Let’s par-tea like it’s 1773 🍵

Boston Tea Party anniversary 🍵

Boston Tea Party Museum on the Boston Harbor
Visit the floating history museum on Congress Street. | Photo by @jphotowlrd
Allow us to spill the tea — today is the 249th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.

On this day more than two centuries ago, ~116 American colonists dumped tea chests — weighing over 92,000 pounds — into the Boston Harbor to let Britain know that taxation without representation wasn’t their cup of tea.

How to mark the occasion

After a two-year hiatus, the official reenactment is taking place at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Old South Meeting House on Washington Street. You can still snag tickets to the action and stop by the pop-up tea shop at the museum store beginning at 5 p.m.

Plus, the Boston Tea Party museum is offering free admission today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Head over to rendezvous with history at the replica of an 18th century ship. You can also feast your eyes on the Robinson Tea Chest, which is the only known surviving tea chest from the 1773 protest.

Can’t make it to the Seaport today? Stream the Facebook Live discussion tonight at 7 p.m.

What’s on tap for 2023

If you think this year’s events are exciting, think even bigger for next year. To mark the 250th anniversary in 2023, there will be a large commemoration with exhibits, performances + installations taking place throughout the whole year.

Starting today, people are invited to participate by sending loose leaf tea to our city, which will be thrown in the harbor during next year’s reenactment. Participants will even get an official certificate marking their historic involvement.

Get ready to sip on even more details and count down to next year’s programming on the official December 16 website.

How many chests of tea were dumped into the harbor during the Boston Tea Party?

A. 105
B. 288
C. 342
D. 396

See the answer in the Wrap.
TAKE YOUR GUESS

Click here to have your event featured.

Friday, Dec. 16
  • A Christmas Celtic Sojourn | Friday, Dec. 16-Sunday, Dec. 18 | 8 p.m. | Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston | $65-$85 | The whole family will enjoy this holiday version of Brian O’Donovan’s “A Celtic Sojourn.”
  • The Midwinter Revels: A Solstice Celebration | Friday, Dec. 16-Wednesday, Dec. 28 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Revels, 80 Mount Auburn St., Watertown | $20-$105 | Celebrate the season through the traditional songs, dances, and stories of cultures from around the world.
Saturday, Dec. 17
  • Topline: The Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays Show: Music of The Beatles | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 11 a.m. | Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave., Allston | $30 | “Come Together” for this show featuring tunes from The Beatles.
  • Holiday Maker’s Market | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 4:30-8:30 p.m. | State Park, 1 Kendall Sq., Cambridge | Free to attend | Shop unique gifts like vintage barware, handmade jewelry, and hand-painted fabric designs + sip cocktails while you browse.
Sunday, Dec. 18
  • Holiday Sip & Shop at Boston Harbor Distillery | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 2-6 p.m. | Boston Harbor Distillery, 12R Ericsson St., Boston | Free to attend | Shop 14 vendors while enjoying music, food, and cocktails.
  • Karaoke & Carols | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 7 p.m. | Telegraph Hill, 289 Dorchester St., Boston | Free to attend | Channel your inner Mariah for the holiday-themed karaoke night in Southie.
Monday, Dec. 19
  • Silent Book Club and Write Night | Monday, Dec. 19 | 7-9 p.m. | Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 338 Newbury St., Boston | Free | Meet more bookish Bostonians during a community reading night.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather
  • 45º | Rain | 100% chance of rain
  • Brace yourselves for a “nasty” snow and rain storm today, but mostly rain. Check out the latest predictions from local meteorologists. ☔ (Boston.com)
Development
  • MBTA officials approved plans to acquire a 24-acre plot of land near Widett Circle. The agency hopes to build a commuter rail layover facility about one mile south of South Station + the sale could cost more than $100 million. (NBC 10)
Edu
  • Claudine Gay has been named the next president of Harvard University, the school’s first of person of color + second woman to hold the position. She first joined Harvard in 2006 as a government professor and will take on the new position in July 2023. (NBC 10)
Sports
  • Charlie Baker will take on a new role as the president of the National College Athletic Association (NCAA). The outgoing Massachusetts governor will step into the position on March 1, 2023. (Boston.com)
Civic
  • Mayor Wu has proposed changes to the Inclusionary Development Policy and the commercial Linkage Policy to help increase the city’s affordable housing supply. Changes include increasing the percentage of developments that need be income-restricted from 13% to 20% of the project.
Open
  • Deck 12 at YOTEL Boston has transformed into an après ski-themed bar. The heated rooftop in the Seaport will feature gondolas, chair lifts, and Adirondack chairs, in addition to seasonal beverages + bites like butterscotch fondue. Make your reservations. 🎿
Eat
  • Madras Dosa Co. is adding another location in Harvard Square. The 22 Eliot St. space is expected to open at the end of this month or in January + will serve its signature dosas with fillings like lamb, chicken, and masala-flavored potato chips. (Eater Boston)
Seasonal
  • Though we shouldn’t get too much snow this weekend, it’s never a bad idea to refresh yourself on the city’s rules for clearing snow. Remember: space savers are only allowed during an official snow emergency. Let us snow if you have any pro tips for dealing with the wicked cold Boston winters. ❄️
Holiday
  • Hanukkah sameach. This Sunday evening (Dec. 18) marks the beginning of Hanukkahthe Festival of Lights that lasts for eight days. Celebrate by attending an upcoming menorah lighting. 🕎
Shop
  • It’s ok if you waited until the last minute to shop this season. There’s still time to shop items from our online shop Six & Main. We’re talking cocktail glasses, shirts, candles, mugs, and more. Our gift guides make shopping easy. 🛍️
Finance
Outdoors
  • Still shopping for the hunter or angler in your life? Sportsman’s Box, the leading gear discovery service for outdoorsmen, is adding a free $100 credit for all new members through Saturday, Dec. 31. Choose from nine leading brands with your first Sportsman’s Box and claim your free gift. 🎣 *
Travel
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Puck-ing good news 🏒

NHL Fan Festival planned for Boston

Boston City Hall sign
We’re big fans of the latest use for City Hall Plaza. | Photo by BOStoday
Bust out your Bruins gear. The NHL is hosting a free fan festival on Friday, Dec. 30 + Saturday, Dec. 31, just ahead of the Winter Classic at Fenway Park on Monday, Jan. 2.

The two-day celebration at the newly reopened City Hall Plaza will feature autograph sessions with current and former Bruins legends, giveaways, and other family-friendly hockey-related activities.

Bostonians will even have the chance to take a photo with the oldest trophy in North American sports historyThe Stanley Cup.

The activities run from 2 to 8 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Check out the full list of free fan festivities.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sara.

Editor’s pick: If you guessed 342 chests of tea, you would be correct. The total damage caused by destroying the tea would be worth more than $1.7 million in today’s money, and it’s estimated that those chests could have brewed more than 18.5 million cups of tea.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out what Bostonians were searching on Google this year.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Sarah Leonhardt, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Peter Baldassare | Advertise with us.

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