Your perfect guide to the holidays in Newport News is here! Explore the best festive events and attractions. Whether Newport News is your everyday reality or your dream destination, this guide brings festive fantasies to life.
One event that captures the spirit of the season is Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, where enchanting light displays and holiday-themed rides create a magical atmosphere for visitors of all ages. Additionally, the Williamsburg Christmas Market features unique crafts and local delicacies, allowing guests to experience the charm of traditional holiday markets. And the Christmastide at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown is something you definitely don't want to miss, offering interactive exhibitions that celebrate the history of Christmas in America. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Newport News
- Christmas Town at Busch Gardens (Williamsburg)
- Christmastide at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown (Williamsburg/Jamestown)
- Williamsburg Christmas Market (Williamsburg)
- Spectacular Lights Tour in Williamsburg (Williamsburg)
- Port Warwick Holiday Tree Lighting
- Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Christmas Light Show (Richmond)
- Ice Skating in Merchants Square (Williamsburg)
- Marketplace at Tech Center Tree Lighting
- The Homestead Resort Holiday Events (Hot Springs)
- Dickens of a Christmas (Roanoke)
See these and even more events listed below!
Newport News Holiday Light Displays
Winter Wonderland: The Coleman Nursery Collection
What to Expect:
Animated scenes of global children and Victorian chalet.
Description:
Winter Wonderland: The Coleman Nursery Collection features animated scenes of Christmas trees, lights, ice skaters, and children from around the world, set in a Victorian chalet with caroling villagers. The display offers a nostalgic holiday-themed visual treat for all ages.
Where: Portsmouth | More Info: Winter Wonderland: The Coleman Nursery Collection
Christmas Town at Busch Gardens
What to Expect:
Immersive holiday celebration with extensive light displays and family-friendly activities.
Description:
Busch Gardens Williamsburg transforms into a spectacular holiday destination with over ten million twinkling lights, new light experiences, and heart-warming shows. Enjoy classic attractions, thrilling rides, and festive treats in a winter wonderland setting.
Where: Williamsburg | More Info: Christmas Town at Busch Gardens
Spectacular Lights Tour in Williamsburg
What to Expect:
Elaborate neighborhood light displays.
Description:
The Spectacular Lights Tour in Williamsburg features elaborate Christmas light displays throughout the area, showcasing beautifully decorated homes and neighborhoods.
Where: Williamsburg | More Info: Spectacular Lights Tour in Williamsburg
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Christmas Light Show
What to Expect:
Interactive light displays showcasing various habitats.
Description:
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden's Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights features millions of lights, botanical decorations, model trains, festive dinners, and hot chocolate, celebrating interconnected environments and ecosystems.
Where: Richmond | More Info: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Christmas Light Show
Newport News Holiday Markets and Shopping
Weihnachtsmarkt
What to Expect:
Traditional German market with handmade items and food.
Description:
The Weihnachtsmarkt is a classic German Christmas Market featuring 30 vendors, German food trucks, and handmade Glühwein pottery mugs. It honors Newport News' German Sister City, Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Where: Newport News | More Info: Weihnachtsmarkt
Williamsburg Christmas Market
What to Expect:
European-style holiday market with diverse seasonal gift items.
Description:
The Williamsburg Christmas Market is an annual European-style event featuring 40 vendor chalets with handmade items, artwork, and unique offerings. The market offers live entertainment, craft beer, warm gluhwein, and festive holiday atmosphere.
Where: Williamsburg | More Info: Williamsburg Christmas Market
Newport News Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Port Warwick Holiday Tree Lighting
What to Expect:
Family-friendly holiday celebration with live music and festive activities.
Description:
The Port Warwick Holiday Tree Lighting is a family-friendly event featuring live holiday music, dance performances, carriage rides, and festive games. Santa will be present for meet-and-greets and photos. Enjoy food from various trucks and holiday treats while exploring the Christmas Village on Styron Square.
Where: Newport News | More Info: Port Warwick Holiday Tree Lighting
Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour
What to Expect:
Jazz-based Christmas concert with special guests.
Description:
Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour features fresh renditions of timeless Christmas classics, a Chanukah medley, and hits from their respective catalogues. The tour reunites Dave Koz with his longtime musical partner Jonathan Butler and includes special guests Vincent Ingala, Adam Hawley, and Rebecca Jade.
Where: Newport News | More Info: Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour
Holiday Planetarium Shows at Virginia Living Museum
What to Expect:
Interactive astronomy and holiday-themed presentations.
