CLICK HERE for Parade Rules, Regulations & Application

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

• Wednesday, November 13 Application deadline for floats, flatbed trailers and towed trailers 
• Wednesday, November 13 Application deadline for High School Marching Bands 
• Monday, November 25 at 12:00pm Deadline for other entries. 
  • A $25 late fee must accompany ALL applications following this deadline.

For Parking Information, Location, & Rates, please click here to be redirected to ParkPortsmouth.

Vintage Christmas Trolley – On Saturday, December 2nd, the free Vintage Christmas Trolley will be operating from 1:30 to 4 pm and 9 to 10:30 pm. Service will be suspended during the Illuminated Holiday Parade and Shop & Stroll events. For more information about Vintage Christmas, and the free trolley, visit: vintagechristmasnh.org. 

COAST Bus – Saturday, December 2nd bus service in and around Market Square will be suspended during the designated road closures. Please visit the COAST website for complete route information and travel assistance at coastbus.org. 

Parking Bans – On-street parking bans and road closures will be in effect on Saturday, December 2nd. No parking is allowed on the parade route, including all of Congress Street, all of Market Square, all of Pleasant Street and Islington Street from Plaza 800 to the intersection with Congress Street. Cars found parked on these streets after 4 pm on December 2nd will be towed at the vehicle owner’s expense to the National Wrecker Service lot at 295 West Road in Portsmouth. Residents, business owners and employees located inside the parade route are advised that vehicles will not be permitted to cross the parade route. Other areas in and around the event will be restricted. Police officers, event volunteers, signs and/or barricades will be in place for these areas. 
 
Road Closures – The following streets will be closed or restricted to local traffic from 4 to 7 pm on December 2nd (streets marked with an *asterisk will be closed until 9 pm). Police officers, signs and/or barricades will be in place for these streets. 

• Islington Street – from Plaza 800 to Maplewood Avenue and all adjacent side streets;  

• The intersection of Middle Street, Congress Street, Maplewood Avenue and Islington Street; 

• Congress Street from Market Square to Maplewood Avenue;* 

• Daniel Street – from Penhallow Street to Market Square;* 

• Market Street – from Bow Street to Market Square;* 

• Pleasant Street – from Junkins Avenue to Market Square (*Pleasant Street from Porter Street to Market Square will be closed until 9 pm); 

• Fleet Street – from Hanover Street to Congress Street and State Street to Congress Street; 

• State Street – from Fleet Street to Pleasant Street; 

• Court Street – from Middle Street to Pleasant Street and Washington Street to Pleasant Street; 

• Porter Street – from Fleet Street to Pleasant Street; 

• Junkins Avenue – from Parrott Avenue to Pleasant Street; and 

• Parrott Avenue – from Rogers Street to Junkins Avenue. 

People wishing to travel between Maplewood Avenue and Middle Street are directed to use I-95 or Borthwick Avenue. There will be significant traffic delays in the parade route area and motorists are strongly urged to seek alternate routes away from affected streets. For more details, visit: portsnh.co/events  

Stay tuned!

A tree is donated every year for display in Market Square. This year, The City’s Department of Public Works will began installing the tree in Market Square on Monday, November 20 and continued decorating on the following day. This year’s holiday tree was donated by Pease Development Authority (PDA) from a property leased by Pioneer New Hampshire, LLC. The City of Portsmouth Parks and Greenery Division will replant at the location next spring with a 10-foot evergreen.

The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony begins at 5:00pm with music from the Portsmouth Holiday Ensemble. At 5:25pm the Portsmouth Mayor begins remarks, and at 5:29.50pm the Tree Lighting Countdown begins.