Friends of the Blue Hills Winterfest 2025 to take place Friday, January 24

Winterfest 2025: Combining Outdoor Adventure with Local Culture

What: Winterfest

Where: The Blue Hills Ski Area, 4001 Washington Street, Canton

When: Friday, January 24, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Details: This annual event is FREE to all ages but requires registration at friendsofthebluehills.org/event/winterfest2025 

As the snow of late December showed, winter has arrived in the Boston area, which means it’s finally time to get ready for Winterfest. Winterfest is our annual, free community event at the base of Great Blue Hill in collaboration with the Blue Hills Ski Area and several other community partners. It is sponsored by Bank of Canton and Orchard Cove, also in Canton.

On Friday, January 24th, come join us for a night of fun with both outdoor and indoor activities. Enjoy an outdoor firepit and practice your skiing or snowboarding. If you prefer to cozy up indoors, Lynn Joliecoeur and the Pulse will be playing live music all night long. And, of course, our annual chili cookoff is always a hit. This year we have six competitors: Northern Spy and Orchard Cove from Canton, Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor from Dorchester, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition from Mattapan, Abby Park from Milton, and The Fowler House from Quincy are all vying for the title of Best Chili in the Blue Hills. There will be kids’ arts and crafts, too.

New this year are a guided twilight hike, tubing, kite flying, balance boarding, potato sack races, shoe demos, a raffle worth more than $1,000 in goods, and other outdoor activities courtesy of various community partners. Winterfest will begin at 4 pm and go until 8 pm. Entry to the event is free and open to all ages–everyone is welcome.

Our friends at the Blue Hills Ski Area will also be offering discounted ski and tubing tickets along with a slopeside concession stand to compliment the chili tasting. Community partners Arc’Teryx-Boston, Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Brookwood Community Farm, Mass Audubon, Mattapan Food & Fitness Coalition, and The Run House-Walpole will be hosting various types of winter fun and demo products on site.

On-site interviews are available with Friends of the Blue Hills Board President Matt Panucci, Executive Director Jen Klein, event sponsors, chili cookoff contestants, community partner representatives, and event attendees from around the Boston area.

For any information requests, feel free to contact us through our email: [email protected]

About the Friends of the Blue Hills

The Friends of the Blue Hills (FBH) is a 1,400-member non-profit organization devoted to preserving and protecting the Blue Hills Reservation’s natural beauty, diverse natural habitats and many recreational opportunities.

Formed in the mid-1970s by a group of people that recognized the vulnerability of the Reservation, FBH engages the public in activities that protect the park, increasing park resources and improving park management. The FBH mission has remained intact for over 40 years: to protect and preserve the Blue Hills Reservation in its natural state.