It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Historic Yorktown has a series of holiday events that are sure to make you have yourself a merry little Christmas! From a winter wonderland on Main Street to cookies with jolly Old Saint Nicholas, there is something for every age that will guarantee you are simply having a wonderful Christmas time!
Christmas Tree Lighting
Victory Monument & Riverwalk Landing
Friday, Dec. 6
Victory Monument festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.
Tree lighting at 7:30 p.m.
We’ll be rocking around a 24-foot Tannenbaum tower tree as the community gathers for the illumination that officially kicks off the Christmas festivities in Yorktown. This tradition dates back to 1945, when Reverend Claud G. Barkley, pastor of Yorktown Baptist Church, and staff from the County Clerk’s office, decorated a cedar tree that stood at the corner of Main and Ballard Streets. The York County Historical Committee works hard to keep the tradition going!
Gather in front of the Victory Monument by 6:30 p.m. for some caroling, caroling, and a procession to Riverwalk Landing guided by more than just a little drummer boy. We’ve got the Fifes and Drums of York Town to lead the way to the 7:30 p.m. tree lighting!
Bring the kids (and your cameras) to this event because Santa Claus is comin’ to town! Whether the children want a hippopotamus or their two front teeth for Christmas, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to hear their wishes and pose for pictures. Step inside the Freight Shed to sign holiday cards that will be sent to members of the armed forces who can’t be home for Christmas. The children will be able to write letters to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and the Clauses!
Lighted Boat Parade
Yorktown Waterfront
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 6 to 8 p.m.
Christmas time is here, and the York River is going to sparkle as a fleet of decorated boats compete for Best in Show. Pre-parade festivities start at 6 p.m. and include caroling around illuminated braziers, a musical performance by the Fifes and Drums of York Town, and complimentary hot cider. At 7 p.m. the boats will finish out the evening as they make their way down the river in a dazzling show of lights. This annual event has been a community tradition for more than two decades and brings neighbors together to celebrate the season and wish each other a merry little Christmas.
Christmas Market on Main
Historic Main Street
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 8 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mary, did you know that you and Suzy Snowflake can find the perfect gift at the Christmas Market on Main? This two-day event is one of the most anticipated every holiday season. Close to 100 vendors line the street selling everything from nautical paintings and handmade soaps to Christmas wreaths and jewelry! The Town Crier will ring in the market at 10 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a performance from the Fifes and Drums of York Town to officially open the market. Then, here comes Santa Claus! He’ll ride in on York County’s first fire truck, before mingling with the crowd to greet families. Expect strolling musical entertainment from The Dickens Trio and SantaBones that will make you want to dance like a Sugar Plum Fairy.
Viking Yuletide Celebration
Watermen’s Museum
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 8 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Good King Wenceslas won’t be there, but Odin will be. Join him and other local Vikings as they celebrate the Yuletide. Observe a Victorian Age reenactment and hear St. Nicholas contrast both eras’ contributions to today’s holiday celebrations. The Watermen’s Museum will also be hosting games, crafts, and shows.
Cookies with Santa
Gallery at York Hall
Sunday, Dec. 8 | 1 to 4 p.m.
Baby, it’s cold outside, so hop inside the Gallery at York Hall for a special treat! Children and parents can share their wish lists, have a sweet snack, and do some holiday shopping during the annual Cookies with Santa. Bring your cameras to capture adorable memories during this fun-filled family event. As the kids enjoy their cookies, take a stroll through the gallery to browse local one-of-a-kind art in all mediums.
An Enchanted Evening on Main Street
Historic Main Street
Friday, Dec. 13 | 5 to 9 p.m.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Historic Main Street at this nighttime Christmas market!
Immerse yourself in the magic of the season amid the twinkling lights, falling snow, holiday music, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, beautiful luminaries, and hot cider. You can enjoy an ice carving demonstration, a live nativity scene, and a visit with Santa Claus! Find the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for relative or something special just for yourself.
New this year will be rides aboard our holiday Trolley that will be decked out with lights, music, and decorations. Hop aboard from 5 to 9:30 p.m. for a festive journey through Yorktown. If that’s not enough, the Fifes and Drums of York Town, Liberty Dolls, and a Dickens Trio will perform along Historic Main Street, as well. Wrap up your shopping while enjoying all the enchantment Historic Yorktown has to offer — at night!
Mistletoe Market
Riverwalk Landing
Saturday, Dec. 14 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
You’ll have a holly, jolly time indulging all your senses at this extended holiday market where you are sure to find a few of your favorite things. From a model train exhibit and a visit with Santa to an ice carving demonstration and a balloon artist, we’ve got your holiday, family fun covered!
Stroll Riverwalk Landing for chowders and soups; baked goods, including an assortment of cakes, breads, brownies, fudge, and cookies; jams, jellies, and honey; holiday wreaths; candles and soaps; and local seasonal art. March in the annual Toyland Parade at 1:30 p.m. with the Fifes and Drums of York Town, and don’t forget to hop aboard the Riverwalk Landing Polar Express for a loop around the festivities!
Wreaths Across America
Yorktown National Cemetery
Saturday, Dec. 14 | Noon to 2 p.m.
Join us for the wreath laying ceremony at Yorktown Battlefield commemorating the country’s fallen heroes. On Dec. 14 at noon (with wreath placement immediately following the ceremony), Wreaths Across America will be at Yorktown National Cemetery to remember and honor our veterans by laying remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country’s fallen heroes and saying the name of each and every veteran aloud.
Christmastide in Virginia
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Dec. 20 – 31 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Christmas Day)
They’re pulling out the holly and the ivy at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Take a step back in time and experience Virginia colonial holiday traditions with a variety of interpretive programs, cooking demonstrations, and musical entertainment. Christmastide in Virginia offers a glimpse of 18th-century holiday traditions through interpretive programs.
Visitors to the outdoor living-history areas can hear accounts of Christmas and winter in military encampments during the Revolutionary War. On the Revolution-era farm adorned with greenery, historical interpreters compare and contrast 18th-century holiday traditions with those of modern times and demonstrate a variety of holiday activities, including setting the farmhouse table for a holiday feast and open-hearth cooking of period dishes in the farm kitchen.
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