MATTHEW J. LEE/GLOBE STAFF

Fireworks exploded over Boston Common Monday night as revelers crowded Boston for the annual First Night celebration.

Matthew J. Lee/globe staff

Organizers expected more than a million people to take in the sights and performances.

Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff

Lion dancers with the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association performed on Boylston Street.

yoon s. byun/globe staff

Mark Chenevert played saxophone with the Hot Tamale Brass Band.

yoon s. byun/globe staff

Onlookers crowded Boylston Street to see the New Year’s parade.

Yoon S. Byun/globe staff

An inflatable dinosaur was seen in Boston.

Aram Boghosian for the boston globe

Lee Fields and the Expressions performed at Jordan Hall in Boston.

Bill Greene/globe staff

Lucinda Briggs of Wellesley was in Copley Square earlier in the day.

gary hershorn/reuters

Confetti rained on revelers at midnight in Times Square in New York.

Tina Fineberg/associated press

Revelers in New York’s Times Square took in the festivities.

Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Fireworks lit up the sky and Big Ben in London just after midnight there.

/Pilar Olivares/reuters

Fireworks exploded over the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.

DANIEL NAUPOLD/epa

A ferris wheel was lit up in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images

Pakistani youths celebrated early on Jan. 1 on a street in Lahore.