62 Holiday Lights and Santa Events in New England This Week
12/03/18 by
Johnny Monsarrat
It’s holiday time! Make seeing Santa or visiting outdoor holiday lights an excuse to visit a fresh part of New England. Here are 62 events including parades, train rides, horse-drawn rides, and millions of holiday lights, most of them secular.
| Boston Metro | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Stone Zoo’s Zoolights (4.5 stars) 617-541-5466, Stoneham, MA Winter wonderland of tree-lined paths lit by thousands of twinkling lights. Animals, including reindeer, and Santa. A magical holiday world filled with fairy tale characters and dancing plush animals. |
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| Blink! at Faneuil Hall (C?) Boston, MA Commercial event at a mall with blinking trees and music. Ice sculptures, Santa. |
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| Metro West | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Massachusetts Horticultural Societys Festival of Trees and Snow Village (A?) Wellesley, MA Indoor decorated trees and model train, but outdoor gardens to stroll and horse-drawn rides. |
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| Maynard Old Fashioned Christmas Parade (B?) Maynard, MA Evening parade. Seems small. |
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| A Little Women Christmas at Orchard House (B?) 978.369.4118 x106, Concord, MA Re-enactors portraying historical characters found in “”Little Women””. |
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| Fatima Shrine (C?) Holliston, MA Religious Xmas lights. |
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| South Shore | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Light in the Darkness (A?) Plymouth, MA Enter the house of an English family celebrating Christmas, and then another of a Puritan Family. From there, stroll to our Visitor Center, transformed to showcase the ‘gifts of Christmas’. Sample gingerbread and learn about the craft of candle making. You will then meet a very special guide who will prepare you to meet Queen Elizabeth! Your Majesty may call upon you, the members of her court, to perform for her! |
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| Enchanted Village at Jordan’s Furniture (C?) Avon, MA Indoor ice skating rink and indoor old-timey Holiday dioramas from the 1960s. |
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| Edaville Railroad’s Christmas Festival of Lights (5 stars) 508-866-8190, Carver, MA Arguably the most-loved festival of its kind, having earned generations of loyal fans. Passengers relax comfortably in warm and dry coaches while riding through a spectacular holiday setting featuring an explosion of lights. |
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| Southeast Mass | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| La Salette Shrine Festival of Lights (4 stars) 508-222-5410, Attleboro, MA More than 300,000 lights covering 10 acres. Very religious. |
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| Middleborough Festival Of Lights (A?) Middleborough, MA Drive-through acres with 200,000 lights, Santa and the Grinch, stroll the village, model trains, alpacas, cabin decorating contest. |
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| Breakfast with Santa at the Buttonwood Park Zoo (B?) (508) 991-6178, New Bedford, MA Day event. Breakfast buffet, Santa, animals, train and carousel rides, face painting, and crafts. |
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| Medfield Holiday Stroll (C?) Medfield, MA One day event. Art, outdoor ice sculpture demonstration, food vendors, carolers, Santa, tree lighting ceremony. |
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| Stoughton Holiday Parade of Lights (A?) Stoughton, MA Parade and “”Winter Warm-Up”” festival. |
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| Worcester | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Night Lights: Winter Reimagined (A+?) Boylston, MA Daytime and evening lights at this botanical garden, with smores and additional special Christmas events. |
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| Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village (C?) 800-733-1830, Sturbridge, MA Gingerbread contest, live music, storytelling, sleigh rides, festive foods, bonfire, stroll the 19th century decorated village. Nightly tree lighting, Father Christmas, Santa Claus. |
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| Lowell | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Winterlights at the Stevens-Coolidge Place (A?) North Andover, MA 75,000 lights throughout the gardens, orchards, and grounds, with performances and activities for kids and adults. Santa and ice princesses nights, fire dancer, local choirs. |
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| Haverhill Christmas Stroll (C?) Haverhill, MA One evening. Trolley, live music, Santa, tree lighting. |
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| Visit with Santa at Smolak Farms (C?) 978-682-6332, North Andover, MA Kids only events. Tree lighting, crafts, visit Santa in a barn, storytime with Mrs. Claus. Animals? |
