December in Vermont 2026: Events, Weather, and Where to Celebrate
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If you’ve never enjoyed a small-town holiday festival in Vermont, sipped cocoa while watching a festive Christmas parade, or enjoyed a boisterous New Year’s Eve in Burlington, this is your year!
Vermonters love the winter holidays: the snow (of course), but also long nights, twinkling lights, and unique shopping opportunities in local stores.
December in Vermont is magical, especially if you are merrymaking at one of these spectacular holiday events. Here are some of our favorites that we look forward to year after year.
Insider tip: Some of these events require advance ticket purchases. We also recommend making dining and lodging reservations as early as possible.
December in Vermont is short on daylight and long on things to do.
The first two weekends are packed: Stowe, Grafton, St. Albans, and the Vermont Holiday Market all happen between December 4 and 6 this year, and Woodstock’s Wassail Weekend shares December 11 to 13 with St. J Sparkles.
Things quiet down the week before Christmas, then the month ends with big New Year’s Eve celebrations in Burlington and St. Johnsbury.
Below you’ll find a 2026 calendar of every event, what the weather is really like, and where to stay. If you’re mostly here for Christmas towns and cozy inns, my Christmas in Vermont guide goes deeper into events in Grafton, Woodstock, Brattleboro, and Manchester.
Table of Contents
December in Vermont 2026 at a Glance
- Busiest weekend December 4 to 6: Stowe, Grafton, the Vermont Holiday Market, VSO Holiday Pops, and the Festival of Trees finale
- Wassail weekend December 11 to 13 in Woodstock, the same weekend as St. J Sparkles
- Weather Burlington averages a high of 35°F and a low of 21°F in December
- White Christmas? Burlington has had an inch or more of snow on the ground on about 73% of Christmas Days on record. Expect more in the mountains.
- Daylight Just under 9 hours around the solstice, with sunset a little after 4 pm
- New Year’s Eve First Night North in St. Johnsbury or Highlight in Burlington, both on Thursday, December 31
- Book early Winter Lights timed tickets and anything with a bed in Woodstock for Wassail Weekend
- Dog-friendly? Some events. Grafton’s festival opens with a dog parade, but Winter Lights, A Forest of Lights, and the theaters don’t allow pets.
Last checked by Tara: [November 2026]
Tara’s take
I’ve been to Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum, A Forest of Lights at VINS, and the Festival of Trees in St. Albans, and I loved every one. Remember, it gets dark early, and the weather can turn fast; I recommend keeping emergency provisions in your car, just in case: food, water, and blankets.
Weather: What December in Vermont Is Really Like
Expect cold, not the Arctic. In Burlington, the average December high is 35°F, and the average low is 21°F, based on NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 climate normals; mountain towns are colder.
Snow usually shows up on a wonky schedule in December. The National Weather Service office in Burlington counts an inch or more of snow on the ground on about 73% of the Christmas Days it has records for, so the odds of a white Christmas are good, but not guaranteed.
The bigger adjustment is the dark afternoons. Around the solstice, we have just under nine hours of daylight, and the sun sets a little after 4 pm. Plan your outdoor stops for the morning and save the light shows for after dinner. The weather can be just as unpredictable, so I keep an emergency kit in my car from December on, and I suggest you do the same if you’re driving up for a festival.
December is also a shoulder month for attractions. Plenty of museums and farms that run May through October close for the season, and others switch to weekends only. Billings Farm & Museum, for example, is open weekends and select days from November through February.
