Red Bull Heavy Metal Snowboarding Event Hits Downtown Boston

BOSTON, MA — Some of the biggest names in street snowboarding, including X Games gold medalist Zeb Powell, are set to descend into the middle of Boston for a highly anticipated contest this year.

Red Bull Heavy Metal is expanding to Boston for the first time ever, serving as the second iteration of the event within the 2025 calendar.

The competition will be held on Feb. 22 at City Hall Plaza from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Doors open at 2 p.m. for the free event.

Powell, who has been vocal about making the mountains more accessible to inner city communities through snowboarding, was inspired by previous Red Bull Heavy Metal events and wanted to make sure to bring one to the northeast.

“Sharing the joy of snowboarding with the heart of the Northeast brings so much energy to the sport,” said Powell. “A lot of amazing snowboarders come from around Boston and not everyone knows that. This event exposes more people to the sport who would otherwise never know about it.”

City Hall Plaza recently underwent renovations that have — perhaps unintentionally — made it a perfect spot for street snowboarding.

“As a city, we are all about creating exciting and energetic experiences for our residents,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “Bringing together diverse communities in the heart of the city is truly something special. City Hall Plaza is the people’s plaza and I look forward to seeing it continue to thrive and serve our residents.”

The official mountain and parks partner, Loon Mountain, will be providing 300 tons of snow, or 20 truckloads, to ensure the conditions are perfect in the city.

The event will feature three differentiated competition zones, each highlighting different aspects of street snowboarding. Riders will work to attack custom-designed rails, gaps and other obstacles.

The full list of confirmed riders will be announced in the coming weeks.