Christmas Events for Kids in Saint John, New Brunswick (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

3 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Saint John, New Brunswick, running from November 30 to December 24. One of these is free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in Canada.

The short version

  • Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Saint John: 2
  • First: Gingerbread Trail, Saint John, November 30
  • Free events: Uptown Sparkles

Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by town, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (registration, ages, what is included).

At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Saint John, New Brunswick

Kids’ Christmas events
2 confirmed for 2026
Cities and towns
Saint John
Season
November 30 to December 24
Free events
1
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Saint John

Listed soonest first: 2 confirmed events in Saint John.

Christmas lights

Gingerbread Trail

Expand to see the parent tip

The Gingerbread Trail starts on the Monday before Uptown Sparkles each year, and the 2026 season runs from November 30 to December 24. It is self-guided, and a map on the trail page helps you plan the route. The displays sit in shop windows and doorways around Uptown Saint John. The trail is presented by the Ginger Agency and sponsored by the Uptown Saint John BIA and local partners. The page does not state a price, though the displays are in public windows.

Parent tip: Visit in daylight when the little ones are fresh, then warm up in a shop or cafe. Tag photos with @UptownSJ, as the page invites.

Host
Uptown Saint John (opens in a new tab)
Where
Shop windows and doorways, Uptown Saint John (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Uptown Saint John (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 1 more Saint John, New Brunswick event researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 2 Lights
  • 1 Santa
  • 1 Crafts
  • 1 Free

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Visit with SantaFree

Uptown Sparkles

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Uptown Saint John's page for 2026 lists the evening from 5 to 9pm, with the Mayor's Tree Lighting at 6pm at City Hall. Kids can roast marshmallows around the firepits in King's Square, and a Family Sparkles Film Festival runs at the Imperial Theatre from 5 to 9pm. The BGC Holiday Market is listed from 5 to 10pm. Activities organized by Uptown Saint John are free, while shop and restaurant offers vary. The organizers say outdoor programming depends on the weather and that planning is still in progress.

Parent tip: Dress kids in bright colours so they are easy to spot in the crowd, as the organizers suggest. Check the Uptown Saint John page closer to the day for the final schedule and the film festival price.

Host
Uptown Saint John (opens in a new tab)
Where
Uptown Saint John (King's Square, City Hall and Imperial Theatre) (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Uptown Saint John (opens in a new tab)

New events in Saint John, New Brunswick every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Saint John, New Brunswick every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

More Christmas events for kids in Canada

A story for the trip home

Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cozy story to share on the way home after a big day out.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolour corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolour. Ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon.ca (opens in a new tab)

Christmas events for kids in Saint John, New Brunswick: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Saint John, New Brunswick?

For 2026, we confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Saint John, New Brunswick, each on its host’s own page: Uptown Sparkles (Saint John) and Gingerbread Trail (Saint John). Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Saint John, New Brunswick?

Yes. One of the 2 events here is free: Uptown Sparkles (Saint John). Check the listing in case you need to book or register.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Saint John, New Brunswick?

Where to see Santa: Uptown Sparkles (Saint John). Check the listings above for times and booking.

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, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 8, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

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.

Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Saint John, New Brunswick

Saint John's Santa Claus Parade has been called a staple for more than six decades, and in 2025 it moved to a new route along Water Street. The uptown kicks off its season each December with a tree lighting at City Hall.

A parade older than six decades and a mayor's tree

Saint John's Santa Claus Parade was described in 2018 as a staple for more than six decades. For about 15 years up to early 2018, Uptown Saint John organized it, until the group told council it no longer fit its goals. The city kept the parade going, and the 2025 edition was billed as the 72nd annual.

The other big opening night is Uptown Sparkles, which marked 15 years in 2024. Its Mayor's Tree Lighting happens at City Hall at 6pm, followed by firepits, marshmallows and live music around King's Square.

A new Water Street route in November 2025

The 72nd parade ran on Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 6 to 7pm. It started at the Cruise Ship Terminals on Water Street, followed Saint Patrick Street, crossed the viaduct and ended at Main Street North and Lansdowne Avenue. Discover Saint John called it a new route for 2025.

