Christmas Prelude 2026 runs Thursday, December 3 to Sunday, December 13 in Kennebunkport and Kennebunk’s Lower Village, with tree lightings, caroling, fireworks and Santa arriving by lobster boat.
The Kennebunkport Business Association puts on the event. All dates and times below come from the official Christmas Prelude site, its 2026 schedule and its parking and shuttle page.
Checked October 30, 2026. Times can change. The full schedule is also in the official Christmas Prelude app (Apple and Google), so check it the morning you go.
The 2026 dates at a glance
| Day | Time | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Dec 3 | All day | Prelude opens | Kennebunkport and Lower Village |
| Fri, Dec 4 | 5:30 p.m. | Caroling, then the tree lighting at 6 p.m. | Dock Square |
| Fri, Dec 4 | 7 p.m. | Lobster trap tree lighting | Cape Porpoise Square |
| Sat, Dec 5 | 3 p.m. | Hat Parade | Dock Square to Lower Village |
| Sat, Dec 5 | 6:30 p.m. | Candlelight caroling | Franciscan Monastery grotto, Kennebunk |
| Sun, Dec 6 | Early afternoon | Santa arrives by lobster boat | The Nonantum Resort, Ocean Ave |
| Thu, Dec 10 | 4 to 6 p.m. | Storybook Christmas | Kennebunkport Conservation Trust |
| Fri, Dec 11 | 4 to 6 p.m. | Family Street Festival (streets closed) | Dock Square to Lower Village |
| Fri, Dec 11 | 5:30 p.m. | Caroling and tree lighting | Dock Square |
| Fri, Dec 11 | 6:15 p.m. | Fireworks over the cove | View from the Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge |
| Sun, Dec 13 | 11 a.m. | Pooch Parade | Starts behind Alisson's, Dock Square |
| Sun, Dec 13 | 2 p.m. | Santa arrives by fire engine | Cape Porpoise Kitchen |
The busiest stretch is the first weekend (December 4 to 6) and the second Friday and Saturday (December 11 and 12). If you only have one evening, Friday, December 11 packs in the street festival, a tree lighting and the fireworks.
Santa arrives by lobster boat (Sunday, December 6)
This is the Prelude moment most people come for. Santa rides a lobster boat up the river and lands at The Nonantum Resort, 95 Ocean Avenue.
- When: Sunday, December 6, early afternoon. The official home page lists 12:30 p.m. for the boat and 1 p.m. for the landing. The official schedule lists 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Be in place by 12:30 p.m.
- Where to watch the boat: The organizers suggest the sidewalk of the Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge in Dock Square, or along the shore up Ocean Avenue.
- At the landing: Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, get a free photo, make holiday crafts and have a warm drink. It is free and open to the public (official listing).
You can watch the boat from the bridge or meet Santa at The Nonantum, but walking between them takes time in a crowd. With small kids, pick the landing and stay put.
Parking and shuttles
Parking is the hardest part of the Prelude. Here is what the official parking page lists for 2026.
- Free: The town lot beside the Kennebunkport Fire Station, 30 North Street. It is about a 5-minute walk to Dock Square.
- $5 an hour: The town lot behind Alisson’s Restaurant, 11 Dock Square. It is the center of everything, and it fills early.
- $25 all day plus a shuttle: Quest Fitness, 2 Livewell Drive, Kennebunk. The shuttle drops you at Village Marketplace in Lower Village. It runs Fridays, December 4 and 11 (3:30 to 10 p.m.) and Saturdays, December 5 and 12 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
- $25 all day: The Colony Hotel, 140 Ocean Avenue. Proceeds go to Community Harvest. A free hop-on, hop-off trolley runs from The Colony to Dock Square and Lower Village on December 5, 6 and 12.
- RideMaine shuttle: Runs at set hours on December 4, 5 and 12 between the North Street lot, Kennebunkport Consolidated School and Cape Porpoise. The official page lists both free Prelude rides and a $5-a-day fare, so confirm the cost when you book by app or text. Space is limited.
- Private lots: Shipyard Shops and Village Marketplace in Lower Village charge their own fees. Do not park in other private business lots.
Streets close to traffic from Dock Square through Lower Village for the Family Street Festival, which starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, December 11. Park before then and plan to walk. Obey every “do not park” sign; the organizers ask this so fire trucks and ambulances can get through.
What is free
These events are listed as free on the official schedule:
- Santa’s lobster boat arrival at The Nonantum (December 6)
- Storybook Christmas at the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust (December 10, 4 to 6 p.m.)
- The Adopt-A-Tree Festival at the Conservation Trust (free entry; raffle tickets cost extra)
- Santa’s reindeer and Mrs. Claus at Kennebunk Outfitters (December 5 and 12, 2:30 p.m.)
