Newbury will be car-free for holiday shopping in December

Drivers, take a detour. Shoppers looking for gifts this holiday season will take over Newbury Street next month, Boston officials announced.

Newbury Street will be pedestrian-only on Sunday, Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 for Open Newbury: Holiday Stroll, Mayor Michelle Wu’s office said Friday. Dec. 15 is set as a makeup date in case of bad weather.

“I am thrilled to present the holiday edition of Open Newbury to Back Bay this winter for all of our residents to enjoy,” Wu said in a statement. “The tradition of Open Newbury that we enjoy during the summer brings so much opportunity for community gathering and economic growth for our small businesses.”

The eight blocks of Newbury Street from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue will be car-free from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pedestrians can promenade from Hynes Convention Center to Berkeley, which is a block away from the Boston Public Garden.

Holiday Stroll is a continuation of the summer Open Newbury initiative which opened Newbury to pedestrians on 10 consecutive Sundays from June 30 to Sept. 1. The city added the winter dates to celebrate the holiday season and support winter shopping in Back Bay.

“With the trees sparkling with holiday lights and the excitement around a holiday stroll, these two dates will be an exciting chance to support our local businesses and build community. I cannot wait,” City Councilor Sharon Durkan said in a statement. 

Holiday shoppers can look for gifts at popular businesses like Trident Booksellers, Sephora, Zara, and Anthropologie. Boston.com readers said their favorite Newbury Street stores also include restaurants like Sonsie, Thinking Cup, and La Voile.

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Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.

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