Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Rhode Island 2026: Weekend-by-Weekend Guide
Rhode Island packs a full holiday season into a small state: guild craft fairs, a German Christmas market, a juried artisan show on Thanksgiving weekend, a waterfront tree lighting and two big house tours in Newport and Bristol. This guide lists them weekend by weekend for November and December 2026. Every date below was checked against the organizer's own website in late September 2026.
The biggest holiday events in Rhode Island
- Holidays at the Newport Mansions, Newport, November 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027. The Breakers, Marble House and Chateau-sur-Mer are decorated for the season, and Sparkling Lights at The Breakers runs on select evenings. Our full guide to Holidays at the Newport Mansions covers hours and ticket types.
- Christmas at Blithewold, Bristol, November 24, 2026 to January 3, 2027. The 2026 theme is Gifts of Nature. See our Christmas at Blithewold guide for hours and admission.
- New England Christmas Festival, November 6 to 8, 2026, at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. It is out of state, but it is the biggest holiday craft show within an easy drive of Rhode Island, with more than 400 artisans. Read our New England Christmas Festival guide.
Weekend of November 7–8
- Early Holiday Outdoor Craft Fair at Fayerweather House, Kingston. Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain date November 8). Local craft vendors set up on the grounds of historic Fayerweather House, and the Fayerweather Craft Guild's shop inside carries work by 40+ artisan members. The guild also sells fresh Georgia pecans for holiday baking.
Weekend of November 21–22
- Holidays at the Newport Mansions opens Saturday, November 21. Daytime tickets for The Breakers start at $32 for adults; the evening Sparkling Lights walk is ticketed separately.
Thanksgiving weekend: November 27–29
- Ocean State Artisans Holiday Market & Food Drive, Wakefield. Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. New location for 2026: South Kingstown High School, 215 Columbia Street, Wakefield (earlier years were held in Lincoln). This is the guild's 35th annual show; every item is handcrafted and vendors are juried. Admission is $3 for adults, free for children 12 and under, and $1 off with a canned good. Admission fees go to local charities.
- GACSRI Christkindlmarkt, Pawtucket. Saturday, November 28, noon to 5 p.m. The German American Cultural Society's Christmas market has 25+ local artisans, German food in the Ratskeller and Biergarten, and Glühwein. Free, no tickets needed. No pets; service animals only.
- Christmas at Blithewold, Bristol, is open this weekend (it opens November 24; closed Thanksgiving Day).
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Granite Theatre, Westerly. The family comedy opens Friday, November 27 and runs through December 20.
Weekend of December 5–6
- Foundry Artists Holiday Show, Pawtucket Armory Center for the Arts, 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. Opening reception Thursday, December 3, 5 to 9 p.m. Show hours Friday, December 4, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free; the Foundry Artists Association asks visitors to bring canned goods for the Rhode Island Food Bank. A silent auction runs the first weekend.
- Bowen's Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting, Newport. Saturday, December 5. Festivities start around 12 p.m. with Santa, who arrives by boat (weather permitting), followed by local musicians and choruses. The tree is lit at 6 p.m. Free.
- Kingston Village Holiday Fair and Fayerweather Holiday Shopping, Kingston. Saturday, December 5. The village fair runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at venues around Kingston Village, and Fayerweather Craft Guild's shop is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (and Sunday, December 6, noon to 4 p.m.).
- Glen Manor Christmas Open House, Portsmouth. Sunday, December 6, 1 to 4 p.m. The decorated Glen Manor House is open to the public, with local entertainment and Santa arriving at 2 p.m. for pictures.
Weekend of December 11–13
- Whiskey Wonderland Bazaar, Sons of Liberty Spirits Co., South Kingstown. Friday, December 11, 5 to 9 p.m. (21+ only), and Saturday, December 12, noon to 6 p.m. (families welcome until 5 p.m.). More than 30 local artisans, with about half the vendors changing between Friday and Saturday, plus food trucks and live music. Free.
- Foundry Artists Holiday Show, Pawtucket, second weekend. Friday, December 11, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All season
- Holidays at the Newport Mansions and Christmas at Blithewold both run into early January 2027.
- La Salette Christmas Festival of Lights, just over the line in Attleboro, Massachusetts, is lit nightly from 5 to 9 p.m., November 21 to January 3, and entry is free. See our La Salette guide.
Q: When do Christmas craft fairs start in Rhode Island?
The first one on this list is the Early Holiday Outdoor Craft Fair at Fayerweather House in Kingston on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Most holiday fairs and markets fall between Thanksgiving weekend and mid-December.
Q: Are holiday craft fairs in Rhode Island free?
Many are. The GACSRI Christkindlmarkt, the Foundry Artists Holiday Show, the Whiskey Wonderland Bazaar and the Bowen's Wharf tree lighting are all free (Foundry asks for a canned-good donation). The Ocean State Artisans Holiday Market charges $3 for adults, with children 12 and under free.
Q: Where is the Ocean State Artisans Holiday Market in 2026?
For 2026 it moves to South Kingstown High School, 215 Columbia Street, Wakefield. It runs Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Q: Where can I find a Christmas market in Rhode Island?
The GACSRI Christkindlmarkt in Pawtucket is a German-style Christmas market on Saturday, November 28, 2026, from noon to 5 p.m. For a bigger shopping weekend, the Foundry Artists Holiday Show runs in Pawtucket over two weekends in December.
Related reading
- Rhode Island fairs and festivals 2026
- Our guide to WaterFire Providence
- Holidays at the Newport Mansions 2026
- Christmas at Blithewold 2026
- Snowport Holiday Market 2026 in Boston
Details in this guide come from each organizer's website as of late September 2026, including Ocean State Artisans, the Fayerweather Craft Guild, the German American Cultural Society of Rhode Island, the Foundry Artists Association, Bowen's Wharf, Glen Manor House and the Granite Theatre. Confirm dates and hours on the organizer's site before you go, since weather and plans can change.
Last updated: September 2026
