The Boston Pops has unveiled its 2026 Holiday Pops season, a sprawling 41-concert run stretching across six cities and four New England states, with tickets set to go on sale Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. The lineup opens Dec. 3 at Symphony Hall in Boston and closes there on Dec. 28, bracketing a season that pushes well beyond the orchestra's home stage this year.
According to The Boston Globe, the season includes stops at the Hanover Theatre & Conservatory in Worcester on Dec. 4, the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in Storrs, Connecticut on Dec. 5, the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire on Dec. 19, the Providence Performing Arts Center on Dec. 13, and the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Dec. 20. The announcement includes ticket information.
The holiday staples remain intact this year too, with the orchestra performing Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride alongside a rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas.
A Melody Born in a Summer Heat Wave
Sleigh Ride's presence on the bill traces back nearly 80 years. Composer Leroy Anderson conceived the piece during a July 1946 heat wave in Woodbury, Connecticut, and former Boston Pops Conductor Arthur Fiedler led the orchestra in its world premiere on May 4, 1948, according to CRB Classical 99.5. Fiedler himself later launched the Holiday Pops tradition in December 1973 under the title A Pops Christmas Party, starting with just three concerts at Symphony Hall before it grew into the regional fixture it is today, as detailed by WGBH.
The tradition has since scaled dramatically. WGBH describes a jam-packed schedule and a sold-out sensory-friendly show.
Family Programming and Sensory-Friendly Access
Holiday Pops is continuing its kids' matinee tradition in 2026, with eight family-oriented concerts scheduled, according to the Globe. Those concerts will feature the BSO x NEC Honors Children Chorus. The Bravo Club family program includes music, brunch, arts and crafts, and an instrument playground.
A sensory-friendly concert is also on the schedule for Dec. 5, offering noise-reducing headphones, quiet rooms, and reduced volume and lighting levels for families with sensory sensitivities. The Boston Symphony Orchestra also describes sensory-friendly programming with these accommodations.
Muppets Take the Stage, Twice
Capping the season, Holiday Pops will present The Muppet Christmas Carol with a live concert performance of the film's score on both Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, giving audiences a rare chance to see the orchestra accompany the beloved film in person before the season wraps at Symphony Hall.
A Long-Tenured Maestro and a Landmark Hall
Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart marked his 30th anniversary with the orchestra in 2025, having conducted more than 2,200 concerts since becoming its 20th conductor in February 1995, per WAMC. Lockhart followed John Williams in the role, and he headlined a 30th anniversary season with Cynthia Erivo.
Symphony Hall itself, the primary venue for the Holiday Pops run, anchors the Boston performances. The all-volunteer Tanglewood Festival Chorus regularly performs alongside the Pops during the holidays, per the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Last December, guest conductor Brian Eads made his Boston Pops debut, leading Symphony Hall performances while Lockhart led regional tour shows simultaneously, according to Florida State University's College of Music.
The holiday announcement follows other Boston Pops programming. The Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular remains part of the orchestra's annual programming.
