Celebrate 'Vintage Christmas' in Portsmouth

“We have a real shot at becoming the Christmas Capital of North America.” That’s how Music Hall executive director Patricia Lynch put it, to the hearty agreement of the community collaborators who make Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth happen each year.

At a gathering to start planning for the seventh year of this city-wide event, they agreed that Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth steeps the entire destination in the incomparable, authentic sense of a classic New England holiday.

There are many components to the event that stretches over the month of December. In addition to the live holiday programs, The Music Hall this year adds the new Music Hall Loft to the party, with a Vintage Christmas Pop-Up Market in the Loft to make it easy for visitors and locals to get in the spirit of the season. (for more information, see below)

Now in its 32^nd year, the Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum continues to bring alive family holidays through nearly 400 years of Portsmouth history with each century’s own local traditions: harpsichords in the Chase House, fiddles in the Cider Shed, a dramatic Victorian Christmas tree at the Goodwin’s and sizzling potato latkes in the Russian Jewish 1920s home of the Shapiros. Each historic house vignette is lit by flickering candles in wood and glass lanterns and tiny white lights (a perfect atmosphere for a romantic proposal, which is exactly what happened a year ago.)

Connecting these sparkling moments in holiday time are the vibrant streets of Portsmouth, brick sidewalks hung with wreaths, 19th century storefronts (tax-free shopping in New Hampshire!) festooned with the makings for the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce Holiday Doors of Portsmouth competition. New this year are the Market Square Carolers, middle school choirs who will be serenading shoppers in the downtown.

The City of Portsmouth itself adds a free Vintage Christmas Trolley to the mix, providing a comfortable ride around the downtown loop of shops, hotels, parking, and performance sites—with two new stops this year, one at Vaughan Mall with access to both Music Hall venues on Chestnut and Congress Streets, and the other at the Sise Inn, providing access to the parking at the Masonic lot. The popular Trolley shuttles patrons around the historic seaport each Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening for the first three weekends in December. And hotels, including the Sheraton Portsmouth, offer packages that tie the whole experience up with a bow.

“Make your plans now for the perfect holiday visit during Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth. Get ready to cuddle up with a free trolley ride through red-bricked Market Square, stroll through the snowflakes to the many eclectic shops, step back in time through living history at the festively decorated Strawbery Banke Museum, sample Portsmouth’s famous culinary specialties, or enjoy a first-class show at The Music Hall," Lynch said. "Portsmouth is the perfect town for Vintage Christmas since it’s a charming mix of the contemporary and historical. It’s all about celebrating the winter, the warmth, the light, and our collective memories of holidays past.”

Joining the two nonprofits this year will be Presenting Sponsors Churchill’s Garden Center; the City of Portsmouth; LunaChics; Upper Crust; Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce; and Seacoast Media Group; Lead Sponsors: Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel and Weather Partner 107.1 WERZ. Great Bay Academy of Dance, which produces An 1836 Portsmouth Nutcracker, will be participating as a Community Partner. A handy calendar/map will be available to visitors to make it easy to get around town. Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth also has its own website, www.vintagechristmasnh.org to make it even easier for visitors to plan their trips.

New this year – extended trolley service, carolers, and Pop-Up Market

There will be extended free trolley service with two additional stops – one at Vaughan Mall and the other at the Sise Inn. The roving Market Square Carolers, comprised of young choir members will be serenading shoppers in the downtown.

Vintage Christmas Pop Up Market

Where: The Music Hall Loft, 131 Congress St.;

Grand opening: Thursday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,

Hours: Thursday through Sunday, Dec 1.-Dec. 4.; Dec. 8 to Dec. 11.; Dec. 15 to Dec. 18.

Thursday to Saturday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

It’s the Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth information center – with unique holiday gifts from Strawbery Banke Museum, The Music Hall, Puttin’ on the Glitz, and Churchill’s Garden Center. Look for show and stroll tickets, gift certificates, Portsmouth souvenirs, holiday ornaments, fashion jewels, poinsettias and greenery, stuffed animals, history books, vintage handbags, note cards, and one of a kind lanterns.

The bar will be open with our winter menu and select bar beverages. Profits go to support The Music Hall’s Explore and Learn program. Live entertainment every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

According to Chris Curtis, Music Hall Programming Coordinator, “We will be featuring three local acts who will provide some musical ambience for the holiday shopper. On Thursday, Dec. 1, Mara Flynn and Ben Baldwin (along with a member of his band, Ben Baldwin and the Big Note); on Dec. 8, Gary Sredzienski; and on Dec. 15, Peter Squires. We have your hip-holiday-happy-hour-harmony needs covered!”

Back by popular demand: Holiday packages

Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth hotel packages are available through the Vintage Christmas website. Packages include accommodations, tickets to Strawbery Banke Museum Candlelight Stroll and tickets to The Music Hall live performances on each of the three Vintage Christmas weekends in December. Visitors can take advantage of the convenience and value of having all their Vintage Christmas visit details in one place, "wrapped up with a bow!"  For information, visit www.vintagechristmasnh.org 

City provides free Vintage Christmas Trolley

The free city trolley is popular with visitors to Portsmouth. Patrons use it to not only ferry themselves from parking lots to the center of town, between The Music Hall and Strawbery Banke Museum, but also to give themselves a brief overview of what Portsmouth has to offer. The trolley’s scheduled route – to run the first three weekends of December on Saturday and  Sunday from 1:30-10:30pm – is a quick 15-minute loop with several stops to jump on/off for shopping, and to get a bite to eat and drink. Day visitors will be able to park at various lots around town and jump on the trolley, while overnight visitors in downtown hotels will be able to walk to convenient trolley stops.

Strawbery Banke Museum offers Candlelight Stolls

At Strawbery Banke Museum, visitors step over the threshold of time to experience holiday traditions spanning three centuries of New England life at its most popular signature event of the year - Candlelight Stroll. A cherished Seacoast-area tradition, the Candlelight Stroll takes its name from the hundreds of candle luminaria lighting the paths of Portsmouth’s oldest neighborhood.  The historic houses of Strawbery Banke are dressed in period-appropriate holiday finery of live greens and dried flowers collected from the grounds and assembled by imaginative staff. Costumed role players and live musical entertainment recall the traditions of times past. An engaging blend of sights, sounds, and smells, Candlelight Stroll provides a welcome return to the roots of America’s most treasured holiday traditions. Candlelight Stroll is offered on the first three weekends in December: 3/4; 10/11; and 17/18 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Submitted by Kathleen Soldati, director of marketing, The Music Hall