December 2026 Vermont Events Calendar
| Event | Town | 2026 dates | Cost | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum | Shelburne | Nov 27 to Jan 3 (mostly Thu to Sun, plus nightly Dec 26 to Jan 3) | $20 adults, $10 ages 3 to 17 (advance) | No pets |
| Brattleboro Festival of Miniatures | Brattleboro | Nov 27 to Jan 10 | Free | Dog-friendly town; ask before entering shops |
| A Forest of Lights | Quechee (VINS) | Dates TBA | [Price] (2025: $15 adults, $9 youth) | No pets |
| Festival of Trees | St. Albans | Nov 28 to Dec 6 | Many events free; Gala $40 per person | No |
| Very Merry Middlebury | Middlebury | Dec 3, 10, and 12 | Free to stroll | On-leash |
| VSO Holiday Pops | Rutland, Barre, Burlington | Dec 4 (Rutland), Dec 5 (Barre), Dec 6 (Burlington) | Varies by venue | No |
| A Traditional Christmas in Stowe | Stowe | Dec 4 to 6 | Free | Outdoor events are dog-friendly |
| Canine Christmas Doggie Slumber Party | Manchester (Wilburton Inn) | Dec 4 to 6 | Lodging plus $100 per person | Yes, that’s the whole point |
| Grafton Village Holiday Festival | Grafton | Sat., Dec 5 | Free | Yes, there’s a dog parade |
| Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade | Manchester | Sat., Dec 5, 5:30 pm | Free | On-leash |
| Vermont Holiday Market | Essex Junction | Dec 5 and 6, 10 am to 5 pm | $10 adults, under 12 free | No |
| Winter Celebration at Billings Farm | Woodstock | Dec 5 and 6, then daily Dec 19 to Jan 3 | Adults: $23, Seniors (65+): $19, Students (16+): $16, Children (3-15): $14, Children under 3: Free | No |
| Hildene: Christmas 1912 | Manchester | Early to late December | Adults $25 | Youth (ages 6–16) $8 | Children 5 and under & Members are Free | No |
| Shires Holiday Inn Tours | Bennington to Dorset | Two Saturdays TBA | 2025: $25, or $40 for two, 2026 prices TBA | No |
| St. J Sparkles | St. Johnsbury | Dec 11 and 12 | Many events free | Outside events on-leash |
| Wassail Weekend | Woodstock | Dec 11 to 13 | Many events free; some ticketed | On-leash in the village |
| BTV Winter Market | Burlington | Dec 12 and 13 | Free | No |
| Vermont’s Own Nutcracker | Burlington (the Flynn) | Dec 19 and 20 | $19.50-$56 | No |
| First Night North | St. Johnsbury | Thu., Dec 31 | $25 ($30 after Christmas) | No |
| Highlight | Burlington | Thu., Dec 31 | TBA | On-leash in Waterfront Park |
Holiday Events Lasting Through December
The following December events in Vermont are bigger than a single weekend. Gear up for the holidays with twinkling lights, farm animals, and old-fashioned Christmas fun, Vermont style.
Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum: Thursday through Sunday in December 2026: The fifth annual Winter Lights display at Shelburne Museum is a family-friendly extravaganza for all ages.
Starting November 27 and running over several long weekends in December, the museum buildings you already know and love will be bedecked with thousands of enchanting holiday lights.
The old favorites are back, including the 220-foot steamboat Ticonderoga lit up end to end and the model train village in the Diamond Barn.
Each season also brings new and refreshed displays, and this year artist Calvin Laituri has filled the pine grove at Beach Woods with glowing woodland creatures. You can see it on foot during walk-through nights, or from your car on select drive-around nights if it’s too cold to feel your toes.
Either way, it’s a holiday tradition that works for every age, from toddlers to grandparents.
Tickets online at Shelburne Museum:
Adults: $20
Children (ages 3-17): $10
Children (ages 0-2): Free
Winter Celebration at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, Vermont: December 5 & 6, December 19 – January 3: Have you ever wondered what it was like to celebrate Christmas on a Vermont hill farm during Victorian times? Step back in time at Billings Farm & Museum.
Learn about a Victorian Christmas and view the authentically decorated farmhouse parlor. Dip your own candle, warm up by the outdoor fire pits, and enjoy hot cocoa, hot spiced apple cider, and cider donuts available for purchase in the Museum Gift Shop.
Find light adventure snowshoeing, hiking, or cross-country skiing along the Ottauquechee River, weather permitting.
On the farm, meet the friendliest Jersey cows, draft horses, chickens, sheep, and goats in the barns.
Take a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon ride through the pastures (weather permitting) on select days, and shop for the holidays in the Museum Gift Shop.
Tickets can be purchased online or in person:
Adults ages 16-61: $21
Seniors ages 62 and over: $17
Children ages 3-15: $12
Children aged two and under and members are free
Read Next: Spend a Winter Weekend in Woodstock, Vermont
Hildene Holidays: “Christmas Eve in 1912,” December 3-29, 2026: Step back in time at Hildene for the holidays, when the Georgian Revival mansion will be decorated as it might have been in 1912. Abraham Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, built this 412-acre estate in 1905; it also includes a working farm and 12 miles of walking trails.