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| Springfield | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Bright Nights at Forest Park (4.5 stars) 413-733-3800, Springfield, MA Drive-through experience with nearly three miles of lighting displays. |
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| Winter Wonderland Light Display and Santa’s Trains (C?) 413.584.5457, Florence, MA Free. Drive-through light displays, carols, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Breakfast with Santa, miniature villages with model trains, fire and cocoa. |
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| Six Flags New England Holiday in the Park (5 stars) Agawam, MA New Englands largest holiday celebration in a theme park with more than 50 rides, shows, and attractions. |
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| Santa’s House (C?) 413-263-3284, West Springfield, MA Meet Santa. Event is poorly described, seems basic. |
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| Rhode Island | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade Of Lights (B?) Newport, RI Buy tickets for a boat cruise that sails past holiday lights. |
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| Blackstone Valley Polar Express Train Ride (A?) Woonsocket, RI 90-minute train ride, Santa, sing-a-longs. |
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| Pawtucket Winter Wonderland (A+?) 401-728-0500 x251, Pawtucket, RI Walking trail with 400 decorated trees, twenty Victorian buildings, 18-foot-tall snowman, Santa, train rides, hay rides, carousel, food court, dance and live music. Opening day has a parade. |
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| Santa Sundays at the Newport Mansions (B?) Newport, RI Three mansions are decorated for regular tours, one day each for The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms has Santa. |
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| Cape Cod | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
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Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Heritage Museum Gardens Aglow (A+?) 508-888-3300, Sandwich, MA Garden and museums lit for Xmas. Carolers, fire pit, model trains, Santa in Model T Ford, Mrs. Claus, giant Lite Brites, roast marshmallows, reindeer scavenger hunt, live music, carousel, ice carving. |
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| Cape Codder Enchanted Village (B?) 855-861-4370, Hyannis, MA 100,000 lights with caroling and Santa at this hotel with an indoor water park. |
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| Train To Christmas Town (B?) Buzzards Bay, MA Elves, music, train ride to magical lighted town. |
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| Mashpee Chamber Christmas Parade and Season of Illumination (B?) Mashpee, MA One evening only. Parade, magic show, tree lighting, Santa. |
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| Falmouth Christmas Parade (B?) Falmouth, MA Daytime event. Parade, animals, Santa. One day only. |
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| Berkshires | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Winterlights at Naumkeag (A?) Stockbridge, MA 110,000 lights throughout the garden rooms and grounds, including the iconic Fletcher Steele-designed Blue Steps, with performances and activities for kids and adults. Santa and ice princesses nights. |
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| Candlelit Evening at Hancock Shaker Village (B?) Pittsfield, MA Live music, storytelling, festive foods, candlelight, and caroling. Stroll the grounds by lantern light. Animals, refreshments. |
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| Northwest Mass | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Jingle Fest (C?) Greenfield, MA Commercial event with mall tree lighting, carols, Santa at a department store. One night. |
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| New Hampshire | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Santa’s Holiday Express (A?) 603-356-5251, North Conway, NH Two-hour train ride to the North Pole Theater and back. Hot chocolate, Santa, elves. |
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| Gift of Lights at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (B?) 765-664-3918, Loudon, NH See how over-the-top decorating looks while being able to brag youve driven around the track. |
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| Christmas at Canterbury (B?) 603-783-9511, Canterbury, NH Candlelight stroll through the Village, old-time magic show, horse-drawn wagon rides, silent film with live organ. Father Christmas, hot cider, fiddlers. |
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| Horse and Wagon Rides at the Rocks Estate (C?) 603-444-6228, Bethlehem, NH Horse-drawn wagon rides, Santa, at a xXmas tree farm. |
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| Christmas Lights at La Salette Shrine & Center (3.5 stars) 603-632-7087, Enfield, NH 45,000 evening lights spread across 30 acres. |
