The 2023 Santa Parade & Tree Lighting, Hosted by the Newburyport Rotary and the Newburyport Chamber is scheduled for Sunday, November 26th, offering all the holiday cheer that’s to be expected of a downtown yuletide celebration – but there’s a twist. In this most nautical of cities, Santa and Mrs. Clause arrive by boat. Honoring the Clipper City’s heritage as the birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard, Santa and Mrs. Clause make their first local appearance waving from a Coast Guard boat on the Merrimack River before docking at the boardwalk for a joyful procession through the downtown area to the traditional tree lighting in Market Square.

Kids and families gather on the boardwalk to await the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus at 3:30 pm. Santa then leads a short parade from the boardwalk to Market Square for the tree lighting at 4 pm. The event features a spirited round of caroling from residents capped with Santa hats as they usher in the holiday season. Note that these times are approximate. We recommend arriving early in case Santa is running early!