New Hampshire Christmas
& winter events 2026.
This is our home state, and these are the ten we'd plan a December around: a whole amusement park built around Santa, Portsmouth's lit-up parade, a candlelit walk through Strawbery Banke, and Ice Castles once the cold sets in. We've done Ice Castles with the girls, and we're in Portsmouth often with the girls.
All 10, at a glance.
| Event | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmastime at Santa's Village | Jefferson | Weekends, Nov 7–Dec 20 (plus Nov 27) | $60 ages 4+; 3 & under free |
| Alpine Advent | Waterville Valley Town Square | Nov 27–Dec 31, weekends | No fee listed |
| NH Festival of Trees | Settlers Green, North Conway | Nov 27–Dec 12 (closed some weekdays) | $10; 12 & under free |
| Concord Christmas tree lighting | State House Plaza, Concord | Usually the Friday after Thanksgiving; 2026 not posted | Free |
| Nashua Winter Stroll | Downtown Nashua | Sat, Nov 28 | Free |
| Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll | Portsmouth | Dec 4–6, 11–13, 18–20 | $35–38 adult, $17.50–19 child |
| Illuminated Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting | Downtown Portsmouth | Sat, Dec 5, 5–7pm | Free |
| Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting | Settlers Green, North Conway | Sat, Dec 5, 10am–4pm | Free |
| Manchester Holiday Parade | Elm Street, Manchester | Usually the first Saturday of Dec; 2026 not posted | Free |
| Ice Castles | North Woodstock | Opening date not set; usually around January | Paid, timed tickets |
Verified October 30, 2026 against each event's own site. Concord and Manchester hadn't posted 2026 dates, so those rows say when they usually happen and give last year's date. Ice Castles depends on the weather and announces its opening on its own site first.
Heading to the Portsmouth parade or the Candlelight Stroll? Our things to do in Portsmouth, NH with kids guide covers the rest of the day downtown.
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Stays in North Conway for a family of four
We loved the White Mountain Hotel. For a rental, we haven’t stayed in either of the two below. They pass our filters: two or more real bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a guest rating of 8.5 or better.
Our last stay in North Conway, and one we would book again. It is a hotel, not a rental, so ask for a room that fits four.
This chalet has one of the deepest review records in the area, and the listing says Echo Lake is a walk away.
The one to pick if you want room to spread out and a washer for muddy hiking clothes.
Ratings and amenities were checked on Vrbo and Expedia in September 2026. The button opens Vrbo for 2 adults and 2 kids on Dec 4 to 6, the tree-lighting weekend, so you see what is still open and its price. All three named stays were already booked that weekend when we checked on November 2, 2026, so their links open with no dates.
Our most recent North Conway stay with the girls was the White Mountain Hotel and Resort, which we loved. Search Vrbo rentals, already set to North Conway. Look for two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Where we would stay. Affiliate link, our disclosure.
Christmas in New Hampshire,
in calendar order.
Santa's Village opens its holiday weekends on November 7, and Ice Castles usually caps the season in January. For each one: what the kids do there, what it costs, and the detail worth knowing first.
Christmastime at Santa's Village
The classic New Hampshire meet-Santa day. Admission covers Santa and his reindeer, unlimited rides and shows, the Elfabet scavenger hunt and a ring from the blacksmith. Tickets are $60 for ages 4 and up, online only and dated, and kids 3 and under are free. Saturdays run 11am to 7pm and Sundays 11am to 6pm. November and December tickets can't be refunded or swapped, so check the forecast before you buy. Parking is free. Official site →
Alpine Advent
Twelve wooden chalets set up like a European Christmas market, open Saturdays 1 to 7pm and Sundays noon to 5pm, plus Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. The tree lighting and fireworks are Saturday, November 28. On Sunday, December 13, Santa sits on the chairlift bench by the tree. The site doesn't list an admission fee. It's an easy add-on to a ski day. Official site →
NH Festival of Trees
Rooms of decorated trees, indoors, which matters in a North Conway December. Adults pay $10, and that includes 10 raffle tickets for the trees; kids 12 and under are free. Most days run 10am to 7pm, but it's closed November 30 and December 1, 3, 7, 8 and 10, so check the day. Proceeds go to Carroll County RSVP. Official site →
Concord Christmas tree lighting
The city's tree in front of the State House, and in past years the Concord Fire Department has brought Santa to lead the countdown. The 2026 date wasn't posted when we checked. Last year's, the 40th, was Friday, November 28, 2025. Expect the same Friday-after-Thanksgiving slot, but confirm with the city first. Official site →
Nashua Winter Stroll
Santa leads a parade down Main Street and counts down with the mayor at a 25-foot tree, and there's a mailbox for letters to Santa. The date is set; 2026 times were still "TBA" when we checked. Last year Main Street closed from 2pm and the tree was lit at 5:30pm, with free shuttles from Holman Stadium. Run by the Downtown Nashua Association. Official site →
Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll
Historic houses lit by candles and lanterns, with horse-drawn carriage rides (first come), warm cider and Victorian skaters. Tickets are timed: adults $35 Friday and Sunday or $38 Saturday, kids 3 to 17 $17.50 or $19, and a family ticket is $87.50 to $95. Under 3 is free but still needs a ticket. Two things to plan for: strollers aren't allowed, so bring a carrier, and there's no on-site parking (a free trolley runs Saturdays and Sundays). Official site →
Illuminated Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting
The tree in Market Square is lit at 5pm, then the lit parade leaves Islington Street at 6pm and reaches the square 20 to 30 minutes later. We're in Portsmouth often with the girls, and Market Square is one of the places they ask for. The city's tip is a good one: watch from Islington Street, where it's less crowded. Garages fill early, and the Candlelight Stroll is on the same night. Official site →
Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting
A full day for kids at the outlets: photos with Santa from 10am to 4pm, a mini snow-tube ride from Cranmore from 11am (weather permitting), ice carving in the afternoon, and the tree lit at the gazebo at 4pm. The Festival of Trees is open the same day. North Conway's village and outlets are a big part of why we like staying up there. Official site →
Manchester Holiday Parade
Manchester's parade runs up Elm Street right after the Santa Claus Shuffle road race. The city hadn't posted 2026 details when we checked. Last year it was Saturday, December 6, 2025, with Elm Street closed in the afternoon. If the pattern holds it lands on December 5, the same day as Portsmouth's, so pick one. Official site →
Ice Castles
Hand-built ice tunnels, slides and towers, lit at night, and the one on this list we'd send anyone to first. We've done it with the girls. Ice Castles says it returns for winter 2027, "often around January," once it's been cold enough to build; last season it opened December 27, 2025. Tickets are timed and sold online in waves. Strollers aren't allowed, so bring a carrier or a sled, and put the kids in snow pants for the slides. Official site →
You won't do all 10.
Here's how we'd choose.
We live on the New Hampshire seacoast, so the Portsmouth events are the easy ones for us. If you're picking a few:
The Portsmouth parade, the Nashua stroll, the Settlers Green festival and the Concord and Manchester events all cost nothing. Alpine Advent lists no fee.
Santa's Village is built to their size, and kids 3 and under are free. The Settlers Green festival packs Santa and a snow-tube ride into one easy morning.
Portsmouth on December 5: the parade at 6pm, then a late Candlelight Stroll slot if the kids have it in them. Park once and walk.
Ice Castles in January, or Santa's Village before Christmas. Make either one a night away and add North Conway; our White Mountains with kids guide covers where we stay and eat.
Looking beyond
New Hampshire?
This list is one state in our holiday series. The New England roundup adds Newport, Mystic and Kennebunkport, or skip the research and have us plan the trip.
What families ask about
Christmas in New Hampshire.
What is there to do for Christmas in New Hampshire with kids?
Christmastime at Santa's Village in Jefferson is the big one for little kids. Add Portsmouth's Illuminated Holiday Parade on December 5, the Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll, and the Settlers Green festival in North Conway. Ice Castles in North Woodstock follows once the cold sets in, usually around January.
Where are the best Christmas lights in New Hampshire?
Portsmouth's Illuminated Holiday Parade and Market Square tree on December 5, and the candle-and-lantern-lit Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll. Ice Castles is lit at night once it opens.
Is Ice Castles in New Hampshire good for young kids?
Yes, we've done it with our own girls. Plan to keep little ones warm and moving, since it's outdoors in the cold. Strollers aren't allowed, so bring a carrier or a sled.
When does Ice Castles open in 2026?
It isn't set yet. Ice Castles says the New Hampshire castle returns for winter 2027, often around January, once it's been cold enough to build. Last season it opened December 27, 2025. Dates and tickets are announced on its own site first.
What is Christmastime at Santa's Village?
The holiday season at Santa's Village, an amusement park in Jefferson, NH: Santa and his reindeer, rides, shows and a scavenger hunt. In 2026 it's open weekends from November 7 to December 20, plus November 27. Tickets are $60 for ages 4 and up, and kids 3 and under are free.
Are New Hampshire holiday events free?
Most town events are: the Portsmouth parade, the Nashua Winter Stroll, the Settlers Green festival, and the Concord and Manchester events. Santa's Village, the Candlelight Stroll, the Festival of Trees and Ice Castles charge admission.
Where this fits.
Ice Castles, the Cog Railway, and skiing at Gunstock on the way up.
The NH Highland Games to the Pumpkin Festival.
The regional greatest hits.