Adults: $25
Children (6-16): $8
Children under 5 and members: Free
Early December Events in Vermont
Festival of Trees in Saint Albans, Vermont: November 28 – December 6, 2026: The Festival of Trees in downtown St. Albans begins on November 28 for a whole week of merrymaking. Festivities include the Downtown Tree Walk, where you can bundle up and view beautifully decorated trees displayed in merchant windows.
Holiday movies and entertainment will take place throughout the week, culminating in a weekend of spectacular family-friendly events, including this year’s gala event on December 4: the Nutcracker Ball.
Experience decorations wrapping the auditorium in a white winter glow, accompanied by delicious appetizers circulating through the room, while you enjoy a cold or hot cocktail or Mocktail. You can gamble on the casino tables for charity or dance the night away with your friends.
If you were waiting to get into the holiday spirit, head to Saint Albans for an abundance of free holiday cheer!
For a full schedule of events, check out Festival of Trees.
Holiday Inn Tour in the Shires of Vermont, Dates TBA: If you’ve ever wanted to peek inside every gorgeous Vermont inn you pass by, now you can!
Sign up for the Holiday Inn Tour in the Shires of Vermont. Tour more than a dozen beautiful Vermont inns, B&Bs, and lodges in Southern Vermont.
They’ll be decked out for the holidays on two Saturdays in December.
The self-guided tour includes properties in Bennington, Arlington, Sunderland, Manchester, Dorset, and East Dorset. Stop by each inn between 11 am and 3 pm for an open house and maybe even a tour – each property does it differently.
Online ticket link coming soon!
A Traditional Christmas in Stowe, Vermont: December 4 – 6, 2026 As if Stowe needed more reasons to visit than its adorable downtown and big-mountain recreation, a Traditional Christmas in Stowe is beloved by both locals and visitors.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce named this delightful event a Top Ten Winter Event, and it’s a fabulous way to celebrate Christmas in Vermont.
The community rolls out the red carpet and decks the town with holiday lights. The weekend festivities include tree lightings, a children’s lantern parade, wagon rides, a holiday bazaar, live music, and a Santa stroll to support local businesses.
VSO Holiday Pops Concerts, Barre, Burlington, and Rutland, Vermont: December 4 – 6, 2026: Celebrate the holidays in style with festive music from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra.
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops concerts bring the full orchestra and the VSO’s 80-voice chorus together for festive favorites by Leroy Anderson, Handel, Duke Ellington, and Bizet, plus a few audience sing-alongs.
This year’s program adds two pieces the VSO hasn’t performed before. Margaret Bonds’ The Ballad of the Brown King is a cantata about Balthazar, one of the three kings, with text by Langston Hughes. Bob Krogstad’s Christmas at the Movies is a medley of themes from The Grinch, The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, and other holiday films. Traditional carols round out the night, and the whole show is family-friendly.
Catch one of three performances: December 4 at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland (7:30 pm), December 5 at the Barre Opera House (7:30 pm), or December 6 at the Flynn in Burlington (3 pm).Tickets can be purchased online. Prices vary depending on location.
Vermont Holiday Market in Essex Junction, Vermont: December 5 & 6, 2026: Get all of your holiday shopping done in one fell swoop, and have a blast doing it! This two-day holiday market is a massive treasure trove of hand-crafted goodies, including jewelry, leathercraft, wood products, pottery, and more.
Located at the Champlain Valley Exposition, the Vermont Holiday Market runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults at the door, while children under 12 are admitted free.
Grafton Village Holiday Festival, December 5, 2026: Celebrate an old-fashioned winter holiday in Vermont with a trip to one of Vermont’s loveliest villages. The festivities kick off at 10:00 with a dog parade and culminate with a community fire and s’mores.
Meander through the village of historic homes, enjoy live music, visit Santa, and take wagon rides.
Finally, you can select your Christmas tree and wreaths, and shop for tasty treats and crafts before calling it a day.
It’s such a magical way to spend Christmas in Vermont!
Also Read: An Enchanting Winter Weekend in Grafton, Vermont
Early December Events in Vermont
St. J Sparkles in St. Johnsbury, Vermont: December 11 – 12, 2026: Horse-drawn carriage rides, live music, holiday crafts, an oxen petting zoo, and caroling. Welcome to St. Johnsbury, where the season’s most festive weekend gets underway on December 11th.
The weekend is full of festivities for kids and adults, and many are entirely free. For a full schedule of events, check out Discover St. Johnsbury.
