By Georganna Woods

Holliston’s beloved First Night Trail Walk is set to return on Wednesday, December 31, from 5–8 p.m., hosted once again by the Friends of Holliston Trails. This annual celebration invites residents and visitors to welcome the new year with a festive, family-friendly evening along the scenic Holliston Rail Trail.

This year’s event will feature expanded warming stations, each made up of five firepits. Community members, families, and local businesses are invited to help host a pit or sponsor an entire warming station—an excellent opportunity to support the trail while showcasing a business or organization.

Adding to the warm glow of the firepits, TC Scoops will return with their complimentary ice cream station. Attendees will also enjoy a laser light show, festive music along the trail, and 1,000 tea-light lanterns provided for walkers to carry and illuminate their path.

Participants can park and begin their walk from several starting points:

• Blair Square (corner of Railroad St. and Central St.) – 1-mile walk

• Cross Street (behind Phillips 66 on Route 16) – 0.25-mile walk

• Sam Placentino School (Woodland St.) – 1.5-mile walk

All routes lead to Phipps Tunnel, where hot dogs and warm beverages await.

Volunteers are essential to the success of this community tradition. Those interested in volunteering or hosting a firepit can contact event organizer Parker Snyder at [email protected].

The Friends of Holliston Trails extend special thanks to Middlesex Savings Bank for their generous support. While the event is free and open to the public, donations are gratefully accepted and directly reinvested into maintaining and improving the trail.

To learn more or to donate to The Friends of Holliston Trails, visit www.hollistontrails.org. Look for them on Facebook and Instagram.