Discount tickets for the 13th Annual Mayor’s Holiday Special available

BOSTON, MA - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the launch of the 13th Annual Mayor’s Holiday Special presented by the Highland Street Foundation, produced by ArtsBoston and created in partnership with the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Designed to ensure everyone can share in holiday joy this season, the Mayor’s Holiday Special is a two-month celebration of Greater Boston’s performing arts, featuring thousands of great deals to over 500 holiday performances, as well as more than 30 dining offers and an online calendar of free festivities throughout the city.  Tickets are on sale now online and at the ArtsBoston BosTix Booth locations at Copley Square and Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

 “There is no place like Boston during the holiday season.  In every corner of the city you can find a performance or a show,” said Mayor Walsh.  “We are proud to partner with ArtsBoston, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Highland Street Foundation to provide everyone with the opportunity to experience all the arts and culture our city has to offer.”

In 2016, the Mayor’s Holiday Special shines a spotlight on local favorites that have been helping residents and visitors create memories for years.   Shows like the Boston Pops Holiday Pops, Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity, The Christmas Revels and A Christmas Celtic Sojourn will return this year, along with performances of Handel’s Messiah from both the Handel and Haydn Society and Boston Baroque.  Boston favorites Shear Madness and Blue Man Group pull out all the stops with some added holiday fun while Disney On Ice returns to Boston University Agganis Arena with Dare to Dream.  

“The holidays are a special time for all of us to create lifetime memories with our family and friends, taking in some of the amazing performances Boston is known for,” said Catherine Peterson, Executive Director at ArtsBoston. “We want everyone to have the chance to enjoy these holiday performances and the Mayor’s Holiday Special creates that opportunity, making it easy and affordable to share the joy of the holiday season through arts and culture.”   

Interested in seeing a performance of The Nutcracker this year? There are many options to choose from, including Boston Ballet, Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker, Josè Mateo Ballet Theatre or Tony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker.  The Worcester Area Ballet will also present The Nutcracker at The Hanover Theatre in Worcester  

Not quite feeling the holiday spirit yet? Ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy, New Repertory Theatre presents Fiddler on the Roof, the Huntington Theatre Company performs Bedroom Farce, Actors’ Shakespeare Project has The Tempest and Lyric Stage Company offers Murder for Two.

 “At the Highland Street Foundation, we want to help ensure all families can experience the holiday performances Boston is known for,” said Blake Jordan, Executive Director of Highland Street Foundation.  “The Mayor’s Holiday Special makes that happen, offering amazing deals that make the shows affordable to all while bringing new audiences to the performing arts.  We’re proud to play a role in this Boston tradition.”

In 2015, more than 2.2 million people attended shows during the short holiday season, generating more than $54 million to the local economy outside of ticket sales, through dinner, shopping and parking. 

“Boston continues to be a wonderful destination for visitors and tourists during the holiday season,” said Patrick Moscaritolo, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “The Mayor’s Holiday Special makes it easy, a one-stop destination for tickets, dining and information on everything happening in the city during this special time.  We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Boston.”

The Mayor’s Holiday Special is presented by Highland Street Foundation and supported by the Mayor’s Office of Tourism, Sports and Entertainment, Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Boston Globe, Boston.com, Boston Central, Magic 106.7 FM, WCVB-TV, Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Bank of America.

About ArtsBoston
Founded in 1975, ArtsBoston is a nonprofit arts service organization with a mission to support and grow the arts and cultural sector of Greater Boston. In support of our 175 member organizations and reaching over 1 million arts consumers, we provide vital research and audience building programs that encourage participation in arts and culture, stimulate demand and raise attendance. ArtsBoston is a two-time recipient (2001 and 2015) of the Massachusetts Cultural Council Commonwealth Award – the state’s highest honor for the arts.  www.ArtsBoston.org

About the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) is the primary private sector marketing and visitor service organization charged with the development of meetings, conventions and tourism-related business. Its goal is to enhance the economy of Boston, Cambridge and the metropolitan area. The GBCVB is a not-for-profit, membership-driven sales and marketing business comprised of over 1,200 companies across New England that depend upon the visitor and convention industries for their own success and growth. www.BostonUSA.com

About the Highland Street Foundation 
Since 1989, the Highland Street Foundation has worked to enrich the lives of children and families in Massachusetts by donating more than $160 million to worthy nonprofit organizations. From its support of the TADpole playground in Boston Common, to providing tickets to local sporting events to local nonprofits, to building capacity and providing technical assistance to hundreds of nonprofit organizations, the foundation is dedicated to expanding opportunities for families in Massachusetts and beyond.  www.HighlandStreet.org