New England Christmas Strolls and Village Holiday Celebrations 2026: Dates, Costs and How to Plan Each Trip
New England does Christmas best in its old harbor towns, village greens and historic houses. This guide covers the region's town-wide holiday weekends and candlelit historic-village evenings for 2026, from the Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude in Maine to the Nantucket Christmas Stroll and Wassail Weekend in Woodstock, Vermont. Every date below was checked against the organizer in late September 2026.
Most of these events have their own detailed guide on this site, linked in each section. Start with the table to pick your trip, then read the guide for the one you choose.
The essentials
- Season: late November through early January, with most village weekends packed into December 3–13, 2026
- Free to attend: Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude (most events), Nantucket Christmas Stroll, Bowen's Wharf tree lighting
- Ticketed: Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll, Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village, Holidays at the Newport Mansions, Christmas at Blithewold
- Book early: ferries and lodging for Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, and arrival windows for Strawbery Banke
- Busiest weekend: December 11–13, when Kennebunkport, Edgartown, Strawbery Banke, Woodstock and St. Johnsbury all have events
The 2026 celebrations at a glance
| Event | State | 2026 dates | Cost | Getting there and booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude | ME | Dec 3–13 | Most events free | Parking is tight; Dock Square lot fills early |
| Nantucket Christmas Stroll | MA | Dec 4–6 | Free | Ferry or flight; book travel and lodging early |
| Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll | NH | Dec 4–6, 11–13, 18–20 | Adults $32–$38 | Timed arrival windows; no on-site parking |
| Christmas in Edgartown | MA | Dec 10–13 | No single ticket | Ferry from Woods Hole or fly; book early |
| Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village | MA | Fri–Sun, Nov 27 – Dec 27 | Date-specific tickets; season pass $125 | Buy dated tickets ahead; free parking |
| Holidays at the Newport Mansions | RI | Nov 21 – Jan 3 | The Breakers $32 adult | Breakers needs a dated, timed ticket; free parking |
| Christmas at Blithewold | RI | Nov 24 – Jan 3 | $22 adult | Pay at the Welcome Center; parking on site |
| Wassail Weekend | VT | Dec 11–13 | Varies by event | Events across the village |
| St. J Sparkles | VT | Dec 11–12 | Many activities free | Downtown; program at the Welcome Center |
Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude, Maine
The Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude runs Thursday, December 3 through Sunday, December 13, 2026, its 45th year. It spreads across Dock Square, Lower Village Kennebunk, Cape Porpoise and Ocean Avenue. The Dock Square tree is lit twice, on Fridays December 4 and December 11, with caroling at 5
p.m. and the lighting at 6. Santa arrives by lobster boat at The Nonantum Resort on Sunday, December 6, at 1 p.m., and the fireworks go up over the cove on December 11 at 6 p.m.Most events are free. Parking is the hard part: the Dock Square lot is paid and fills early, and the free Fire Station lot on North Street is about a five-minute walk. Read the full schedule and parking notes in our Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude guide.
Nantucket Christmas Stroll, Massachusetts
The 52nd Nantucket Christmas Stroll runs Friday, December 4 through Sunday, December 6, 2026, organized by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce. Admission is free. Santa arrives Saturday at noon by Coast Guard vessel and rides up Main Street in a red fire truck. The Stroll Marketplace of island artisans and food trucks is open Saturday, December 5, from 10am to 3pm at 9 Salem Street.
Getting there is the real planning job. Fast ferries from Hyannis take about an hour, the Steamship Authority's car ferry about two and a half hours, and there are flights from Boston and Hyannis. Our Nantucket Christmas Stroll guide covers ferries, parking and lodging.
Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll, New Hampshire
Strawbery Banke Museum lights its historic Puddle Dock neighborhood in Portsmouth for the Candlelight Stroll on three weekends: December 4–6, 11–13 and 18–20, 2026. Candle boxes line the paths, the historic houses are decorated with greens from the museum's heirloom gardens, and costumed roleplayers share the holiday customs of the families who lived there. Horse-drawn carriage rides return in 2026, included with admission, first come, first served.