Description:
The Virginia Living Museum's Holiday Planetarium Shows offer a unique blend of astronomy and holiday entertainment. Explore the evening skies above Virginia with a classic planetarium presentation, featuring seasonal constellations and planets visible at the time of your visit. Additional topics may be explored depending on celestial happenings around your visit.
Where: Newport News | More Info: Holiday Planetarium Shows at Virginia Living Museum
Hilton Village Gingerbread Celebration & Holiday Parade
What to Expect:
Gingerbread creations and holiday parade.
Description:
Join Hilton Village for a festive celebration featuring gingerbread creations and a holiday parade, bringing the community together in a joyful atmosphere.
Where: Newport News | More Info: Hilton Village Gingerbread Celebration & Holiday Parade
Snowglobe Spectacular
What to Expect:
Live performances inside life-sized snow globes with Santa appearances.
Description:
At Snowglobe Spectacular, Town Center of Virginia Beach transforms into a vibrant holiday destination with life-sized snow globes featuring artistic and whimsical Christmas scenes. Enjoy live performances by violinists, drummer boys, dancing elves, and royal musicians in the Fountain Plaza. Santa and Mrs. Claus appear live in their "North Pole Snow Globe," and children can take selfies with Santa. The event also includes giant sparkling holiday ornaments, dazzling light displays, and a visit to Saint Nick’s sleigh with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Where: Virginia Beach | More Info: Snowglobe Spectacular
Dickens of a Christmas
What to Expect:
Live stage performances and pet costume contest.
Description:
Delta Dental Dickens of a Christmas is a festive holiday celebration in Downtown Roanoke featuring the City of Roanoke Christmas Tree Lighting, a Christmas Parade, and a Pet Costume Contest. Each night includes live stage performances, a Kids Zone with inflatables and games, and carriage rides.
Where: Roanoke | More Info: Dickens of a Christmas
Newport News Other Holiday Activities
Marketplace at Tech Center Tree Lighting
What to Expect:
Tribute to veterans with holiday family fun and tree lighting ceremony.
Description:
The Marketplace at Tech Center Tree Lighting features a tribute to veterans, holiday family fun, and a tree lighting ceremony at dusk. Santa Carolers, local dignitaries, and a national anthem soloist will perform. Hot cocoa and candy canes will be available, along with samples from select restaurants.
Where: Newport News | More Info: Marketplace at Tech Center Tree Lighting
Snow Wonders at Children’s Museum of Virginia
What to Expect:
Snowfall and live music in a festive setting.
Description:
Snow will fall from the sky, and music will fill the air, bringing nostalgic memories of the past. This free seasonal event at the Children's Museum of Virginia offers a unique holiday experience.
Where: Portsmouth | More Info: Snow Wonders at Children’s Museum of Virginia
Christmastide at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown
What to Expect:
Immersive holiday festivities with historical interpreters and re-created outdoor settings.
Description:
Explore 17th- and 18th-century holiday traditions through interpretive programs, fancy cooking, caroling, and musical entertainment at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
Where: Williamsburg/Jamestown | More Info: Christmastide at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown
Ice Skating in Merchants Square
What to Expect:
Family-friendly outdoor ice skating with holiday ambiance.
Description:
Ice skating in Merchants Square offers a family-friendly activity on historic Duke of Gloucester Street. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of the holidays with a few turns on the ice. Parking is available at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, nearby hourly Merchants Square lots, and a paid parking garage on Henry Street. Refreshments including hot cider, coffee, and more are available for purchase near the ice.
Where: Williamsburg | More Info: Ice Skating in Merchants Square
The Homestead Resort Holiday Events
What to Expect:
Traditional holiday activities in a historic resort setting.
Description:
The Omni Homestead Resort offers a variety of holiday events, including a Thanksgiving celebration with time-honored traditions, a Christmas Tree Arrival with tree-themed children's crafts, and a Hanukkah celebration with stunning menorah lightings and festive feasts.
Where: Hot Springs | More Info: The Homestead Resort Holiday Events
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Hampton (6 miles)
- East Hampton (7 miles)
- Portsmouth Heights (12 miles)
- Norfolk (12 miles)
- Portsmouth (12 miles)
- Chesapeake (14 miles)
- Suffolk (19 miles)
- South Suffolk (20 miles)
- Virginia Beach (26 miles)