Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Newport for 2026. Santa and Mrs. Claus are expected to arrive by boat for the 56th Bowen’s Wharf tree lighting on December 5, and Santa poses for free photos between readings of “A Visit from St. Nicholas” at the Colony House on December 12. We check every date on the host’s own website or the official tourism site and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Rhode Island Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Newport
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Newport, both free
- Bowen’s Wharf Tree Lighting: Saturday, December 5, 12:30 to 7:30 pm, tree lit at 6 pm
- Santa by boat: weather permitting, Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on the wharf
- Pictures with Santa: Saturday, December 12, noon to 2 pm, Colony House
- Dates checked on Visit Rhode Island and Newport Historical Society pages on Nov 11
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Free Christmas events for kids in Newport
Tree lighting and Santa by boatFree
Bowen’s Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 12:30 to 7:30 pm; tree lighting at 6 pm
- Where: Bowen’s Wharf, 13 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport, RI 02840 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free admission
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The 56th annual Bowen’s Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting fills Newport’s historic waterfront wharf with music on Saturday, December 5. Santa and Mrs. Claus are expected to arrive by boat, weather permitting, to hear children’s wishes, with Santa on hand from about 12:30 pm.
Local musicians and choruses perform through the afternoon, shops hand out sweet treats, and the wharf tree is lit at 6 pm. Admission is free.
Parent tip: Come early in the afternoon if your kids want time with Santa, then grab a waterfront spot before 6 pm for the lighting.
- Host
- Bowen’s Wharf Company (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Bowen’s Wharf, 13 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport, RI 02840 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Newport events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Newport daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Newport.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Newport event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Newport.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Newport before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
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Santa photos and storyFree
Pictures with Santa and “A Visit from St. Nicholas” Reading
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, noon to 2 pm; readings at 12, 12:30 and 1 pm, Spanish reading at 1:30 pm
- Where: The Colony House, Washington Square, Newport, RI 02840 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, RSVP recommended
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The Newport Historical Society opens the colonial-era Colony House on Washington Square for four readings of “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and free pictures with Santa during its Colony House Holiday Market.
Readings start at noon, 12:30 and 1 pm, with a Spanish-language reading at 1:30 pm. The event is free and open to everyone, and an RSVP is recommended but not required.
Parent tip: Bring your own camera or phone for the Santa photos, and pick the 1:30 pm reading if your family would enjoy the poem in Spanish.
- Host
- Newport Historical Society (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- The Colony House, Washington Square, Newport, RI 02840 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Newport events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Newport daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Newport.
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We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Rhode Island Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Newport Christmas event for kids happens
Spend December 5 on the waterfront for Santa’s boat arrival and the 6 pm lighting, then return on December 12 for Santa photos and a story at the Colony House on Washington Square.
- Bowen’s Wharf Christmas Tree LightingNewport · Dec 5
- Pictures with Santa and “A Visit from St. Nicholas” ReadingNewport · Dec 12
Looking further afield? Our Rhode Island Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for South Kingstown, Bristol, Warwick and Providence. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonKeep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Rhode Island city.
Newport Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Newport this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Newport for 2026: the 56th Annual Bowen’s Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting on December 5 and Pictures with Santa with “A Visit from St. Nicholas” readings at the Colony House on December 12.
When is the Bowen’s Wharf tree lighting in 2026?
Saturday, December 5, 2026. Festivities run 12:30 to 7:30 pm at 13 Bowen’s Wharf, and the tree is lit at 6 pm. Admission is free.
Does Santa really arrive by boat in Newport?
Yes, weather permitting. Santa and Mrs. Claus are expected to arrive by boat at Bowen’s Wharf to hear children’s wishes.
Where can kids get free pictures with Santa in Newport?
At the Colony House on Washington Square on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from noon to 2 pm, hosted by the Newport Historical Society. RSVPs are recommended but not required.
Who do I contact about Newport holiday events?
Bowen’s Wharf at adrienne@bowenswharf.com or (401) 849-2243 for the tree lighting, and the Newport Historical Society at jsullivan@newporthistory.org or (401) 846-0813 for the Colony House events.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Rhode Island?
Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Rhode Island Christmas train rides page.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Newport on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.