The gingerbread displays ran December 1 to 24 in uptown windows, and Uptown Sparkles followed on December 5. The Rothesay Ballet School and GALA Ballet staged the Nutcracker at the Imperial Theatre on December 12.

Lollipop windows and a dinosaur gingerbread house

The Gingerbread Trail turns uptown shop fronts into small gingerbread towns. Builders re-create Saint John landmarks, and one used melted lollipops to make stained glass windows. The Saint John Free Public Library once built a dinosaur-themed display.

There is also a market with a German accent. The Rockwood Park Christmas Market held its second annual edition in 2024, and its A-frame building turned into a Santa's grotto. The 2026 Uptown Sparkles is set for Friday, December 4, and the trail opens November 30.

Traditions today

  • Saint John Santa Claus Parade: The parade ran on November 15, 2025, as the 72nd annual. The 2026 date had not been posted when this was researched.
  • Uptown Sparkles: The uptown evening is set for Friday, December 4, 2026, from 5 to 9pm, with a tree lighting at City Hall at 6pm.
  • Gingerbread Trail: A self-guided walk past gingerbread displays in shop windows and doorways, from November 30 to December 24, 2026.
  • Mayor's Tree Lighting: The City Hall tree lighting opens Uptown Sparkles. In 2022 it was held at City Hall Plaza, 15 Market Square.
  • Rockwood Park Christmas Market: A winter village at the park campground with Santa, food vendors and hot drinks, run in 2024 for its second year.
  • The Nutcracker at the Imperial Theatre: Local dancers from the Rothesay Ballet School and GALA Ballet performed it on December 12, 2025.

A fact for kids

Some Saint John gingerbread builders have used melted lollipops for the stained glass windows in their tiny versions of uptown landmarks.

Questions about Christmas in Saint John, New Brunswick

When is Uptown Sparkles in Saint John in 2026?

Uptown Sparkles is set for Friday, December 4, 2026, from 5 to 9pm across Uptown Saint John. The Mayor's Tree Lighting is at 6pm at City Hall. The organizers say planning is still in progress, so check Uptown Saint John for the final schedule.

What can kids do at Uptown Sparkles?

Kids can roast marshmallows around the firepits in King's Square and catch live music. The 2026 plans include a Family Sparkles Film Festival at the Imperial Theatre from 5 to 9pm. The organizers suggest dressing children in bright colours so they stay visible in the crowd.

Is Uptown Sparkles free?

Activities organized by Uptown Saint John are free, and the 2024 City of Saint John page called the evening free and open to all ages. Shop and restaurant offers vary by business. The film festival price was not posted when this was researched, so check before you go.

How long has Uptown Sparkles been running?

The City of Saint John's page for December 6, 2024, said that evening marked 15 years of the tradition. It featured live music, firepits, marshmallow roasting and a tree lighting at City Hall at 6pm, with uptown businesses offering special deals for families and visitors.

When does the Gingerbread Trail run in 2026?

The Gingerbread Trail runs from November 30 to December 24, 2026, in Uptown Saint John. It is self-guided, with gingerbread-themed displays in shop windows and doorways. It always starts on the Monday before Uptown Sparkles, and a map on the trail page helps plan a route.

What do the Gingerbread Trail houses look like?

Local businesses build houses that re-create Uptown Saint John landmarks. One builder used melted lollipops for stained glass windows, another printed edible photos of the area, and the Saint John Free Public Library once made a dinosaur-themed display. The displays stay up until Christmas Eve.

When is the Saint John Santa Claus Parade in 2026?

The 2026 date had not been posted when this was researched. The 2025 parade was Saturday, November 15, from 6 to 7pm, and was billed as the 72nd annual. Check the City of Saint John for the 2026 date, or read Rally Takes the Train's Saint John Christmas events guide.

What route did the 2025 Saint John Santa Claus Parade take?

The 2025 parade started at the Cruise Ship Terminals on Water Street, followed Saint Patrick Street, crossed the viaduct, and ended at Main Street North and Lansdowne Avenue. Discover Saint John called it a new route for 2025, so older route maps no longer apply.

What was the Saint John parade route in 2024?

