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Join us for the Gingerbread House Competition on Saturday, December 7th, just in time for the Festival of Lights! Pre-registration is required, and all materials used must be edible. Entries will be on display next to Town Hall before and during the festival, adding a festive touch to the season.

Participants can enter one of four age categories: Youth (ages 5-8), Child (ages 9-12), Teen (ages 13-17), and Adult (ages 18+). Groups will compete in the category of their oldest builder. Drop off your creations between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. at town hall, with judging beginning at 2 p.m. and public viewing and voting from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A panel of judges will award prizes in five categories: Best in Show, Most Original, Best Use of Candy, Most Attention to Detail, and Most Unique Ingredient. This event is hosted by Homespun Sweets, The Beach Rose, and York Parks and Recreation—don’t miss out on the fun!

The Nubble Holiday Lights will be illuminated starting November 30th at noon and will remain on through February 1st. Despite the challenging winter weather, we’ll do our best to keep them shining bright! The lights will be on from dusk until midnight each evening, and they’ll light up once more for an hour before sunrise, adding a festive glow to the winter nights.

Although we still illuminate the Nubble Lighthouse, we no longer hold events at Sohier Park due to safety concerns stemming from large crowds, limited parking, and the lack of adequate egress routes for gatherings of that size. To keep the celebration alive, the wonderful Ramsey Family of the Anchorage Inn has stepped in to host the festivities at their location at 265 Long Beach Ave. We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Caitlynn, Ray, and the entire Ramsey family for their continued support in making the Lighting of the Nubble a joyous and safe event for our community!

Check out the "Lighting of the Anchorage" for more information!

NEW! - Lighting of the Anchorage!
Saturday, November 30th 
Join us for the 2nd Annual Lighting of the Anchorage Inn in York, Maine, a new tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season! Witness the beautiful illumination of the Anchorage as thousands of twinkling lights transform it into a winter wonderland. Enjoy festive music, hot cocoa, and new this year, the ice bar at the Anchorage for a festive beverage! Stop by to meet Santa Claus, who will be there to spread holiday cheer and take photos with children. The event will culminate with a fireworks display at dusk! Don’t miss this enchanting event that brings holiday cheer to the heart of York as friends and families gather to celebrate the magic of the holidays!

Thank you to the Anchorage Inn for hosting Santa Claus for us!

LOCATION: Anchorage Inn at York Beach
DAY: Saturday, November 30th
TIME: 4:30pm-7:30pm

No sign up necessary!

The Polar Express
December 5th and 6th 
Presented with the Williams Realty Partners and Woody’s Pizza!
‘Twas the night before the Parade…and The Polar Express is coming to town! Add this staple to your holiday celebrations by joining us in your pajamas for this Polar Express Event. Your evening begins with a “trolley express” ride through scenic York Beach. We’ll venture to the Nubble Lighthouse to view its spectacular Christmas Lights. The backdrop of the lighted Nubble is the perfect spot for the telling of the classic Chris Van Allsburg story THE POLAR EXPRESS. Upon our return, we invite you to join us in the warm and cozy Woody’s Brick Oven Pizza for some of Santa’s favorites, hot chocolate and cookies. We might even be lucky enough to have a visitor join us (hint: he’ll be dressed in red!). This is an evening your family won’t want to miss; maybe you’ll even be chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas! 

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED FOR THIS EVENT AND REGISTRATION IS A MUST!
DUE TO SPACE RESTRICTIONS, YORK RESIDENTS ONLY PLEASE!

Special thanks to Williams Realty Partners for generously allowing us to use their trolley, Homer, as our polar express, and Joshua’s Book of Dreams for donating a hardcopy of THE POLAR EXPRESS to be read and raffled at each session of this event, and to Woody’s Brick Oven Pizza for their hospitality.

REGISTRATION: Ongoing
COST: $25.00 per person
LOCATION: Pick-up is in the parking lot by York’s Wild Kingdom, directly across from the York Beach Fire Department on Railroad Ave.
DATES:
Thursday, December 5th
Friday, December 6th
TIMES: Varied 45-minute session

To register, click HERE and search "Polar Express"

Festival of Lights Parade
Saturday, December 7th, 2024
(Rain date December 8th, 2024)

Join us in celebrating York's Holiday Season with the Festival of Lights Parade. The parade starts promptly at 4:30pm on Saturday, December 7th. Applications are available at the York Parks & Recreation Office and below via PDF. All are welcome!!! We would like to encourage the businesses in York to get involved in this community parade. What a great way to advertise your business and at the same time join in the spirit of the holidays and be involved in your community…a friendly competitive spirit could put a “Best Business’” banner on your float this year! Other honors include Best Children’s Float, Best Antique Car, Best Use of Lights, Best Theme, and Best Community Organization Float. The Festival of Lights holiday parade is held to celebrate the season, and we would very much like your organization or club to participate in this celebration.

ALL WHO WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US CAN FILL OUT THIS FORM HERE: FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS REGISTRATION

Wreaths Across America
Monday, December 9th
View and cheer for the Wreaths Across America convoy, from the Parks & Recreation Department’s front lawn. Ample parking and a safe viewing spot for the annual tour from northern Maine to Arlington National Cemetery. The convoy typically passes through York mid-morning, but exact timing will be advertised mid to late November. Stay up to date on our Facebook page!
Any changes or updates will be posted on our social media pages, as they become available.

Winter Community Concert- Sunday, December 15th, 2024

The Festival of Lights finale! Join us in the York Community Auditorium at York High School for a festive community concert! The Seacoast Wind Ensemble will be performing many holiday favorites to delight audiences. The York Arts Company will be accepting donations at the door to support theatrical and musical programming in York.

This is a FREE Community Event
Donations for Youth Programming Accepted at the Door

LOCATION:        Community Auditorium at York High School
DAY:                 Sunday, December 15th
TIME:               3:00pm-4:00pm, Doors open at 2:30pm