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Christmas with kids in Nashua
In Nashua, Christmas starts on Main Street. Every year around Thanksgiving weekend, a candlelit walk with Santa leads thousands of people to a lit Christmas tree, and the fun keeps going all December.
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The story of Christmas in Nashua
How Nashua celebrates
Nashua's signature tradition is the Winter Holiday Stroll, a downtown evening that officially opens the season. Its 30th edition took place in 2025, so it began around 1996. The evening opens with a candlelit procession along Main Street led by Santa Claus and the mayor, then ends with a Christmas tree lighting. In 2017 the walk ran from City Hall to Railroad Square, where a 72-foot tree was lit, and Santa visited children at 30 Temple Street. Other local favorites include the Holly Day Fair, Santa in the Park and the Yule Festival and Artisan's Fair.
Christmas last year in Nashua
The 30th Annual Winter Stroll on November 29, 2025 started at 5 pm with a candlelit procession from the Nashua Center for the Arts to the new Riverfront Pavilion, where a 25-foot tree was lit. New attractions included a synthetic ice rink with free skate rentals, a 40-foot snow tubing slide and the Little Locomotive trackless train, with free rides along Main Street. More than 50 acts performed on three stages, and the Stroll drew more than 30,000 people. Santa Comes to St. Joes followed on December 14.
Fun facts about Christmas in Nashua
In an MRI Software study using Eventbrite data, Nashua ranked sixth in the country as a Christmas destination, with 880 Christmas activities, or 27 per square mile. It placed ahead of Manchester, Worcester, Warwick and Buffalo. At the 2017 Stroll, the first 400 people at the kickoff received a free tote bag. City garages also offer free parking during the holidays, which helps families who want to see the lights.
Trains and Christmas near Nashua
Trains are part of the Stroll too. In 2025 the Little Locomotive, a trackless train, gave free rides along Main Street all evening, and in 2017 the lit tree stood at Railroad Square. The Nashua Heritage Rail Trail follows an old 1848 railroad corridor past City Hall and is flat, paved and good for strollers, though it has no museum building. For real rail history, the Contoocook Railroad Museum is an 1849 depot beside the world's oldest surviving covered railroad bridge.
- Nashua Heritage Rail Trail: A free, flat, paved trail on a former 1848 railroad corridor that runs past City Hall.
- Contoocook Railroad Museum: An 1849 depot museum beside the world's oldest surviving covered railroad bridge.
- Winnipesaukee Railway: Lakeshore train rides from Meredith and Weirs Beach on 1848 rails, mostly in summer and fall.
Traditions today
- Winter Holiday Stroll: A downtown Nashua evening of music, vendors and storefront activities that officially opens the season, now in its 30th year.
- Candlelit procession: Santa and the mayor lead a candlelit walk along Main Street to the tree lighting.
- Tree lighting at Riverfront Pavilion: In 2025 a 25-foot tree was lit at the new pavilion, after years of lighting a big tree at Railroad Square.
- Little Locomotive: A trackless train that gives free rides along Main Street during the Stroll.
- Santa in the Park: A local holiday event where children can meet Santa outdoors.
- Holly Day Fair: A holiday fair listed as one of Nashua's seasonal favorites.
A fact for kids
In Nashua, a little trackless train called the Little Locomotive gave free rides down Main Street at the 2025 Winter Stroll while Santa led a candlelit walk.
Questions about Christmas in Nashua
How does Nashua celebrate Christmas?
Nashua celebrates with the Winter Holiday Stroll on Main Street, which includes a candlelit procession, a tree lighting, music and storefront activities. Smaller events follow in December, including Santa in the Park, the Holly Day Fair, the Yule Festival and Artisan's Fair, and Santa Comes to St. Joes.
What is the Nashua Winter Holiday Stroll?
The Winter Holiday Stroll is a downtown Nashua event held around Thanksgiving weekend that officially ushers in the holiday season. It features a candlelit procession, a tree lighting, music on several stages, vendors, food trucks and activities in downtown stores. It has been running for 30 years.
When did the Nashua Winter Stroll start?
The 2025 Stroll was the 30th annual edition, which puts the first one around 1996. The sources we read call it an annual tradition but do not give a founding story. In 2024 it was the 29th, so the count rises by one each year.
How many people go to the Winter Stroll?
The four-hour Winter Stroll draws more than 30,000 people, according to the Nashua Telegraph, and a 2017 editorial also expected more than 30,000. Plan to arrive early, bring warm layers for the walk, and use the free garage parking offered during the holidays.
Who leads the candlelit procession in Nashua?
Santa Claus and the mayor lead the candlelit procession along Main Street. In 2025 it started at 5 pm at the Nashua Center for the Arts and ended at the Riverfront Pavilion, where a 25-foot Christmas tree was lit. Families walk Main Street together.
Where is the Nashua Christmas tree lighting?
