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Christmas with kids in Brockton
In Brockton, the holiday season began downtown with a parade designed to bring shoppers back to Main Street. That parade started in 1986 and still ends at City Hall, where the city's holiday tree glows for families.
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The story of Christmas in Brockton
A downtown parade that began in 1986
Brockton's biggest Christmas tradition is its downtown holiday parade. Two Rotary Club members, Ugo Paparo and John Dreystadt, held the first one in 1986 to draw customers to the center of the city. It started out on Friday nights. By 2011 it was the 25th annual parade, with marching bands, cheerleaders, antique cars and local groups making their way along Main Street to City Hall. The closing ceremony at City Hall included lighting the city's holiday tree, a pairing that still shapes the season today.
Christmas last year in Brockton
In December 2025 the city calendar filled up with family events. The Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony took place on Sunday, December 14, from 5 to 6 pm at City Hall Plaza, with performances and refreshments before the tree lit up at 5:45. The Brockton Maker Space in the Main Library hosted a free Gingerbread House Craft Night on December 9 for ages seven and up. At Westgate Mall, a holiday pop-up market and a third annual toy giveaway ran on six December weekend days.
Fun facts about Christmas in Brockton
The 37th annual parade and celebration in 2023 had the theme Holidays Around the World and more than 80 groups marching. The fun started hours before the parade, with hot cocoa and crafts at City Hall from 10 am, plus face painting, planetarium shows, holiday movies and photos with Santa. The parade itself stepped off at 1 pm from the corner of Main and Belmont streets. Over the years the route has changed, but City Hall has stayed the place where the day ends.
Trains and Christmas near Brockton
Brockton families who love trains have a few good Massachusetts stops to know. Edaville in Carver builds its holiday festival around the Edaville Railroad, a two-foot gauge line that first carried cranberries in 1947, and general admission includes a Holiday Express train ride. Popular dates sell out, so plan ahead. In Fall River, the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Museum has a model railroad with over 240 feet of track, but it opens only on select dates. Boston Street Railway Association is restoring an ex-Boston Type 5 streetcar.
- Edaville: A holiday festival built around a two-foot gauge railroad that began with cranberries in 1947, with a train ride included in admission.
- Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum: A volunteer-run museum whose 240-foot model railroad kids can explore like a game of I Spy, open only on select dates.
- Boston Street Railway Association: A nonprofit for Boston transit history that is restoring an ex-Boston Type 5 streetcar and welcomes guests at monthly meetings.
Traditions today
- Brockton Holiday Parade: A downtown parade that began in 1986 and in 2023 featured over 80 groups marching toward City Hall.
- Holiday Tree Lighting at City Hall Plaza: A free evening of performances and refreshments, with the tree lit at 5:45 pm in 2025.
- Cocoa, crafts and Santa at City Hall: On parade day, City Hall opens with hot cocoa, crafts, face painting and photos with Santa.
- Gingerbread House Craft Night: A free family craft evening at the Brockton Maker Space in the Main Library, for ages seven and up in 2025.
- Westgate Mall holiday market and toy giveaway: Local artisans sold gifts on December weekends in 2025, alongside a third annual toy giveaway.
A fact for kids
Brockton's holiday parade was invented to bring people downtown. It began in 1986, when two Rotary Club friends decided a parade might do the trick, and it ended with lighting the city's Christmas tree.
Questions about Christmas in Brockton
When did Brockton's downtown holiday parade start?
It started in 1986. Rotary Club members Ugo Paparo and John Dreystadt held the first downtown parade that year. By 2011 it had reached its 25th annual edition, and in 2023 it was the 37th annual parade and celebration, which shows how steadily Brockton families have kept it going.
Why was the Brockton holiday parade created?
It was created to draw customers to the center of the city. Paparo and Dreystadt, who met as Rotary members, held the first downtown parade in 1986 as a way to bring shoppers and families back to Main Street during the holiday season. The community liked it enough to keep it going.
Was the Brockton parade always held during the day?
No. According to a sponsor representative quoted in 2011, the parade originally took place on Friday nights. By 2023 the celebration had moved to a Saturday, with activities at City Hall starting at 10 am and the parade stepping off at 1 pm, which is easier for little ones.
How big is the Brockton holiday parade?
In 2023 the parade included more than 80 groups. In 2011, thousands of spectators lined the route and many believed the crowd set a record, helped by a 60 degree day. Expect marching bands, school groups, local organizations and antique cars rolling past, so little ones have plenty to watch.
What was the theme of the 2023 Brockton parade?
The 2023 theme was Holidays Around the World. That year's 37th annual Brockton Community Holiday Parade and Celebration kicked off at 1 pm from the corner of Main and Belmont streets. Themes change from year to year, so ask your kids what holiday from another country they would put on a float.
