Illuminated Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting

Important Deadlines

• Monday, November 23, 2026 at 12:00pm Deadline for all entries.
  • No entries will be allowed following Monday, November 23. This is a parade with a specific line up and late entries logistically cannot be added.
  • Registration is online at: Portsmouth Recreation Department: Online Registration by MyRec.com Recreation Management Software. You will need to create an online account (if you don't already have one).
  • Float entries are cautioned about waiting too long to register. You will have to submit photos of trailer to ensure it follows parade guidelines.
• See Parade Rules & Regulations.

WILL BE UPDATED FOR 2026 CLOSER TO PARADE

• 3:00 pm parking ban goes into effect. See below for affected streets
• 4:00 pm street closures begin starting at Jewell Court on Islington Street (that is CVS). The Street closures continue down Islington to the downtown area of Market Square.
• 4:00 - 6:00 pm parade units arrive and line up on Islington Street and all the side streets (both sides) up to Goodwin Park
• Street closures along the Islington corridor will be lifted as parade exits the area which is approximately 6:30 pm
• Street closures around Market Square (as listed in the press release) will remain in effect until 8:00 pm
• Junkins and Parrott Avenues will resume traffic flow following the parade at approximately 8:00 pm
• Pleasant Street to Porter will remain closed until 8:00 pm while the other half of Pleasant will open up following the parade

• Police personnel, sawhorses, metal barricades, and vehicle barricades will stay in place surround Market Square until 8:00pm.
• DJ will be on site playing music.

WILL BE UPDATED FOR 2026 CLOSER TO PARADE

For parking information, locations, and rates, visit: ParkPortsmouth.

COAST Bus – Bus service in and around Market Square will be suspended during the designated road closures. Visit the COAST website for complete route information and travel assistance. 

Accessible Viewing Area – The City is working with Access Navigators to provide a wheelchair-accessible seated viewing area for the parade on the sidewalk along Islington Street between Maplewood and Bridge Streets. This area is reserved for people who have difficulty standing, along with their companions. Space and seating are limited and available on a first-come basis. Nearby public parking includes additional parade-day accessible parking in the Bridge Street Lot, and accessible spaces in the Worth Lot and Foundry Garage. Access Navigators will provide assistance and holiday cheer. For more information, visit the Access Navigators site. 

Vintage Christmas Trolley – The free Vintage Christmas Trolley will be operating from 1:30 to 4:00 pm and 9:00 to 10:30 pm. Service will be suspended during the Illuminated Holiday Parade. For more information about Vintage Christmas, and the free trolley, visit: Vintage Christmas. 

WILL BE UPDATED FOR 2026 CLOSER TO PARADE

Parking Bans – On-street parking bans and road closures will be in effect on Saturday, December 6 beginning at 3 pm and any vehicles found in violation are subject to towing at the vehicle owner’s expense. No parking is allowed on the parade route, including Congress Street, Market Square, Pleasant Street, and Islington Street from Plaza 800 to the intersection with Congress Street. Residents, business owners, and employees located inside the parade route are advised that vehicles will not be permitted to cross the parade route. Other areas around the event will be restricted. Police officers, event volunteers, signs, and barricades will be in place for these areas.

Road Closures – The following streets will be closed or restricted to local traffic from 3 to 8 pm on December 6th (streets marked with an *asterisk will be closed until 8 pm). Police officers, signs and barricades will be in place for these streets:

• Islington Street – from Plaza 800 to Maplewood Avenue and all adjacent side streets
• The intersection of Middle Street, Congress Street, Maplewood Avenue, and Islington Street
• Congress Street from Market Square to Maplewood Avenue*
• Daniel Street – from Penhallow Street to Market Square*
• Market Street – from Bow Street to Market Square*
• High Street and Ladd Street
• Pleasant Street – from Junkins Avenue to Market Square (*Pleasant Street from Porter Street to Market Square will be closed until 8 pm)
• Fleet Street – from Hanover Street to Congress Street and State Street to Congress Street
• State Street – from Fleet Street to Pleasant Street
• Court Street – from Middle Street to Pleasant Street and Washington Street to Pleasant Street
• Porter Street – from Fleet Street to Pleasant Street
• Junkins Avenue – from Parrott Avenue to Pleasant Street
• Parrott Avenue – from Rogers Street to Junkins Avenue

People wishing to travel between Maplewood Avenue and Middle Street are directed to use I-95 or Borthwick Avenue. There will be significant traffic delays in the parade route area and motorists are strongly urged to seek alternate routes away from affected streets. For more details, visit: portsnh.co/events.

SPECTATORS

• Spectators can watch the parade from Islington Street starting at Goodwin Park/Summer Street and along Islington Street to Congress Street to Market Square and down Pleasant Street. Parade officially ends at the start of Junkins Ave. 

PARADE PARTICIPANTS

1. You will line up along Islington Street at your assigned side street.
2. The parade will be pulled together from the units on the side street onto Islington Street and from there you will start processing.
3. You move down Islington to Congress to Market Square, right onto Pleasant and proceed all the way onto Junkins Ave.
4. Please do not disassemble your unit until Parrot Ave off of Islington or later at South Mill Pond parking lot. 
5. The parade route for spectators goes all the way to the beginning of Junkins/Pleasant.

TBA - Stay tuned!

TBA - stay tuned!