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| Lighted Winter Wonderland & Santas Big Party at Charmingfare Farm (B?) 603-483-5623, Candia, NH Lighted Winter Wonderland isa separate event. 30-minutes horse-drawn ride through thousands of lights. Santa, costumed characters, train ride to live reindeer, petting zoo. Takes 2 hours. |
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| Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke (5 stars) 603-422-7514, Portsmouth, NH Guided Holiday House Tours at this re-enactment museum focusing on the 18th century. This event features live music, a bonfire, participatory caroling, performances on period instruments, Masonry, hundreds of candles, a gingerbread house contest, and more. |
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| Christmastime at Santa’s Village (A?) 603-586-4445, Jefferson, NH Large Xmas theme park with reindeer, Santa. |
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| Connecticut | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Holiday Light Fantasia (4 stars) 860-742-2267, Hartford, CT 2-mile drive-through park event with 1,000,000 night-time lights. |
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| Lantern Light Tours (A?) 860-572-5365, Mystic, CT Theatre show that moves you to several locations in this 19th-century maritime village museum. Horse-drawn carriage ride, a spirited holiday dance, the beautiful glow of lanterns, Santa. |
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| Fantasy of Lights (B?) 203-777-2000, New Haven, CT Drive-through park with 60 attractions that include 100,000 lights. |
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| North Pole Express at Essex Steam Train (B?) Essex, CT Train ride with live music, Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing-a-longs, hot chocolate. |
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| Northern Lights Limited and Santa Express (B?) Thomaston, CT Indoor / outdoor festival of lights with train right and Santa’s Train Workshop. Mrs. Claus, elves. |
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| Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce (B?) 860-583-3300, Bristol, CT Thousands of bulbs and spectacular light shows every half hour set to music. A selection of children’s and family rides will be open. Santa. |
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| Winterfest and the Tunnel of Lights (B?) East Windsor, CT Trolley ride, Santa. |
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| Shore Line Trolly Winter Wonderland (B?) East Haven, CT Trolley ride to Santa, model trains, holiday lights. |
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| Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park (B?) 203-630-4259, Meriden, CT Dawn to dusk. No admission, just you drive through this decorated park with 350,000 twinkling lights and more than 200 figures and buildings. |
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| Christmas in Collinsville (C?) Collinsville, CT Weekend commercial event with horse-drawn carriage rides, Santa, gallery of trees, and business district lighting. |
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| Niantic Light Parade (A?) East Lyme, CT One day only. Parade with fireworks. “”This is the largest and longest running holiday light parade in New England |
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| Maine | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (A?) Boothbay, ME Outdoor walk through a garden with more than 650,000 lights |
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| Northern Lights Celebration at L.L. Bean (B?) Freeport, ME Nighttime forest path, tree lighting, model trains, horse-drawn rides, Santa, reindeeer. |
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| Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude (A?) Kennebunkport, ME Wow! Creative 10 days of individual events such as tree lighting, caroling, bonfires, “”hat”” parade, trolley & boat rides, Santa arrives by lobster boat and fire engine, fireworks, bell ringing, candlelight procession, ice sculptures, dog parade. |
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| Ogunquit Christmas by the Sea (A?) Ogunquit, ME Weekend festival with two parades, beach bonfire, fireworks, polar plunge, live music, tree lighting. |
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| Freeport Sparkle Celebration (B?) Freeport, ME One weekend. Parade, tuba concert, and nearby L.L. Bean events listed separately. |
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| Wells Christmas Parade (B?) Wells, ME Parade. One day only. |
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| Vermont | Mon 12/3 |
Tue 12/4 |
Wed 12/5 |
Thu 12/6 |
Fri 12/7 |
Sat 12/8 |
Sun 12/9 |
| Winter Lights in the Park (B?) Essex Junction, VT Outdoor walk through park with holiday lights. |
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| Wassail Weekend (C?) 802.457.2355, Woodstock, VT Wassail Weekend is one weekend with a Xmas parade. Christmas at Billings Farm seems to be all-indoors, but they do have horse-drawn sleigh and wagon rides. |
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