Yeti, Set, Go! At New England Botanic Garden

New England Botanic Garden’s favorite cold-weather magical creatures have returned! Visit NEBG for Yeti, Set, Go! and embark on a whimsical winter adventure. Hidden among icy gardens, towering trees, and frosty landscapes, colorful yetis await your discovery. Find all of the yetis and uncover the magic and beauty of the winter season. Plus, learn about the wildlife that calls the Garden home through educational programs designed for kids and families. Yeti, Set, Go! is included with general Garden admission. Learn more at: <a href="https://nebg.org/yetis/">https://nebg.org/yetis/</a>.

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

Urban Tree Symposium 2025: Urban Oasis

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill's annual Urban Tree Symposium is dedicated to exploring the importance of urban forests and ways we can improve our green spaces. Each symposium brings together experts in the fields of forestry, horticulture, biology, technology and more. You can expect to hear current and important information that will impact your work in our communities and your own home.&nbsp;

Pixels + Petals, An Orchid Exhibition

Get ready for a blast from the past with New England Botanic Garden’s annual orchid exhibition. Pixels + Petals combines the vibrant world of retro video games with the delicate beauty of orchids in a one-of-a-kind experience. Thousands of living orchids in bloom are artfully showcased throughout the Garden’s two subtropical conservatories.  Learn more at: https:<a href="//nebg.org/pixels-and-petals/">//nebg.org/pixels-and-petals/</a>

Photographing Orchids: Up-Close & Personal at New England Botanic Garden Personal 

Join us after hours for an exclusive photography session. This is a self-guided opportunity to get up-close and personal with the orchids and displays in our Pixels &amp; Petals exhibition and practice your craft without the crowds.&nbsp; Bring your own tripod and camera equipment. No formal photography instructions are provided.&nbsp;

Orchid Exhibit Walk & Talk at New England Botanic Garden

Explore our orchid exhibition, Pixels &amp; Petals, before the Garden opens to the public and learn more about the species that make up the display of over 2,000 orchids. This walk &amp; talk is led by NEBG horticultural staff members.

Orchids After Dark at New England Botanic Garden

Enjoy a night out at New England Botanic Garden! Experience the retro charm of NEBG’s orchid exhibition, Pixels + Petals, in a whole new light during this exclusive after-hours event. Each evening event, set in the Garden’s subtropical conservatories, features a cash bar, light bites available for purchase, and live music performed by a band or DJ. Enjoy a night of lively jazz or flash back to the past with your favorite hits from the 80s and 90s. View the entertainment schedule and decide! Photo-worthy moments among captivating orchid displays, sculptural works of art, and creative lighting exclusive to Orchids After Dark await! Must be at least 21 to attend. Learn more at: <a href="https://nebg.org/orchids-after-dark/">https://nebg.org/orchids-after-dark/</a>

February Vacation Week: Nature Quest

Celebrate school vacation at New England Botanic Garden. School vacation week programs feature kid-friendly themes designed to connect you and your young friends with the wonderful world right outside your windows. Learn, craft, create, tinker, play, and experiment together as a family. Level up this February break and turn the natural world into your gaming adventure with Nature Quest! Gear up for an action-packed week of thrilling mini-games and exciting challenges that feel like you’ve stepped right into a video game. Embark on epic side quests in our youth classes or spend your day exploring the outdoors and unlocking hidden secrets of the plant realm. Adventure awaits—are you ready to play? Nature Quest features classes and workshops that require advanced registration as well as free drop-in activities every day from Saturday to Friday, February 15 to 21, 10am–4pm. Plus, the Garden’s outdoor skating rink is open all week long for daytime skating! Learn more at: <a href="https://nebg.org/school-vacation/">https://nebg.org/school-vacation/</a>.

Houseplant Propagation Workshop at New England Botanic Garden

In this fun, hands-on, workshop you will explore several ways to propagate popular plants.&nbsp;Students will go home with several cuttings to try at home.&nbsp;Please note that the variety of plants will vary from class to class, and we cannot guarantee a certain type of cutting.&nbsp; Betsy Szymczak is an avid vegetable and flower gardener who enjoys growing begonias, primarily as houseplants. As a longtime member of the American Begonia Society, she served as a certified judge and former ABS Judging Co-Chair. She has judged the begonia sections at the Philadelphia, Boston, and Newport RI flower shows.&nbsp;

IDEA Lecture: Art or Science Webinar? by Tracy Qiu

Join Tracy Qiu as she explores the complex stories unearthed from botanical renderings and colonial plant collection during her doctoral research at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew and Edinburgh. Taking participants on a journey through global histories of art and science, Tracy's research considers how our current understandings of botanical art are actually co-produced across dividing lines of gender, class, race, and ethnicity.&nbsp; Horticulturist and lecturer Tracy Qiu discusses botanical illustration from her perspective as a researcher, focused on how botanical gardens acknowledge and deconstruct their roles in the history of colonization in her talk, “Art or Science? The Co-Construction of Botanical Illustration”.&nbsp;