Tickets are sold by arrival window. Early-bird adult prices through October 31 are $32 Friday or Sunday and $35 Saturday; from November 1 they are $35 and $38. There is no on-site parking, so park downtown or take the free Vintage Christmas trolley on Saturdays and Sundays. See our Candlelight Stroll guide for every arrival window and price.
Christmas in Edgartown, Massachusetts
The 45th Christmas in Edgartown runs Thursday, December 10 through Sunday, December 13, 2026, produced by the Edgartown Board of Trade. The dates are confirmed, but the day-by-day 2026 schedule had not been posted as of late September. Past programs have included the lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse on Friday evening, a Saturday parade on Main Street, a Holiday Faire on the Village Green and the Christmas in Edgartown Art & Crafts Festival at the Edgartown School.
There is no single ticket; each event sets its own terms. You reach Martha's Vineyard by Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole or by Cape Air flight. Our Christmas in Edgartown guide describes what last year's weekend included and how to get there.
Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts
Christmas by Candlelight is Old Sturbridge Village's holiday evening program at its 1830s living-history village. It runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 27 through December 27, 2026, 2
to 8 pm, and is closed Friday, December 25. Visitors walk the decorated Village and the lit Christmas Tree Trail, with demonstrations, stories, live music and sweet treats.It uses date-specific tickets, which go on sale in the fall; single-evening prices had not been posted as of late September. Regular daytime tickets are not valid. The Candlelight Club pass, $125 per person or $100 for members, covers unlimited visits. Parking is free. Details are in our Christmas by Candlelight guide.
Holidays at the Newport Mansions, Rhode Island
For Holidays at the Newport Mansions, the Preservation Society of Newport County decorates The Breakers, Marble House and Chateau-sur-Mer from November 21, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Expect nearly 30 Christmas trees and a 15-foot poinsettia tree in the Great Hall of The Breakers. Chateau-sur-Mer is open weekends only, and all houses are closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Daytime visits use regular tickets: The Breakers is $32 for adults and needs a specific date and entry time, and One Property (any other house) is $25. Sparkling Lights at The Breakers is a separate evening ticket, 4 to 8 p.m. on select dates through December 27, from $45 for adult non-members, on sale October 1. Parking is free. See our Newport Mansions holiday guide.
Christmas at Blithewold, Rhode Island
Christmas at Blithewold fills the Manor at Blithewold in Bristol from November 24, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Volunteer decorators dress the house around a yearly theme; for 2026 it is Gifts of Nature, drawn from Blithewold's gardens, woodlands and shoreline. The Manor and grounds are open Tuesday through Sunday, 11am to 7pm, and closed November 26, December 24 and December 25.
General admission is $22 for adults and $50 for a family of two adults and two children, bought at the Welcome Center when you arrive. Afternoon teas and other seasonal programs are ticketed separately. Our Christmas at Blithewold guide lists every price and program.
Wassail Weekend, Woodstock, Vermont
Wassail Weekend is Woodstock's 42nd annual holiday celebration, December 11–13, 2026, run by the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce. Friday opens with a candle-lit walk at 4
from East End Park to the Village Green. Saturday, December 12 brings the horse parade at 2pm, the Memory Tree lighting and a Yule log bonfire at 3pm, and the lighting of the luminaries at 4pm. The Wassail Artisan Market is on the Village Green December 11–12, and the Wassail Holiday Craft Fair at the Masonic Hall runs December 12–13.Billings Farm & Museum's Victorian-themed Winter Celebration all three days is ticketed separately. For more Vermont holiday events, see our Vermont holiday roundup.
St. J Sparkles, St. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. J Sparkles is St. Johnsbury's holiday weekend, Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12, 2026. It packs more than 50 activities by local businesses and organizations into Friday evening and all day Saturday. Past years have included Friday fireworks, free photos with Santa, a Saturday craft and vendor event, and a free holiday concert at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum.
Many activities are free; some carry a small fee or need tickets. The 2026 schedule had not been posted as of late September, so check Discover St. Johnsbury's site or pick up a program at the Welcome Center, 51 Depot Square.