- Campfires at The Shops at Morning Walk in Lower Village (December 4 to 6, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting)
- A holiday card station at the Graves Library, 18 Maine Street (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily)
- The Hat Parade and Pooch Parade (free, but you register ahead to march)
The tree lightings, the street festival and the fireworks are public, outdoor events with no ticket listed.
A few extras cost money. Trolley rides at the Seashore Trolley Museum are $15 (kids 2 and under ride free). Lobster boat rides on the Kennebunk River are $10 per person, cash only, on Prelude weekends.
Where to warm up
December evenings on the coast are cold, and the main events are outside after dark. Sunset is a little after 4 p.m.
- Graves Library: The free card station is indoors, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- The Shops at Morning Walk: Campfires on the first weekend, weather permitting.
- Santa’s landing: Warm drinks are part of the free event at The Nonantum.
- Storybook Christmas: The Conservation Trust event on December 10 has a fire and free cocoa.
- Dock Square shops and restaurants: Your nearest warm stop between events. December hours vary, so check before you count on one.
What is closed in December
Kennebunkport is a summer town first. Plan around these:
- The Clam Shack is closed for the season and reopens in May 2027, per its site.
- Seasonal shops and restaurants: Many close for winter or keep short hours. Call ahead for dinner, and book on Prelude weekends.
- Beach services: No lifeguards, and no beach parking passes needed. The beaches are open for walking. See beaches in December below.
Beaches in December
A cold beach walk is the best free thing to do in Kennebunkport in winter.
- Gooch’s Beach in Kennebunk is a flat mile of sand along Beach Avenue, a short drive from Dock Square. Kennebunk only requires beach passes from June 15 to September 15 (Town of Kennebunk).
- Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport only needs a permit from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (Town of Kennebunkport).
For every beach, the off-season dog rules and where to park, see our Kennebunk beaches guide.
If you’re staying over
- Book early if you want a Prelude weekend.
- Stay within walking distance of Dock Square or Lower Village and you skip the parking lots.
- For the next day, walk Ocean Avenue past Walker’s Point, drive to Cape Porpoise, or try something from our winter in Maine guide.
Icy sidewalks and cold evenings
Village sidewalks, the bridge and the docks can ice over once the sun goes down. Crowds make it harder to see the ground. Wear boots with good tread and slip-on traction if it has been freezing. Carry a small light for the walk back to the car, and hold small kids’ hands near the river and the street.
Dress for standing still, not walking. You will stand for 30 minutes or more at the tree lighting and the fireworks. Wear a warm hat, gloves and a layer more than you think. An insulated bottle like a Stanley keeps cocoa hot for the whole evening.
Shopping for someone who loves Maine’s outdoors? See our Maine gifts guide.
When is Christmas Prelude 2026 in Kennebunkport?
Thursday, December 3 to Sunday, December 13, 2026. That is 11 days of events in Kennebunkport, Cape Porpoise and Kennebunk's Lower Village. The official schedule is at christmasprelude.com and in the Christmas Prelude app.
What day does Santa arrive by lobster boat in 2026?
Sunday, December 6, in the early afternoon. The boat comes up the river and lands at The Nonantum Resort, 95 Ocean Avenue. The official site lists the landing at 1 p.m. on its home page and 1:30 p.m. on its schedule, so be in place by 12:30 p.m. The event is free.
When are the Christmas Prelude fireworks?
Friday, December 11, 2026, at 6:15 p.m., over the cove. The organizers suggest watching from the Mathew J. Lanigan Bridge and nearby. The Family Street Festival runs from 4 to 6 p.m. the same evening, with streets closed from Dock Square through Lower Village.
Where do I park for Christmas Prelude?
The town lot beside the fire station at 30 North Street is free and about a 5-minute walk to Dock Square. The lot behind Alisson's in Dock Square is $5 an hour and fills early. On busy days, the Quest Fitness lot in Kennebunk ($25 with a shuttle) and The Colony Hotel ($25 with a free trolley) are the easier choices.
Is Christmas Prelude free?
Much of it is. Santa's lobster boat arrival, Storybook Christmas, the reindeer visits and the campfires are listed as free, and the tree lightings, street festival and fireworks are public outdoor events. Some extras cost money, like trolley rides ($15) and lobster boat rides ($10, cash only).
Can I bring my dog to Christmas Prelude?
There is a Pooch Parade on Sunday, December 13, at 11 a.m., starting at the parking lot behind Alisson's in Dock Square. Registration is free. For beach walks with your dog, see the off-season rules in our Kennebunk beaches guide.
What else is there to do in Kennebunkport in winter?
Walk Gooch's Beach or Goose Rocks Beach with no parking pass needed, walk Ocean Avenue past Walker's Point, and visit the working harbor at Cape Porpoise. For ideas across the state, see our winter in Maine guide.