostalgic old-world flavors as a sit down meal in a holiday setting.

A Pedal-Powered Holiday Tree towers 20-feet high in the center of the market for all to enjoy and for the fitness buffs to show off their pedaling abilities. Large halos of light float around the tree as four people work together to pedal power the lights up to the very top. If the pedal pushers can power up the tree’s star for three or more seconds, they will be rewarded with a dazzling victory light show. 

Members of the Jewish community can join a Spectacular Menorah lighting during the eight nights of Chanukah starting December 24th through Sunday January 1, complete with specialty food, music performances, and festivities for children.

Follow along on social channels @MXBostonWinter using hashtag #BostonWinter. 

ABOUT MILLENNIAL EXHIBITIONS: Millennial Exhibitions (MX) is a global provider of traveling exhibits and seasonal experiences for shopping malls, entertainment centers, museums, and public parks. MX uses lifestyle and educational themes to create must-see, must-visit experiences with broad mass appeal. MX provides turnkey solutions and support to its venue partners including sponsorship and sales consulting. All MX exhibitions are designed to integrate seamlessly with retail environments and museums, and adapt easily to any existing space. Learn more: http://millennialexhibitions.com.