Holiday Events In Wilmington And Nearby: Tree Lighting, Parades

WILMINGTON, MA — There is no shortage of things to do in Wilmington to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays

The Town of Wilmington's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at the Wilmington Town Common, 220 Middlesex Ave. The event is sponsored by the Wilmington Fourth of July Committee.

The event will feature:

• Santa Claus, who arrives at 5:45 p.m.
• Horse-drawn hayrides
• Complimentary cookies (baked by Shawsheen Tech Culinary Arts students) and hot chocolate served by Wilmington High School cheerleaders
• Glow sticks for children
• An ice sculpture sponsored by the Wilmington/Tewksbury Chamber of Commerce and some of its member companies
• Wilmington Minutemen with lanterns
• WHS a cappella group "Soundscape" leading Christmas Carols
• The Wilmington Community Fund's annual Wilmington-themed ornament sales inside the Fourth of July Building
• Members of the Wilmington Firefighters collecting unwrapped toys and donations for Wilmington children
• Clergy from parishes throughout the town presenting the story of Christmas

After the festivities on the Common, Blue House Santa Project has arranged for Santa and Mrs. Claus to be present in the Fourth of July Building for photos. A nominal donation (cash, Venmo accepted) is requested, but not required, to help support Blue House's initiatives.

Christmas parades — often complete with Santa Claus, festively decorated floats and marching bands — are a holiday tradition, both nationally and locally.

Several big parades are taking place this year, including the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore City, Maryland; the Target Holidazzle Parade in Minneapolis; and the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California.

Parades in the area may not be able to match those in size, but the heart behind them is just as big. Parades to catch here at home include:

• North Andover Santa Parade, North Andover, Noon on Saturday
• City of Lights Parade, Lowell, 4:30 p.m. on Saturday
• Andover Santa Parade, Andover, 1 p.m. on Sunday
• The 2022 Santa Parade & Tree Lighting, Newburyport, 3 p.m. on Sunday
• Merrimac Santa Parade, Merrimac, 1 p.m. on Dec. 4