More town celebrations
These one-day downtown celebrations appear in our state holiday roundups. All have confirmed 2026 dates.
- Brockton Holiday Parade, Brockton, MA, Saturday, November 28. Festivities start at noon, the 40th annual parade steps off at 2pm, and the City Hall lights come on at 5pm.
- Bowen's Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting, Newport, RI, Saturday, December 5. Santa arrives by boat, weather permitting, and the tree is lit at 6 p.m. Free.
- Taunton Lights On Festival, Taunton, MA, Saturday, December 5, 3pm to 8pm. The 113th Lighting of the Taunton Green; the display stays up through New Year's Day.
- Saco Holiday Festival and Parade of Lights, Saco, ME, Saturday, December 5. Lit floats on Main Street and Santa arriving on the fire boat. Check Saco Main Street's site for times.
- Newtown Holiday Festival, Newtown, CT, Sunday, December 6, 11 am to 4 pm. A holiday market along Main Street and in Edmond Town Hall, plus house tours and a Festival of Trees.
Planning your trip
Islands first. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard have no bridge. Book your ferry or flight and your room as soon as you pick a date, and check ferry and weather updates in the days before you go. On Nantucket, the Chamber recommends leaving your car in Hyannis.
Tickets and arrival times. Strawbery Banke sells tickets by arrival window, and popular windows can sell out. Christmas by Candlelight uses date-specific tickets. At Newport, only The Breakers needs a dated, timed ticket. Buy these ahead rather than at the gate.
Pick your weekend. December 4–6 pairs Nantucket with Strawbery Banke's first weekend and the Kennebunkport tree lighting. December 11–13 is the region's busiest: Kennebunkport's fireworks, Edgartown, Woodstock and St. Johnsbury all fall on it. The historic houses in Newport and Bristol and the Sturbridge evenings run for weeks, so they fit any weekend.
Dress for the dark. The candlelit strolls are outdoors after sunset on paths that can be icy or uneven. Wear warm layers and sturdy shoes. Strawbery Banke goes on rain or snow, and Old Sturbridge Village runs rain or shine.
Q: What is the best Christmas stroll in New England?
It depends on the trip you want. The Nantucket Christmas Stroll (December 4–6) and Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude (December 3–13) are free, town-wide weekends. Strawbery Banke's Candlelight Stroll and Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village are ticketed evenings in historic villages.
Q: Is the Nantucket Christmas Stroll free?
Yes. The Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce lists the Stroll as free and open to all, including the Saturday Stroll Marketplace. You pay for your ferry or flight and lodging.
Q: Do I need tickets for the Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll?
Yes. Tickets are sold by arrival window for each date, and popular windows can sell out. Adult prices run $32 to $38 depending on the day and when you buy. Children under 3 are free but still need a ticket.
Q: Which New England Christmas events happen the same weekend?
December 11–13, 2026 is the busiest weekend. The Kennebunkport Christmas Prelude fireworks, Christmas in Edgartown, Strawbery Banke's second weekend, Wassail Weekend in Woodstock and St. J Sparkles in St. Johnsbury all fall on it.
Q: When should I book ferries for Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard holiday weekends?
As early as you can. The Nantucket Stroll is the island's signature weekend, and Christmas in Edgartown is a holiday weekend on Martha's Vineyard, so ferries and rooms fill up. Hy-Line says a reservation is the only way to guarantee space on its Nantucket ferry.
Related reading
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Maine 2026
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in New Hampshire 2026
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Vermont 2026
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Massachusetts 2026
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Rhode Island 2026
- Holiday Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets in Connecticut 2026
- New England Christmas Festival 2026 at Mohegan Sun
Details in this guide come from each organizer's website as of late September 2026: the Kennebunkport Business Association, the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce, Strawbery Banke Museum, the Edgartown Board of Trade, Old Sturbridge Village, the Preservation Society of Newport County, Blithewold, the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce and Discover St. Johnsbury. Schedules and prices can change, so confirm on each event's official site before you go.
Last updated: September 2026