The 71st parade on Saturday, November 16, 2024, formed up on Crown Street near the causeway, moved onto Union Street, then went down to King Street and Saint Patrick Street. It crossed the viaduct to Main Street North and ended on Wellesley Avenue. Santa appeared at 6pm.

How long does the Saint John Santa Claus Parade last?

The 2025 parade was listed from 6 to 7pm, about an hour. The 2024 parade was listed from 6 to 8pm, with Santa appearing at 6pm. Both ran on a Saturday evening in mid-November, so little ones should wear warm layers and boots.

How old is the Saint John Santa Claus Parade?

The 2025 parade was billed as the 72nd annual, and a 2018 Global News story called the event a staple for more than six decades. The article did not give a start year, so the exact first parade is not confirmed here.

Who organizes the Saint John Santa Claus Parade?

The City of Saint John presented the 2024 parade. Uptown Saint John had organized it for about 15 years until early 2018, when it told council the task no longer fit its goals. A deputy mayor said the parade would go on, with a community committee if needed.

Where is the Mayor's Tree Lighting in Saint John?

The tree lighting is at City Hall during Uptown Sparkles, at 6pm on Friday, December 4, 2026. In 2022 the City of Saint John listed it at City Hall Plaza, 15 Market Square, with the mayor and council lighting the tree on that Friday evening.

Is there a Christmas market in Saint John?

The Rockwood Park Christmas Market ran at the park campground in 2024, its second year, with Santa and hot drinks. No 2026 dates had been posted when this was researched. The BGC Holiday Market is listed from 5 to 10pm during Uptown Sparkles on December 4, 2026.

Can kids meet Santa at the Rockwood Park market?

In 2024 Santa appeared there to hear children's wishes and take photos, and the A-frame building was described as a Santa's grotto. The market also had alpacas for kids. The 2026 dates had not been posted, so check before planning a visit.

Is there a Nutcracker show in Saint John?

The Rothesay Ballet School and GALA Ballet presented the Nutcracker at the Imperial Theatre on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 7pm. Tickets were $38 for adults and $25 for students. A 2026 performance had not been confirmed when this was researched.

Is there a free holiday sing-along in Saint John?

Discover Saint John's 2025 holiday entertainment guide listed an Imperial Holiday Sing Along on December 19 as free, with song sheets provided. It did not name a venue, and no 2026 date had been posted, so check the Imperial Theatre before planning a visit.

What Christmas parades happen near Saint John?

In 2025, Discover Saint John listed the Dirt Road Christmas Parade on November 23, then parades in Fundy-St. Martins, Grand Bay-Westfield and a KV Santa Claus Parade on November 29. Those towns plan their own dates, so check each one for 2026.

What is Christmas in the Village in Fundy-St. Martins?

Discover Saint John listed Christmas in the Village on November 29 and 30, 2025, in Fundy-St. Martins, with the Sea Caves, a village market, open shops and restaurants, photos with Santa and holiday activities. It is outside the city, and 2026 dates had not been posted.

Where can kids see Christmas lights near Saint John?

In 2025, Discover Saint John listed the Holiday Dreamland Light Display at the Quispamsis Arts and Culture Park from November 19 to January 2, and lights at Hampton Town Square from December 5 to January 2. Both are outside the city, and 2026 dates had not been posted.

Sources

  1. Uptown Sparkles, Uptown Saint John
  2. Gingerbread Trail, Uptown Saint John
  3. Saint John Santa Claus Parade 2025, CFBC Radio
  4. Holiday Traditions by the Bay, Discover Saint John
  5. Saint John Santa Claus parade loses long time organizer, Global News
  6. Uptown Sparkles (December 6, 2024), City of Saint John
  7. Unique and festive gingerbread houses pop up in Uptown Saint John, CTV Atlantic
  8. Rockwood Park Christmas Market, Discover Saint John
  9. Rockwood Park German Christmas Market, Discover Saint John
  10. Rothesay Ballet School & GALA Ballet presents The Nutcracker, Imperial Theatre
  11. 71st annual Santa Claus Parade, City of Saint John
  12. Annual Mayor and Council Christmas Tree Lighting (2022), City of Saint John
  13. Holiday Entertainment in the Saint John Region, Discover Saint John
Kelsey Cecil
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