42nd Annual Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude – Dec 1-10, 2023.
BELOW IS THE 2022 SCHEDULE!
Christmas Prelude is among the Top Christmas celebrations in the country…
Prelude lovers, have no fear, its never a Bah Humbug year, there’s always holiday cheer! Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude is a four-decade long holiday tradition. See the complete Christmas Prelude Schedule of Events. Here are a few favorite signature events at Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude.
FIRE & ICE at Nonantum! A perennial favorite – outdoor bonfires, ice bars, bands and dancing, craft cocktails and Chef’s bits. Dec 9 & 10, choose between the Twilight event 3:30-6:30pm or the After Dark 7:30-10:30pm, for tickets, See Nonantum Resort Web Site for Details
Prelude Christmas Tree Lighting in Dock Square Friday Dec 2, 5:30-6:15 pm, officially begins the season. Join in Christmas caroling with the Kennebunk High School Chamber Choir, followed by the lighting of the tree at 6 p.m. Sponsored by KBA member Kennebunk Savings. Dock Square, Kennebunkport, Enjoy before and after signature cocktails at local bars like Alisson’s!
Walk the Labyrinth of Light is a wonderful event at Kennebunkport Conservation Trust. Created stone by stone by volunteers, the labyrinth sits in a beautiful woodland setting and will be gently illuminated from dusk each evening during Prelude. See details at KCT for this perfectly pretty and serene scene.
Shop Locally Outside – thanks to Old Vines!
Old Vines Outdoor Prelude Christmas Market annually gathers the very best of the Kennebunks’ local businesses, craftspeople, and artists. This year, instead of one large tent, Maine market stalls will be smaller, with individual tents, side by side, creating a safe, open-air experience for our guests. Old Vines will also have live music throughout the holidays, go to Old Vines Wine Bar for hours and details.
Prelude’s Hat Parade Dec 3 and the Pooch Parade Dec 11. We all love a parade, especially down delightful Dock Square. Both Prelude weekends feature fabulous Christmas parades, starting with the happening Prelude Hat Parade where groups get wild and wacky with their matching hats. Dock Square is never more festive. The Following weekend is the Prelude Pooch Parade where four leggers and their humans strut their mutts, swagger with their tail waggers in matching holiday attire. Its a hoot and a howl.
Prelude Kick-off Gala at White Columns, Dec 1, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Enjoy the festively decorated White Columns, the 1853 Greek Revival home of the Perkins family. Heavy hors d’oeuvres, live piano music, and champagne. Presented by the Kennebunkport Historical Society. $50 for members, $65 for non-members. Tickets are limited and sell out fast. For tickets call 207-967-2751 or visit kporths.com. White Columns, 8 Maine Street, Kennebunkport.
Maine & Vine Prelude Wine Tasting, Dec 3 & 10, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Join us at Maine & Vine for a holiday wine tasting. Cost includes six tastes of wine and a souvenir Christmas Prelude wine glass to take home! $5 per person. Maine & Vine, 13 Western Avenue, Kennebunk
Christmas Candlelight Caroling at the Franciscan Monastery, Dec 3 6:30 p.m.
Join the Franciscans at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto on the grounds of St. Anthony’s Monastery for the story of the birth of Jesus interspersed with Christmas songs by candlelight. Presented by St. Anthony’s Monastery and the Secular Franciscan Order. No parking on property. Sponsored by KBA member The White Barn Inn. Franciscan Monastery, 28 Beach Avenue, Kennebunk.
Prelude Family Street Festival & Fireworks in Dock Square, Dec 9, 4- 6:15
Carolers, ice sculpting demonstration, food vendors, live music, entertainers and more will be featured at this family-friendly festival, plus Tree Lighting, and Prelude’s annual Fireworks display over the back cove at 6:15. Streets will be closed to traffic from Dock Square, Kennebunkport.
For lodging during your holiday visit to Kennebunkport, to shop, enjoy, see the beautiful decorations, and dine, consider staying on the Beach at Seaside Inn, in the heart of town at a sophisticated inn like Kennebunkport Captain’s Collection, on the River with a sea view at Nonantum Resort, at a classic BnB – Inn at English Meadows, or at the family friendly Rhumb Line Resort.
Happy Holidays! Be well, be safe, be merry! For lodging in The Kennebunks, see our Kennebunkport Lodging Guide and for dining suggestions see our Dining Guide.
Photos and Content Copyright KennebunkportMaineLodging.com
