The Boston Frostival is a new strategic initiative designed to revitalize tourism and encourage overnight stays in Boston during the traditionally slower months of January and February.
Strategic Programming for Winter Visitors
Meet Boston is repositioning the city as a major winter destination by expanding its calendar beyond the primary holiday season, supplementing existing draws like Winteractive and Snowport with new programming for Boston Frostival.
“The February activations at Copley and along the Greenway will be key drivers of visitation and overnights,” said Martha J. Sheridan, President & CEO. “Winter in Boston is magical, but we needed more programming to encourage those visits and supplement exciting activations that already happen, such as Winteractive and Snowport, in addition, of course, to School Vacation and Dine Out Boston.”
The festival’s overall scope was heavily influenced by international research. Sheridan confirmed that their team studied successful winter programs in colder regions. “Our team researched winter activations in colder weather destinations such as Quebec and Scandinavia. What became clear was that if you build the programming and the experiences to captivate people, they will come to explore. And that’s what we are after, building new and compelling reasons for visitors and residents alike to get outside and embrace winter in Boston.”
Anchor Events and Unique Experiences
The inaugural Boston Frostival introduces several large-scale, first-time attractions specifically chosen to create excitement and draw visitors who will share their experiences.
“We want to activate spaces and create experiences that encourage people to congregate with convivial vibes and outdoor recreation, enjoying themselves with friends and family and then sharing those experiences on social media and by word-of-mouth to help amplify the fun,” Sheridan stated.
One key activation is timed with global events. The festival activation on Copley Square, which coincides with the Winter Games in Milan, adds an extra layer of appeal. “When we realized that the winter games were coinciding, it made perfect sense to integrate the two, so that’s what we’ll be looking to do,” Sheridan noted.
The festival also incorporates high-end cultural events to diversify its appeal beyond traditional family offerings, such as the Femme Fête Wine Festival, which celebrates women winemakers. “Frostival will indeed feature many family-friendly events, so this seemed like a nice way to create a more curated event for a different demographic as part of the closing weekend,” Sheridan explained.
Driving Overnight Stays and Value
A primary goal of Boston Frostival is to boost overnight visitation, requiring collaboration with local businesses and hotels to develop enticing packages.
“Hotel packages will be key,” Sheridan confirmed. “These new activities will encourage people to come into the city, and even stay longer than they might otherwise, but we need to drive those overnight stays, and in that regard, it’s critical that our hotel partners develop dedicated Frostival packages. Visitors want value.” She stressed the importance of partners enhancing the festival’s inherent appeal: “We are enhancing their winter experiences by adding new and dynamic elements, but we encourage all Meet Boston partners, starting with the hotels, to create their own enticing deals to drive the success of this program.”
