5 of the Best Family-friendly Christmas Events near Concord NH in 2025

It's that time of year when celebrations galore beckon families looking for special ways to enjoy the Christmas season. At Grace Capital Church, because we care deeply for families and want to help strengthen them, we have compiled a list of some of the best local family-friendly holiday events for everyone living in or visiting the Greater Concord, NH area. We hope that this year, you and your loved ones can spend cherished time together and that treasured memories will stay with you for years to come.

Additionally, at the end we've listed a few towns with Christmas tree lighting ceremonies. You'll also find the four dates and times of the candlelight services we are hosting this year. We invite you and your family to join us...All are welcome!

1. Midnight Merriment

One of the most attended events of the season is Midnight Merriment, taking place Friday, December 5th, from 5:00-Midnight on Concord's quaint Main Street. Enjoy festive decorations, musical street performances, and complimentary refreshments in many of the local businesses.

See the 30+ foot Christmas tree and nativity scene in front of the State House, make s'mores, enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate, get a picture with Santa, and visit the Eagle Square Atrium to check out handmade gifts by local artisans.

Downtown Concord has many restaurants, providing an array of dining choices, so bring your appetite! Watch this video made by ConcordTV in 2022 to get a feel for this free event.

2. Community Christmas Festival

This marks the 9th year Grace Capital Church in Pembroke is hosting a Free festival. All community members near and far are invited to this popular annual event that has become a cherished holiday family tradition for many. Join us on Saturday, December 13th, from 2-5pm for an array of both indoor and outdoor activities.

Hop aboard the horse-drawn wagon ride, where you can sit back and enjoy the beauty of the horses and listen to the relaxing clip clop of these magnificent creatures. Warm up by the fire while making s'mores.

Step indoors where children can play carnival games and jump in the bounce house. Visit craft stations for ornament making, cookie decorating, and more. Listen to a variety of singers and local musicians perform live music, including many familiar Christmas tunes.

Learn more on the GCC's events page.

3. Light Up the Village

If you love Christmas lights and nostalgia, this is the event for you! Held in the charming village area of Hooksett where widely recognizable Robie's country store is found, on Saturday, December 6th, from 4-8pm, the town is hosting their 4th annual free holiday lighting celebration. Three lighting ceremonies will take place all on the same night - first, at the Congregational Church, followed by the Bridge, and lastly the Christmas Tree.

All within one centralized area, you can enjoy a live nativity, elf-led story times, fire pits, food, and visits by Santa and Mrs. Clause, as well as Bluey. Arrive early to visit craft fairs, vendors, artisans, and children's coloring activity stations.

Learn more by reading the description published in the community newspaper, Hooksett Bridge.

4. Christmas with the Cows

If you're looking for a unique event this year, Moo-ve a couple of your stressful Christmas to-dos off the calendar and make room for a therapeutic day at the farm. Brookford Farm in Canterbury has done all the work for you to enjoy a special event, called, Christmas with the Cows! See calves and piglets, sing musician-led carols with the cows, and pose with the adorable 4-legged songsters while a professional photographer snaps the perfect picture.

In addition to the ever-popular farm hayride and campfire, there will be crafts including, making a gnome home and candles, as well as decorating wreaths. Visit their farm-to-table food tent to enjoy German wurst , sauerkraut, goulash, and stollen.

Taste samples and shop specialty items to find creative gifts for those on your Christmas list as you stroll through the farm store and German Christmas market stocked with merchandise from local vendors.

Taking place 11am-5pm on Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 29th & 30th) as well as the two following weekends (Dec. 6th, 7th, 13th & 14th), it is a memorable way to kick off the Christmas season.

Admission ranges from $0-$15 per person, with add-ons for some activities and products. Visit their website for more information on pricing, location, and other event details. There is a discount for purchasing tickets online.

4. Wreaths for Boscawen Ceremony

Annually, on the first Saturday of December, the Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire honor our veterans by inviting the community to help place wreaths on gravestones at the NH Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. It is a meaningful opportunity to express gratitude for the sacrifices made by both our veterans and their families.

This patriotic ceremony will provide your children with an experience of national cohesion and the privilege of giving to others. As we read in Acts 20:35, "...the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

This year's ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 6th at 10:30 am. It is important to arrive early so you can get in line for a wreath before the opening message begins. If you are unable to attend, you can still participate by sponsoring wreaths for $14 each.

To learn more about the event, read the organization's faq page and watch WMUR's report from a previous year.

5. Gift of Lights

If you love the idea of sitting in your cozy car while viewing Christmas displays, the light show at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is for you! Drive on a racetrack while oohing and aahing along 2.5 miles of colorfully illuminated scenes, including tunnels where you will be surrounded by over 25,000 lights. To make it even more festive, turn on 94.9 WHOM for Christmas music.

After completing the route, roast a marshmallow and savor a s’more at the fire pit. There will also be a food truck with many fairground favorites.

Running November 27th - January 4th, from 4:30-9pm (with time extended to 10pm Dec. 18-28), there is flexibility in choosing an ideal time that fits your holiday schedule. Be sure to check their website for bad weather closures.

As of writing this article, the 2025 pricing was not available on their website, but last year's cost was $35 per car for a one-time visit or $95 for a season pass. Also, check out their creative theme nights for discounts.

Christmas Tree Lightings by Town

If you'd like to attend a town Christmas tree lighting, here is a list of area towns hosting one, along with their times, locations, and links to get the most up-to-date information. (There may be more towns who will publicize ceremonies soon.)

Pembroke - At the time of writing this article, the details could not be located online but you can check here for information as it becomes available.
Concord - Friday, November 28th from 4-7pm. In front of the NH State House on North Main Street. There will be several festivities. At the time of writing this article, the details could not be located online but you can read about last year's celebration here.
Hopkinton - Held in the village of Contoocook. Here, keep abreast of the scheduled time and read about last year's weekend-long event named, Starry, Starry Night during which the town's Christmas tree is lit. Learn even more about the event here.

Christmas Eve Services at Grace Capital Church

Join us this year for Christmas inspiration and community connection at one of our Candlelight Services! We have four service times from which to choose:

Tuesday, December 23rd at 6:30pm
Wednesday, December 24th at 3:30pm
Wednesday, December 24th at 5pm
Wednesday, December 24th at 6:30pm

All are welcome as, together, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ through singing carols and hearing a transformative message of hope.

Grace Capital Church is an authentic, Jesus-focused, people-centered congregation who seeks to generously give of our time and resources to help and encourage members of the community relationally, physically, and spiritually. We would love to meet you!

Reach out to us if you have questions or need prayer and encouragement.

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Are you looking for a church in the Concord, NH area? We invite you to join us in-person or online. Grace Capital Church is located at 542 Pembroke Street in Pembroke, NH.