Christmas in Edgartown 2026: Dates, Parade and Planning Your Martha's Vineyard Holiday Weekend
Christmas in Edgartown is Martha's Vineyard's big holiday weekend. The Edgartown Board of Trade has set the 45th annual festival for Thursday, December 10 through Sunday, December 13, 2026. The weekend fills the harbor village with a parade, a lighthouse lighting, holiday markets, a long-running arts and crafts festival, and events at shops, churches and restaurants around town.
2026 schedule not yet announced. The dates are confirmed on the organizer's site, but the day-by-day 2026 schedule had not been posted as of late September. Below, we describe what the 2025 program included, so you know what to expect. Check christmasinedgartown.com for 2026 times as they are posted.
The essentials
- Dates: Thursday, December 10 through Sunday, December 13, 2026
- Where: downtown Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard
- Organizer: Edgartown Board of Trade
- Schedule: 2026 event times not yet published. Check the official site for current hours.
- Admission: there is no single ticket for the weekend. Individual events set their own terms, so check each listing.
What the weekend has included
Christmas in Edgartown is a village-wide festival. It is not one venue with one ticket. Individual events are hosted by shops, nonprofits, churches and restaurants, and the Board of Trade lists them on its events calendar. Here is what the 2025 edition included, day by day.
Thursday. The weekend opened with a Santa Fun Run & Walk with the Amity Island Running Club, plus evening events at local businesses.
Friday. The lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse is the village's version of a tree lighting. In 2025 the gathering at Memorial Wharf started at 5
, with caroling, giveaways, nonprofit concessions from the Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club and a possible visit from Santa. The lighthouse was lit at 6pm sharp, a lighting the Board of Trade credits to the Martha's Vineyard Museum.Saturday. The busiest day. The 2025 parade stepped off at 11am on Main Street, between Pease's Point Way and Water Street, rain or shine, with floats, animals, music, dancers, fire engines and Santa. Around town, Saturday also brought:
- A Holiday Faire on the Edgartown Village Green (10am–3pm in 2025), a European-style market with more than 30 local vendors, hot cocoa, live music and a tented beer garden
- Candy Cane Lane in Nevin Square, halfway up Winter Street, with young merchants, activities and treats
- Handmade from the Heart, a holiday artisan fair at the Dr. Daniel Fisher House, 99 Main Street, raising money for Hospice of Martha's Vineyard
- Photos with Santa, library and shop open houses, and a Minnesingers family holiday concert at the Old Whaling Church
Sunday. In 2025 Sunday brought the Holiday Hustle 5K, Breakfast with Santa at the Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club, and a costume dog show in the Mini Park that benefits the Animal Shelter of Martha's Vineyard.
The Board of Trade's 2025 program also had a People's Choice Window Contest, a "Most Festive 'Fit" award and a Saturday shopper's trolley.
The Arts & Crafts Festival
For craft shoppers, the anchor is the Christmas in Edgartown Art & Crafts Festival at the Edgartown School, 30 Edgartown West Tisbury Road. The 2025 edition was the 32nd. It features the work of Island artists and craftspeople.
In 2025 it ran Saturday 10am–4pm and Sunday 10am–2pm. Parking at the school was free, the 8th grade class ran the food concessions, and the festival benefited the Edgartown School Class of 2026. On Saturday, a shopper trolley ran to Church Street from 12pm to 3pm. The 2026 hours have not been announced yet.
For vendors: the festival listing directs questions about the event and vendor spaces to Fran at 508-560-6721.
Getting to Edgartown
Martha's Vineyard is an island, so you arrive by ferry or by plane. Plan ahead for a holiday weekend.
- Steamship Authority: daily ferries from Woods Hole (terminal at 1 Cowdry Road). On the island, the Steamship Authority's year-round terminal is in Vineyard Haven, and its Oak Bluffs terminal is seasonal. Edgartown is a separate town, so plan how you'll get from the ferry to the village. Reservations at steamshipauthority.com or (508) 477-8600.
- Hy-Line Cruises: in past years the organizer has listed Hy-Line passenger service from Hyannis on the festival's Saturday. Check hylinecruises.com to see whether it runs in 2026.
- Cape Air: the organizer lists daily flights to Martha's Vineyard.
Where to stay and eat
The Board of Trade points visitors to visitedgartown.org to plan a trip. Its festival site also keeps a "Where to Eat" list for the weekend. Book lodging early for a holiday weekend on the island.
Q: When is Christmas in Edgartown in 2026?
The 45th Christmas in Edgartown runs Thursday, December 10 through Sunday, December 13, 2026. The Edgartown Board of Trade has published the dates, but the day-by-day schedule had not been posted as of late September.
Q: Is there a Christmas parade in Edgartown?
Yes. The parade is a Saturday tradition on Main Street, with floats, music, fire engines and Santa. In 2025 it started at 11am between Pease's Point Way and Water Street, rain or shine. The 2026 parade time has not been announced.
Q: Where is the Christmas in Edgartown crafts fair?
The Christmas in Edgartown Art & Crafts Festival is held at the Edgartown School, 30 Edgartown West Tisbury Road, with free parking on site. It features Island artists and craftspeople. The 2026 hours have not been announced yet.
Q: How do I get to Christmas in Edgartown?
Take a Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole or fly Cape Air to Martha's Vineyard. The year-round ferry lands in Vineyard Haven, so plan your trip from the terminal to Edgartown.
Another island holiday weekend
The week before, Nantucket holds its own. The Nantucket Christmas Stroll runs December 4–6, 2026, with Santa arriving Saturday at noon.
Related reading
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Massachusetts 2026
- New England Christmas Strolls and Village Holiday Celebrations 2026
- Nantucket Christmas Stroll 2026: Ferries, Santa's Arrival, the Marketplace and Where to Stay
- Massachusetts Fairs and Festivals in 2026: Your Complete Guide
- Craft Fairs in Massachusetts 2026: A Vendor's and Visitor's Guide
- Cape Cod & Berkshires Craft Fair Circuit 2026
- Snowport Holiday Market 2026: What to Know Before You Visit
Details in this guide come from the Christmas in Edgartown website run by the Edgartown Board of Trade, and from the Steamship Authority's website, as of late September 2026. The 2026 dates are confirmed; event times above are from the 2025 program. Confirm the 2026 schedule on the official site before you go.
Last updated: September 2026