Where does the Brockton parade go?
The route has varied. In 2011 it ran from Legion Parkway through the Main Street area and ended at City Hall. In 2023 it began at the corner of Main and Belmont streets. In both years City Hall was the center of the day, so that is a good place to plan your meeting spot.
What happens at City Hall on parade day?
In 2023 City Hall opened at 10 am with hot cocoa and crafts. The free activities also included face painting, planetarium shows, holiday movies, a vendor marketplace, food trucks and photos with Santa. Much of it is at City Hall, which gives younger children something to do before the parade starts.
When does Brockton light its holiday tree?
The city lit its tree on Sunday, December 14 in 2025, at City Hall Plaza on School Street. The ceremony ran from 5 to 6 pm with performances and refreshments, and the tree lit at 5:45 pm. It was free and open to everyone. Our Brockton Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's dates.
How do I explain a tree lighting to a young child?
Tell your child that the whole city gathers in the dark to turn on the tree together. In Brockton the evening has music and refreshments first, then a countdown to the lights at 5:45 pm in 2025. Let them help count down, and point out how many neighbors came to watch.
Does Santa appear in Brockton?
Yes. Photos with Santa were part of the free activities on parade day in 2023, along with hot cocoa and crafts at City Hall. Ask a volunteer where he is set up when you arrive. Bring a camera for the photo.
Are there holiday crafts for kids in Brockton?
Yes. In December 2025 the Brockton Maker Space in the Main Library, at 304 Main Street, hosted a free Gingerbread House Craft Night on December 9 for ages seven and up. A free Winter Wonderland Family Craft Night followed on December 30, with registration through a flyer QR code.
What is the Brockton Maker Space?
It is a creative workshop space inside the Brockton Main Library at 304 Main Street. In December 2025 it hosted a free Gingerbread House Craft Night for adults and children age seven and up. Families were asked to call the library or use its website to register, so it is worth checking ahead.
What is the Angel Tree at Westgate Mall?
The Salvation Army of Brockton's annual Angel Tree is hosted at Westgate Mall, and the event appeared on the City of Brockton's calendar in 2025. Angel trees invite shoppers to buy gifts for local children and families in need, which makes them a gentle way to talk with kids about giving during the holidays.
What is the Westgate Mall holiday toy giveaway?
It is a free giveaway of toys at Westgate Mall, run with the African American Association of Brockton. In 2025 it was the third annual giveaway, held on the same December Saturdays and Sundays as the mall's holiday pop-up market, where local artisans sold gifts near the GNC store.
Who has led the Brockton parade?
Grand marshals have honored the parade's founders. In 2011, Ugo Paparo and family members of John Dreystadt led the 25th annual parade, and former heavyweight boxing champion John Ruiz also led the procession. It is a nice way to tell kids that the parade began with two friends and an idea.
What should my child expect from a Brockton parade?
Expect a lot of noise and color. Past parades have featured marching bands, cheerleaders, school groups, local businesses and antique cars, with more than 80 groups in 2023. The parade ends near City Hall, so families often watch the final floats and then head inside for cocoa and crafts.
Is there a Christmas parade in Brockton this year?
Brockton has held its downtown holiday parade since 1986, and in 2023 it took place on Saturday, November 25. The City Hall activities in 2023 were free. For this season's confirmed dates, times and costs, see our Brockton Christmas events guide on this page.
Where can kids see a big Christmas tree in Brockton?
The city's holiday tree stands at City Hall Plaza, where the 2025 lighting ceremony took place on December 14 at 5:45 pm. The tree has been lit at City Hall for years, including at the end of the 2011 parade. Our Brockton Christmas events guide on this page has this season's dates.
Where can Brockton kids see trains at Christmas?
Edaville in Carver is the best-known stop. Its holiday festival is built around the Edaville Railroad, a two-foot gauge line that first carried cranberries in 1947. General admission includes a Holiday Express train ride, and popular dates sell out every year, so book early for your family.
Is there a small train museum near Brockton for young kids?
Yes. The Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Museum in Fall River has a model railroad with more than 240 feet of track that kids can explore like a game of I Spy. It is run by volunteers and opens only on select dates, so check before you go. The Boston Street Railway Association is more for grown-up fans.
Sources
- Kick off the holiday season with these Brockton-area parades, lights and events, Yahoo News
- Thousands enjoy 25th annual Brockton holiday parade, Brockton Post (City Hall blog)
- Community events, December 2025, City of Brockton
- Edaville, Rally Takes the Train
- Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Boston Street Railway Association, Rally Takes the Train