Plan your festive fun in Bristol with our comprehensive event guide. For those who call Bristol home and those who wish they did, this guide is your holiday roadmap.
Among the highlights of the season is the vibrant Christmas Festival and European Market, where you can explore an array of artisanal goods and seasonal treats from local vendors. The Grand Illumination transforms the town with its dazzling light displays, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. And don't forget the Bristol Holiday Preview, which features a festive parade showcasing the community's spirit. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Bristol
- Christmas Festival and European Market
- Grand Illumination
- Bristol Holiday Preview
- Snowflake Raffle
- Santa House
- Sparkling Lights at The Breakers (Newport)
- Holidays at The Newport Mansions (Newport)
- Christmas at Blithewold Mansion
See these and even more events listed below!
Bristol Holiday Light Displays
Grand Illumination
What to Expect:
Community celebration with live music and Santa's tree lighting.
Description:
Bristol's Grand Illumination is a festive event featuring live music, local school choruses, and a visit from Santa Claus to light the town Christmas tree and decorations.
Where: Bristol | More Info: Grand Illumination
Holidays at The Newport Mansions
What to Expect:
Lavishly decorated mansions with thousands of festive touches.
Description:
The Newport Mansions are decorated with nearly 30 exquisitely decorated Christmas trees, hundreds of poinsettias, garlands, wreaths, and fresh floral arrangements. Chateau-sur-Mer's first floor is fully decorated for the first time in 25 years, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Where: Newport | More Info: Holidays at The Newport Mansions
Sparkling Lights at The Breakers
What to Expect:
Lavishly decorated rooms and outdoor light displays.
Description:
Sparkling Lights at The Breakers is an outdoor spectacle featuring a half-mile-long path of glittering holiday lights, illuminated displays, and lavishly decorated rooms inside the historic mansion. Holiday music fills the air, and visitors can enjoy holiday treats and adult beverages on the back terrace and at the Welcome Center.
Where: Newport | More Info: Sparkling Lights at The Breakers
Bristol Holiday Markets and Shopping
Christmas Festival and European Market
What to Expect:
Immersive holiday celebration with European-style market and local crafts.
Description:
The Bristol Christmas Festival is a two-day European-style Christmas Market featuring rustic huts with holiday pastries, pretzels, and wine, along with vendors selling holiday gifts and crafts. Enjoy entertainment on stage and in the streets, wreath decorating, and do-it-yourself craft projects. Santa will be strolling through the venues, and Unity Park businesses are open to showcase their wares and talents.
Where: Bristol | More Info: Christmas Festival and European Market
Bristol Holiday Preview
What to Expect:
Extended shopping hours with festive decorations.
Description:
The Bristol Holiday Preview is a weekend event where downtown businesses decorate their storefronts with Christmas lights and decorations, offering extended shopping hours to help patrons find the perfect holiday gifts.
Where: Bristol | More Info: Bristol Holiday Preview
Bristol Other Holiday Activities
Snowflake Raffle
What to Expect:
Community-driven holiday raffle with local business involvement.
Description:
The Bristol Snowflake Raffle is a festive event where participants have the chance to win a snowflake-themed prize. It is a community-driven activity that brings together local businesses and residents for a fun and exciting holiday experience.
Where: Bristol | More Info: Snowflake Raffle
Santa House
What to Expect:
Inclusive Santa experience for children with special needs.
Description:
The Bristol Santa House offers an inclusive and sensory-friendly environment where children with disabilities and their families can share holiday wishes and immerse in Christmas spirit. It provides a welcoming space for children with autism, Down syndrome, mobility impairments, and other developmental disabilities to comfortably visit Santa.
Where: Bristol | More Info: Santa House
Christmas at Blithewold Mansion
What to Expect:
Historical theme decorations highlighting Bristol community activities.
Description:
Each year, Blithewold Mansion transforms into a dazzling display celebrating the magic of Christmas. The event focuses on the interests of the Van Wickle/McKee family during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with rooms in the Manor highlighting Bristol residents who visited, worked with, and participated in activities with the Blithewold family.
Where: Bristol | More Info: Christmas at Blithewold Mansion
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Fall River (6 miles)
- Warwick (8 miles)
- East Providence (11 miles)
- Cranston (11 miles)
- Providence (13 miles)
- Newport (13 miles)
- West Warwick (13 miles)
- North Kingstown (14 miles)
- Pawtucket (15 miles)
- North Providence (16 miles)
- Johnston (16 miles)
- New Bedford (18 miles)
- Taunton (18 miles)
- Attleboro (19 miles)
- Lincoln (19 miles)
- South Kingstown (21 miles)
- Coventry (22 miles)
- Cumberland (22 miles)
- Smithfield (22 miles)
- Middleborough (24 miles)
- Mansfield (25 miles)
- Easton (25 miles)
- Woonsocket (26 miles)
- Franklin (29 miles)
- Brockton (31 miles)
- Stoughton (32 miles)
- Canton (34 miles)
- Milford (34 miles)
- Randolph (35 miles)
- Norwood (36 miles)
- Braintree (39 miles)
- Dedham (39 miles)
- Milton (41 miles)
- Weymouth (41 miles)
- Needham (42 miles)
- Quincy (42 miles)
- Natick (42 miles)
- Framingham (42 miles)
- Wellesley (43 miles)
- Norwich (43 miles)
- Framingham Center (44 miles)
- Jamaica Plain (44 miles)