Page 41 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

BOST ON THROUGH THE Y EAR  39

Average Monthly Precipitation Rainfall Chart
This chart shows the
MM Inches average monthly rain
300 12
Rainfall (from baseline) and snowfall in Boston.
240 Snow (from baseline) 9 Precipitation levels are
fairly constant through-
180 out the year, at around
6 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) per
120 month, apart from dur-
3 ing winter when much
60 of this falls as snow,
which stays on the
0 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ground until March.
February
Winter Beanpot Tournament
Tree-lighting ceremonies (mid-Feb), TD Garden. Annual
and decorated store windows college hockey tourna ment
help make Boston’s cityscape between Boston College, Boston
magical at Christ mas. As University, North eastern
the old year ends, the entire University, and Harvard
city joins in the downtown University (see pp112–13).
festivities that celebrate Longfellow Birthday
the joy of First Night, a world- Celebration, (late Feb),
wide institution launched Cambridge. Poetry readings
in Boston. When the frigid and wreath-laying at the
weather arrives in mid-January, illustrious poet’s grave at
Bostonians get geared up First Night ice sculpture Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
for a busy season of Harvard’s Hasty Pudding
performing arts and food city-wide New Year’s Eve Club Parades (variable),
and wine expositions. celebration, now an inter- Cambridge. Outrageous
national phenomenon. Harvard theatrical club
December presents Man and Woman
CraftBoston Holiday January of the Year Awards to
(early to mid-Dec), Boston Center Chinese New Year (late Hollywood celebri ties after
for the Arts. Top-quality juried Jan to Mar depending on cross-dressing parades
crafts exhibition for artistic lunar calendar), through Harvard Square.
gift-buying. Chinatown. Celebration
Reenactment of the Boston includes parade, dragon
Tea Party (mid-Dec). Begins dances, and firecrackers. Public Holidays
at Old South Meeting House Boston Wine Expo (late New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
and proceeds to Boston Harbor, Jan–early Feb), World Trade
where this key historical event Center. Two arduous days of Martin Luther King Day
is replayed. international wine tastings and (3rd Mon, Jan)
First Night (Dec 31). The original cooking demonstrations. Presidents Day (mid-Feb)
Evacuation Day (Mar 17)
(Boston only)
Patriots Day (3rd Mon, Apr)
(Middlesex and Suffolk
counties, including Boston
and Cambridge)
Memorial Day (end May)
Bunker Hill Day
(Jun 17) (Boston only)
Independence Day (Jul 4)
Labor Day (1st Mon, Sep)
Columbus Day (2nd Mon, Oct)
Veterans Day (Nov 11)
Thanksgiving (4th Thu, Nov)
Christmas Day (Dec 25)
Christmas lights on a snowy Boston Common in December
Aerial view of Boston and the waterfront

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