Online

Fireside Concert: Sounds of New England

Enjoy warm notes on chilly winter nights. Join Juventas New Music Ensemble and New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill for an intimate concert experience set against the cozy backdrop of a crackling fire. The program features romantic, classical music by contemporary composers. Each piece is inspired by natural places in five of the New England states. Set in New England Botanic Garden’s Great Hall in the warmth of the stone hearth fireplace, guests will enjoy cocktail table seating, with seasonal drinks and light bites available for purchase. Tickets are sold as half-table tickets, and each ticket admits up to two attendees. Single admissions are not available for this event. Attendees will be seated at a shared four-person cocktail table. For private tables, or for parties of up to four, we recommend purchasing two half-table tickets. We will do our best to seat parties together. Tables will be assigned from front to back based on the order in which they are purchased. This event is designed to be an intimate experience with a smaller capacity, so tickets are limited. Reserve yours today! Doors and concessions open at 6:15pm. Music begins at 7pm.

Winter Horticulture: Walk & Talk at New England Botanic Garden

Join the Garden’s own horticulture experts for a seasonal walk and talk, focusing on the season. Learn about the some of the first plants in New England Botanic Garden’s collection as well as some of the new additions. Hunter Blanchard is a horticulturist at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, MA. He has been with the organization since 2018, serving in roles that allow him to share his passion for making plants accessible to people and for nurturing growing things. Today, Hunter leads a three-person team responsible for 10 acres of naturalistic garden spaces that foster plant biodiversity and support pollinator populations through a focus on North American native plant species.&nbsp;

Plants for the Winter Garden with Warren Leach

The winter garden is truly a low maintenance affair and a time to enjoy - no weeding, no watering and no dead-heading! The winter landscape may be quiescent, but the garden need not be bleak. Plants with brightly colored berries, twigs, stems, foliage and even winter-blooming flowers shrug off the snow and cold. They bring cheer, even as the sun enters Capricorn. Landscape horticulturist Warren Leach, and author of the new book from Timber Press Plants for the Winter Garden, will showcase gardens he has designed that celebrate the winter season as well as planting design ideas for your own garden.v

 New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

Killer in the Conservatory: The Price of Immortality

Join New England Botanic Garden for an immersive and interactive murder mystery experience in collaboration with Escapism Productions. Each ticket includes one free beverage, an open popcorn bar, and a killer evening of murder mystery fun. Guests are welcome to come dressed for the occasion. Must be at least 21 to attend. Back by popular demand, the Garden’s Killer in the Conservatory series continues with an all-new murder mystery. We invite you to enter into the realm of mystery and intrigue in a second chronicle featuring the tireless Inspector Leopold Lapis. Get transported to the Victorian era as you find yourself invited to the somber yet peculiar will reading of Dr. Vivian Verdant, a renowned herbologist with a passion for the alchemical arts. But as the evening unfolds, it becomes clear that this gathering is no ordinary affair. Lapis soon discovers that Dr. Verdant’s death may not be as straightforward as it seems, and the real mystery lies in uncovering the secrets she left behind. Who among the gathered suspects holds the key to the truth? Use your detective skills to assist Lapis with unraveling the tangled web of motives and deception. Solve puzzles, interrogate suspects, and gather clues to crack the case and bring the elusive culprit to justice–if you can. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Night Lights: Color Cascade at New England Botanic Garden

Immerse yourself in the magic of the season at New England Botanic Garden with a breathtaking winter light display that is unmatched in the region. This year, prepare to be amazed by Night Lights: Color Cascade, a one-of-a-kind winter experience where visitors embark on a spellbinding journey through a mesmerizing array of radiant, glowing lights in every imaginable color. Amidst a quarter million lights, enjoy a delightful evening complete with festive favorites such as s’mores roasting, seasonal drinks, a model train, holiday shopping, and fun photo opportunities for the whole family! NEW this year, an outdoor skating rink will debut for the first time in Night Lights’ history to bring joy to the young and young at heart. Colorful landscapes, immersive experiences, and life-long memories await this winter! Night Lights tickets must be purchased in advance and the Garden recommends that visitors plan ahead as this event, which welcomed 66,000 people from around the region last year, does sell out!

Winter Solstice Celebration at New England Botanic Garden

Celebrate the Winter Solstice by immersing yourself in the beauty of nature, creativity, and festive cheer! This enchanting season invites you to embrace its charm through a delightful hands-on experience. Join us in crafting a stunning floral crown centerpiece using an array of seasonal and dried blooms that capture the essence of winter's beauty. As you create, you'll also have the opportunity to pour your own beeswax candle, filling your home with a warm, inviting glow. Take a piece of the magic home with you, and let your creations bring joy and light to your winter celebrations!

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.