Boston is famous for its New Year's Eve “First Night” celebration, begun in 1976.
First Night Boston was created as an arts-focused alternative to alcohol-centered New Year's parties. The inaugural event took place on December 31, 1976, and brought concerts, theater, dance, visual arts, and other performances into public spaces across the city.
The idea spread to other communities in the United States and Canada, where “First Night” became a general name for family-friendly New Year's arts festivals. Boston's original celebration became associated with Copley Square, indoor venues, outdoor installations, and a midnight countdown.
The name is sometimes confused with a generic phrase for New Year's Eve. In this context, it identifies a civic arts tradition that began in Boston. Event formats, funding, admission arrangements, and whether a particular annual edition takes place have changed over time, but the 1976 origin remains the key historical fact.