10 New Hampshire winter
and holiday events.
Ice Castles, an amusement park built entirely around Santa, and a European-style Christmas market in a ski-town square. We've done Ice Castles ourselves with the girls.
All 10, at a glance.
| Event | Where | Typical timing | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmastime at Santa's Village | Jefferson | Weekends, Nov 7–Dec 20 | $60 ages 4+, dated tickets online |
| Concord Christmas Tree Lighting | NH State House Plaza, Concord | Friday after Thanksgiving | Free |
| Nashua Winter Stroll | Downtown Nashua | Sat, Nov 28 | Free |
| Alpine Advent | Waterville Valley | Late Nov–Dec 31 | Free to browse |
| NH Festival of Trees | Settlers Green, North Conway | Nov 27–Dec 12 | $10 adult, 12 & under free (2025) |
| Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting | Settlers Green, North Conway | Early Dec (Dec 6 in 2025) | Free |
| Illuminated Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting | Downtown Portsmouth | Sat, Dec 5 | Free |
| Manchester Holiday Parade | Elm Street, Manchester | First Saturday of Dec | Free |
| Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll | Portsmouth | Dec 4–6, 11–13, 18–20 | $35–38 adult, $17.50–19 child |
| Ice Castles | North Woodstock | Late Dec–Feb | Paid, timed entry |
Dates checked against each event's own site on October 1, 2026. Concord, Alpine Advent, the North Conway tree lighting, Manchester and Ice Castles had not posted 2026 dates yet, so those rows show last season's pattern. Ice Castles' opening depends on weather.
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.
Our top three for young kids.
Ice Castles is the one we'd send anyone to first: hand-built ice tunnels, slides, and towers, lit at night, and genuinely unlike anything else on this list. Christmastime at Santa's Village is the easiest full-day outing for younger kids, with rides built to their scale. Alpine Advent in Waterville Valley is the free, low-key option: wooden chalets styled like a European Christmas market, easy to browse before or after a day of skiing.
Search Vrbo rentals, already set to North Conway. Look for two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Where we would stay. Affiliate link, our disclosure.
What families ask us.
Is Ice Castles in New Hampshire good for young kids?
Yes, we've done it with our own girls. Hand-built ice tunnels, slides and towers lit up at night; the main thing to plan around is keeping young kids warm and moving, since it's an outdoor walking attraction in the cold.
What is Christmastime at Santa's Village?
A holiday-themed amusement park in Jefferson, NH with rides, visits with Santa and his reindeer, and about a million lights, open weekends from November 7 to December 20 in 2026. It's the classic New Hampshire meet-Santa day trip for younger kids.
Are these New Hampshire holiday events free?
Most of the town tree lightings and parades (Portsmouth, Manchester, Concord, Nashua, North Conway) are free. Ice Castles, Santa's Village, and the Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll charge admission.
When does Ice Castles open each year?
Typically late December through February, weather dependent, since it takes weeks of below-freezing temperatures to build. Last season it opened December 27, 2025. Confirm this season's opening date on the event's own site before planning around it.