{shortcode-073b97f257ea826199103afe48d707cc04e80094}

Christmas arrived early in Seaport. Anyone walking down Seaport Drive in Boston will be immediately struck by three things: a giant Christmas tree, multiple curling lanes, and a massive holiday market. These are all part of “Snowport,” which runs from Nov. 19 to Jan. 2. Guests can shop, enjoy drinks such as apple cider and mulled wine at a number of vendors, and take pictures in front of the many Christmas trees.

The main attraction of Snowport is the holiday market. There are over 40 shops to choose from, which sell everything from ornaments and alpaca-fur clothes to cocktail mixers and puzzles. This year, Snowport worked hard to feature Black-owned, LGBTQ-owned, Latinx-owned, and Asian-owned businesses among the many vendors.

Following a long year of isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, business owners are eager to return to in-person events like Snowport to engage with the greater Boston community. Devon Holloway, for example, is the owner of the Black-owned business Hope Design and was emphatic about the importance of community engagement to the business. “A lot of our brand is based in community building,” he said, “so to come out to Seaport is great because we can meet new people, network with the vendors here, and we get to see so many different faces from different communities that come down to the Seaport.”

Bob Brown, owner of B and B Glass, further emphasized the importance of events such as Snowport for local businesses. “The pandemic was devastating to our sales because a lot of the events we participate in were canceled because they were considered too dangerous…,” he said. “We don’t sell online, so we need to be out where the public is.” Furthermore, he said these events are critical for finding customers.

Business owners are not the only ones who celebrate the return of community holiday events; Bostonians young and old are excited to return to festivities and enjoy the Christmas spirit. Boston resident Kaitlyn Walsh said, “I think after this year we’ve all suffered by not being out of the house, and small businesses have taken a hit too, so I think it’s nice that people are able to sell, and we’re able to buy and get together and celebrate the holidays.” Following a socially[-][ ]distanced Christmas in which many families were unable to reunite, Bostonians are ready to leave the house and enjoy winter in the city.

If one does not enjoy shopping, curling, or admiring Christmas trees, Snowport also features a biergarten serving hot cocktails and ciders. Other points of interest are a holiday toy drive and a chalkboard where people can write down their Christmas wishes.

Although Boston winters are cold and dreary, the Snowport holiday festival brings fun and good cheer, even to those on the naughty list. The festival's last day is Jan. 2, so be sure to check it out before the holiday season comes to a close.