Boston's Seaport District is gearing up for its sixth annual Snowport Holiday Market, a free, open-air winter destination set to fill Seaport Common with more than 130 local vendors, holiday programming, and interactive experiences from November 6 through December 27. Shoppers can expect handcrafted gifts, quirky artisan goods, and holiday fare from small businesses, with the market closing only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
The market's exact dates and vendor count were detailed in a statement reported by MassLive, which notes the event occupies Seaport Common at the heart of the neighborhood. Snowport is co-produced by commercial developer WS Development, which oversees Seaport real estate, and The Makers Show, a market curation company focused on supporting diverse entrepreneurs, according to Caught In Southie. Constant Contact returns as the market's presenting sponsor.
More than one-third of this year's 130-plus vendors are based in Boston, and a significant share are minority-owned or women-founded businesses, per the same outlet's reporting. Historically, up to 88 percent of Snowport vendors have identified as BIPOC or women-owned, underscoring the market's role as an economic platform for small business owners rather than just a seasonal shopping stop.
Hours Expand for Peak Holiday Shopping
Snowport will run its standard weekday hours from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, before expanding to an 11 a.m. opening starting December 7 to accommodate peak holiday shopping, the station's report notes. Weekends bring earlier hours still, with Saturdays running 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to MassLive. Weekend hours open earlier than weekdays to accommodate heavier foot traffic, per Boston Uncovered.
Admission remains free seven days a week, a feature made possible in part by brand sponsorships tied to the market's experiential activations, Caught In Southie reports. This year's featured attractions include The Stage by Mohegan Sun, The Creativity Corner by The LEGO Group, The Winter Wish Wall by Mass General Brigham Health Plan, and The Warming Tent by Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Tree Lighting Anchors the Seven-Week Run
The market's anchor community celebration, the annual Light Up Seaport tree lighting ceremony presented by Constant Contact, is scheduled for Friday, December 4. The event is described as a major neighborhood gathering featuring live music and holiday lighting displays, according to the same Caught In Southie report.
Beyond the shopping chalets, the broader Snowport setup includes complimentary 30-minute sessions at outdoor iceless curling lanes that require no ice or skates, with free advance reservations available through the Seaport Insider app, according to Meet Me at the Fair. Fresh evergreens will also be available for purchase at The Tree Market.
From Ice Rink Experiment to Seaport Institution
Snowport originally launched in winter 2019 as an outdoor winter activation centered around an ice skating rink, before adding its open-air holiday artisan market in 2021, according to WS Development. The developer created Snowport to drive foot traffic to Boston's then-emerging Seaport neighborhood during the slower winter months, and vendor participation has since grown from roughly 60 booths in 2021 to more than 130 today, per The Makers Show.
That growth came with intensifying competition among small businesses hoping to secure a spot. High merchant demand led The Makers Show to close vendor deposit applications on May 26, placing subsequent applicants on a waitlist, the company said.
The market's programming also extends beyond Christmas-focused festivities. Snowport hosts multi-faith holiday events, including an annual giant nine-foot menorah lighting organized by Chabad of Downtown Boston during Hanukkah, featuring traditional treats and public gatherings, according to BU Today.