In 2025 the tree was lit at the new Riverfront Pavilion after a candlelit procession from the Nashua Center for the Arts. In 2017 the city lit a 72-foot tree at Railroad Square instead. The location can change, so check our Nashua Christmas events guide on this page.
What happened at the Nashua Winter Stroll last year?
The 30th Stroll on November 29, 2025 added a synthetic ice rink with free skate rentals, a 40-foot snow tubing slide and the Little Locomotive trackless train. It also featured more than 50 acts on three stages and more than 20 vendors and food trucks. Santa and the mayor led the procession.
What is the Little Locomotive in Nashua?
The Little Locomotive is a trackless train that gave free rides along Main Street all evening at the 2025 Winter Stroll. It was one of the new attractions that year, and it runs right on Main Street. Little ones who love trains will enjoy it.
Can kids go ice skating at the Winter Stroll?
In 2025 the Stroll added a synthetic ice-skating rink with free skate rentals, along with a 40-foot, three-lane snow tubing slide. Attractions can change from year to year, so look at our Nashua Christmas events guide on this page for what is planned this season.
Where can kids meet Santa in Nashua?
Kids can meet Santa at the Winter Stroll procession, at Santa in the Park, and at Santa Comes to St. Joes, which was held on December 14, 2025, from 2 to 6 pm at St. Joseph Hospital. In 2017 Santa also visited children at 30 Temple Street during the Stroll.
What is Santa Comes to St. Joes?
Santa Comes to St. Joes is a free event at St. Joseph Hospital at 172 Kinsley Street in Nashua. In 2025 it was held on Sunday, December 14, from 2 to 6 pm. Families can plan it as a follow-up to the Stroll.
Did Nashua rank among top Christmas cities?
Yes. An MRI Software study using Eventbrite data ranked Nashua sixth nationally as a Christmas destination in 2025, with 880 Christmas activities, or 27 per square mile. It placed ahead of Manchester, Worcester, Warwick and Buffalo. Event counts like these come from one ranking, so treat them as a fun fact rather than a guarantee.
Is there a Christmas market near Nashua?
Yes, the New Hampshire World Christmas Market was held in nearby Merrimack on Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14, 2025, from 10 am to 4 pm at The Biergarten, with a $10 ticket. Nashua also has its own Yule Festival and Artisan's Fair. Check dates each year.
Is parking free during the holidays in Nashua?
Yes, garages in downtown Nashua offer free parking during the holidays, according to a city alderman quoted by the Nashua Telegraph. This is helpful for the Winter Stroll, when Main Street is busy. Check posted signs for the exact garages and hours that apply.
What did the Winter Stroll look like in 2017?
In 2017 the Stroll kicked off at 9 am at The Telegraph with free tote bags for the first 400 people. Santa visited children at 30 Temple Street, and at 5 pm attendees walked from City Hall to Railroad Square, where a 72-foot tree was lit. Food trucks served fried dough and whoopie pies.
What is the Holly Day Fair?
The Holly Day Fair is a holiday fair that the Nashua Telegraph lists among the city's seasonal events, along with Santa in the Park and the Yule Festival and Artisan's Fair. The details change each year, so see our Nashua Christmas events guide on this page for dates.
How can I explain the candlelit procession to a toddler?
Tell your toddler that everyone will take a quiet walk with Santa and then watch the big tree light up. Bring warm clothes, a stroller and snacks, and pick a spot near the end of the route so little ones can see the tree without a long wait.
Does Nashua have a Christmas parade?
The Winter Stroll's candlelit procession is the closest thing to a parade in the sources we read, and it is a walk rather than a parade of floats. It starts at 5 pm and ends at a tree lighting. Check the Downtown Nashua calendar for any other parades.
Are there train museums near Nashua?
Nashua has the Heritage Rail Trail, a paved trail on an old 1848 railroad corridor, but no museum building. The Contoocook Railroad Museum is an 1849 depot beside the oldest surviving covered railroad bridge, and the Winnipesaukee Railway runs lakeshore trains in summer and fall.
Where can I find Nashua Christmas events for this year?
Our Nashua Christmas events guide on this page lists the family events we have confirmed for 2026. The Winter Stroll date is usually announced in the fall, so also check Downtown Nashua, the library calendar and local family event lists as December gets closer.
Sources
- Nov. 29: Nashua's 30th Annual Winter Stroll, Nashua InkLink
- Nashua ranked sixth in Christmas hotspots index, Nashua Telegraph
- Holiday Stroll puts Nashua on the map, Nashua Telegraph
- Top 5 events in Greater Nashua, 12/12/25, Macaroni Kid Nashua
- Nashua Heritage Rail Trail, Rally Takes the Train
- Contoocook Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Nashua hosts 29th annual Winter Holiday Stroll, Nashua Telegraph
- Winnipesaukee Railway, Rally Takes the Train