Wassail Weekend in Woodstock, Vermont: December 11-12, 2026: This cherished weekend brings locals and visitors together to celebrate a picture-perfect holiday that could easily be a scene from your favorite Hallmark movie. Come see Woodstock transformed into a winter wonderland.
Attracting more than 5,000 merrymakers annually, Wassail Weekend is Woodstock’s biggest event of the year for good reason.
Expect to feel nostalgic for Christmases past as you ride in horse-drawn carriages, take part in craft workshops, sing Christmas carols, visit with Santa, and enjoy a myriad of stories, theater performances, and live music.
Free and ticketed events are offered for all ages. For the full schedule, visit Woodstock, Vermont.
Events the Week Before Christmas
Vermont’s Own Nutcracker in Burlington, Vermont: December 19 & 20, 2026: Vermont’s Own Nutcracker is a favorite with Vermont families, performed exclusively at The Flynn in Burlington by the extraordinary dancers of Vermont Ballet Theatre and surrounding communities.
Featuring VBT company director Alexander Nagiba’s stellar choreography set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, follow the delightful adventures of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as they conquer the evil Mouse King and travel on a mystical journey to the Land of Sweets, where the enchanting Sugarplum Fairy reigns.
Two evening shows and two matinees are available on both Saturday and Sunday (December 20 and 21). Tickets are $19.50-$56 and can be purchased online at the Flynn.
New Year’s Eve in Vermont
December in Vermont wouldn’t be complete without a few New Year’s Celebrations!
First Night North in St. Johnsbury, Vermont: December 31, 2026. Welcome to St. Johnsbury’s inclusive, substance-free New Year’s Eve celebration, with performances across venues throughout town.
Nearly 175 artists are scheduled to perform in dozens of performances, including Fairbanks Planetarium shows, Tritium Well, and Marko the Magician and Hypnotist. Two dozen new attractions are slated this year, including karaoke hosted in the Pica Pica building by Open Stage and performances by Cirque Us and Alyx the Magician.
The immensely popular, substance-free, family-friendly New Year’s Eve attractions will include food trucks, the beloved pancake supper, and the Family Fun Fair (hosted this year by the St. Johnsbury Community HUB). Instead of fireworks, First Night North has added a midnight dance party as the ball rises.
Festivities will take place between 4 pm and midnight on December 31st. Visit First Night North for a complete schedule of events.
Highlight 2026 in Burlington, Vermont: December 31. 2026: Burlington’s official New Year’s Eve party supports local artists and performers through Burlington City Arts, an organization that works to bring local innovators, artists, and communities together to celebrate the homegrown creative energy of Vermonters.
Live entertainment encompasses a diverse range of musical acts, live theater, comedy, art installations, and pop-up restaurants. General admission tickets are $20 and can be purchased online.
Planning a Christmas getaway instead? My Christmas in Vermont guide has my favorite inns in Grafton, Brattleboro, Woodstock, and Manchester.
December in Vermont FAQ
Is it worth visiting Vermont in December?
Yes, if you like small-town holiday festivals and don’t mind cold weather and early sunsets. The first two weekends of December are the busiest, with events in Stowe, Grafton, Woodstock, St. Albans, and St. Johnsbury. I’ve been to Winter Lights, A Forest of Lights, and the Festival of Trees, and I loved every one. Just plan for early darkness and changeable weather.
What is the weather like in Vermont in December?
Cold and often snowy. Burlington averages a high of 35°F and a low of 21°F in December, and the mountains are colder. Around the solstice, you get just under nine hours of daylight.
Will there be snow in Vermont for Christmas?
Probably. The National Weather Service in Burlington has recorded at least an inch of snow on the ground on about 73% of the Christmas Days in its records. Higher elevations improve your odds.
Where can I celebrate New Year’s Eve in Vermont?
The two biggest celebrations are First Night North in St. Johnsbury, a substance-free, family-friendly arts festival, and Highlight in Burlington, which spreads music, art, and food across the city and the waterfront. Both take place on Thursday, December 31, 2026.
Can I bring my dog to December events in Vermont?
Some of them. Grafton’s holiday festival opens with a dog parade, and leashed dogs are welcome in the village during Wassail Weekend, but Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum and A Forest of Lights at VINS don’t allow pets. I find it more difficult to travel with dogs in the winter, since they aren’t welcome in restaurants.
December in Vermont is all about celebrating the lengthening nights, the coming winter, and the spirit of the holidays. Add one of these spectacular December events to your list this year and embrace winter in Vermont.
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