Candlelight Stroll

About the Event

Midwinter Melodies

This year’s Candlelight Stroll theme, Midwinter Melodies, invites visitors to explore the lives of Puddle Dock families through holiday scenes inspired by classic winter songs.

December 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 2025

Arrival times begin at 4:30 PM and 5:30 PM. 

The event concludes at 8:30 PM.

Stroll occurs in rain, snow, or by starlight

New! Daylight Stroll

December 14, 2025, 2-4 PM

Explore 350+ years of seasonal and holiday traditions at Strawbery Banke Museum’s 46th annual Candlelight Stroll. 

Wander the Museum grounds under the glow of candle boxes and string lights, visiting furnished historic homes from 1795 through the 1950s, each adorned with greens and dried flowers from the Museum’s heirloom gardens. Inside, costumed roleplayers portray neighborhood families, sharing stories, customs, and seasonal traditions.

Tour exhibit houses highlight Portsmouth’s maritime heritage, traditional trades, and more, offering context to life in the Puddle Dock neighborhood. Outside, carolers, fife-and-drummers, and other musicians fill the air with seasonal melodies, while wandering historical reenactors bring figures from the past to life across the grounds.

Twice each evening, Ice Dance International’s Currier & Ives Vintage Christmas Skaters take the ice for special performances that capture the spirit of the season (weather dependent). Visitors can warm up at the Cider Shed with a cup of cider, then explore the Grove of Sponsored Holiday Trees, where you can vote for your favorite.

Parking is NOT available on-site; the small onsite parking lot is reserved for handicapped accessible needs first-come, first-served.


TICKETS

MEMBERS

Members get early access to tickets and up to 100% off, depending on their membership level. The number of discounted tickets also varies by membership level.

Adults (18+): $17.50 or free

Children (ages 3-17): $8.75 or free

Children (under 3): free, ticket required

NONMEMBERS

Experience Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum. Your ticket gains access to the Museum’s historic houses and the historic landscapes. Note that skating requires a separate ticket. 

Adults (18+): $35.00

Children (ages 3-17): $17.50

Children (under 3): free, ticket required

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