Where to Celebrate Winter Solstice In Massachusetts

Winter Solstice celebrations bring stillness, light, and warmth into this season of holiday hustle. To that end, we give you this roundup of 22 magical events to mark the shortest night of the year (Saturday, December 21) and, of course, to welcome the return of the sun and the longer days to come.

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Friday, December 13

1. Make lanterns, listen to stories and folklore, stroll the trails and light up the night, then enjoy hot cider and cocoa around a bonfire at this Winter Solstice Lantern Walk (Topsfield)

Tuesday, December 17

2. Take a walk in the Fells to explore the meaning of solstice through poetry, lore, and science (Medford)

Wednesday, December 18

3. Celebrate Winter Solstice with storytelling, hiking, and a fire performance (Andover)

Thursday, December 19

4. Enjoy cookies and cocoa, take part in a snowman decorating contest, visit with Frosty, and gift bedding to those in need at this Belmont Light Winter Solstice Celebration (Belmont)

5. Take a candlelit stroll to see passages of "The Shortest Day” performed, then gather around the firepit for cocoa and s'mores at the Fruitlands Family Solstice Stroll (Harvard)

Friday, December 20

6. Create winter solstice landscapes with cray-pas and watercolor resist painting (Acton)

7. Create lanterns with glass jars and paper, experience a traditional spiral walk, and send off a wish to welcome the return of the light at Appleton Farms Winter Solstice Walk (Hamilton, Ipswich)

8. Join storyteller Diane Edgecomb and Celtic harper Margot Chamberlain for a tapestry of songs and ancient tales to celebrate the solstice (Jamaica Plain)

9. Learn why we have seasons and how different cultures mark the longest night of the year with legends and rituals at this festival of light with stories, songs, crafts, and snacks (Newburyport)

10. Celebrate the eve of winter solstice with a night hike to search for creatures that awaken once the sun goes down and discover the history of winter solstice by the light of the moon (Plymouth)

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Saturday, December 21

11. Adults can take a slow, gentle yoga Solstice yoga class, followed by a mindful walk around the trails at Habitat (Belmont)

12. Take a moonlit stroll through the meadow to look for animal tracks and listen for owls, then warm up with apple cider and create solstice art (Boston)

13. Say farewell to fall and welcome winter at this Solstice Celebration with a guided loop walk around Fresh Pond and solstice traditions of nature and culture along the way (Cambridge)

14. Gather around the fire to celebrate solstice with drumming, singing, hot cider, and s’mores (Concord)

15. A magical luminary trail through winter woods, kids’ activities, live music, and a bonfire await at this Winter Solstice Celebration and Forest Luminaria Walk (Easthampton)

16. Hike the dunes of Crane Wildlife Refuge under the stars before warming up with hot cider, rum, and other refreshments while taking in the solstice night sky inside the Great House on Castle Hill (Ipswich)

17. Enjoy cocoa, dessert, hay bale seating around the campfire, stories of animals transitioning into winter, and a solstice hayride guided by lanterns under the stars (Marshfield)

18. Join a special Solstice Story Time featuring Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter (Martha’s Vineyard)

19. This Solstice Illumination Night features campfires, s’mores, stories, and fire dancing (Milton)

20. Learn about the history and importance of winter solstice, sip cocoa, and usher out the shortest day of the year with a short hike and sunset solstice ritual at Harold Parker State Park (North Andover)

21. Create tin can lanterns, take a guided candlelit walk, hear passages from “The Shortest Day,” and enjoy cocoa, hot cider, cookies, and s’mores to welcome winter under the stars (Southborough)

Sunday, December 22

22. It’s music, stories, candles, and ritual at this Winter Solstice Celebration (Danvers)