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Quick answer: Christmas season in Morris County opens with Santa photos at Rockaway Townsquare, expected Friday, November 13, 2026, and the Madison Christmas Parade on Friday, November 27. The big kickoff is Santa’s Arrival and the Lighting of the Morristown Green on Saturday, November 28, followed by the Christmas Festival on the Green through December 20. Below is every holiday guide we publish, with the top confirmed dates from each.
Updated October 2026 by the Shop Morris County team
This is our home base for Christmas events in Morris County in 2026. Every holiday guide we publish lives here, from tree lightings and parades to Santa breakfasts, Nutcrackers, Christmas markets and light shows. Each section below gives you the headline dates we have confirmed for this season and a link to the full guide, where you will find addresses, times, prices and booking links.
We update every guide as towns and venues post their 2026 schedules, so bookmark this page and check back. Planning the whole season? Start with things to do in Morris County this winter.
Christmas Events in Morris County: 2026 Key Dates
Here are the confirmed dates that anchor the season, in calendar order. Days of the week have been checked against the 2026 calendar.
- Friday, November 13: Santa Photo Experience expected to open at Rockaway Townsquare, Rockaway.
- Friday, November 27: Madison Christmas Parade at 5:30 p.m., with the tree lighting on Waverly Place around 6:30 p.m. A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage plays MPAC in Morristown at 2 and 5 p.m.
- Saturday, November 28: Santa’s Arrival and the Lighting of the Morristown Green, Small Business Saturday, and the Boonton Fire Department Christmas Parade at 1 p.m.
- November 29 to December 20: Christmas Festival at the Morristown Green on Sundays, November 29, and Fridays through Sundays, December 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20.
- Friday, December 4: Hanukkah begins at sundown, and Mine Hill lights its tree at Memorial Park at 7:30 p.m.
- December 4 to 6: Morristown Christmas Market at the Church of the Assumption.
- December 11 to 13: Holiday CraftMorristown at the Morristown Armory, and the New Jersey Ballet Nutcracker begins its MPAC run through December 27.
- Saturday, December 12: Brunch with Santa at Alstede Farms in Chester.
- Sunday, December 13: Dinner with Santa at The Windlass on Lake Hopatcong.
- Thursday, December 31: First Night Morris in Morristown, with a midnight countdown and fireworks.
Tree Lightings and Parades
Tree lighting ceremonies. Morristown lights the Green first on Saturday, November 28, then most towns follow on the first weekend of December. Our town by town guide to tree lighting ceremonies in Morris County covers more than 30 lightings, from Mine Hill on Friday, December 4 to Mendham Township and Whippany in mid December.
Christmas parades. Thanksgiving weekend is parade weekend. Madison steps off Friday, November 27 at 5:30 p.m., and the Boonton Fire Department’s 32nd annual parade runs Saturday, November 28 at 1 p.m. on Main Street, with a rain date of November 29. Dover, Denville and the Santa fire truck tours are in our guide to Christmas parades in Morris County.
The Morristown Green. Our full guide to the Christmas Festival at the Morristown Green has the festival days, Santa House times and parking. Everything is free except photos with Santa, which are $15.
Santa Visits, Breakfasts and Photos
Pictures with Santa. Rockaway Townsquare’s Santa Photo Experience is expected to open Friday, November 13 in Macy’s Court, and the Santa House on the Morristown Green opens with the festival on November 28. Farms, firehouses and pet nights are in our guide to pictures with Santa in Morris County.
Breakfast with Santa. Alstede Farms in Chester hosts Brunch with Santa on Saturday, December 12 at 10 a.m. and noon, with tables from $259.99 for four, and The Windlass on Lake Hopatcong in Jefferson hosts Dinner with Santa on Sunday, December 13. These sell out, so see our breakfast with Santa in Morris County guide early.
Holiday Shows and Concerts
Christmas shows. MPAC in Morristown brings A Charlie Brown Christmas on November 27 and Mannheim Steamroller on November 28, the Chatham Players stage A Christmas Carol from December 3 to 20, and The Gifts of the Magi plays the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison from December 5 to 27. The whole lineup is in our Christmas shows in Morris County guide.
The Nutcracker. New Jersey Ballet and the New Jersey Symphony return to MPAC for 15 performances from December 11 to 27. Every show date and ticket range is in our Nutcracker in Morris County guide.
Christmas Markets, Craft Fairs and Holiday Shopping
Christmas markets. The Morristown Christmas Market runs December 4 to 6, Holiday CraftMorristown fills the Morristown Armory December 11 to 13, and the East Hanover Winter Festival is Sunday, December 6. Admission, hours and the best nearby markets are in our Christmas markets in NJ guide.
Church bazaars and craft fairs. Our roundup of holiday craft fairs in Morris County covers the church and school holiday bazaars across the county, with dates and hours.
Shopping local. For gifts, our picks for the best boutiques in Morris County cover Madison, Morristown, Chatham, Mendham, Denville and Chester. Thanksgiving weekend store hours are in our guide to what is open and closed over Thanksgiving in Morris County.
Christmas Lights, Trees and Skating
Christmas lights. From free tree lightings to drive through shows and Fleetwood Lights in Rockaway Township, our Christmas lights in NJ guide covers where to see the best displays near Morris County.
Christmas tree farms. Plut’s and Ort Farms in Long Valley, Alstede Farms in Chester, Hidden Pond in Mendham and Village Tree Farm in Green Village all offer choose and cut trees. Hours and species are in our Christmas tree farms in NJ guide.
Ice skating. Mennen Sports Arena in Morris Township is the county’s home rink. Public skate details and nearby rinks are in our ice skating in Morris County guide.
Hanukkah, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
Hanukkah. The Festival of Lights runs from sundown on Friday, December 4 to nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. Public menorah lightings in Morristown, Randolph, Rockaway and Madison are in our guide to Hanukkah in Morris County.
Christmas Day dining. Our list of restaurants open on Christmas Day near Morris County covers restaurants confirmed open on December 25.
New Year’s Eve. First Night Morris brings more than 80 performances to downtown Morristown on Thursday, December 31, with a midnight countdown and fireworks. Planning details are in our New Year’s Eve in Morris County guide.
Tips for Planning Christmas in Morris County
- Book Santa breakfasts and Nutcracker seats first. They are the first holiday events to sell out.
- The first weekend of December is the busiest of the season, with tree lightings, the Morristown Christmas Market and the Christmas Festival all on the same days.
- Downtown Morristown parking fills fast on festival weekends. Arrive early or plan to walk from a garage.
- Bring a nonperishable food item or a new toy. Many holiday events collect donations for local families.
- Check back here weekly. We add new 2026 dates to each guide as soon as they are posted.
More in Morris County: Thanksgiving in Morris County, turkey trots in NJ and best restaurants in Morristown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Christmas events are in Morris County in 2026?
Highlights include Santa’s Arrival and the Lighting of the Morristown Green on November 28, the Christmas Festival at the Morristown Green through December 20, the Madison and Boonton Christmas parades, the New Jersey Ballet Nutcracker at MPAC, the Morristown Christmas Market and dozens of town tree lightings.
When is the Morristown Green tree lighting in 2026?
Santa’s Arrival and the Lighting of the Morristown Green is Saturday, November 28, 2026. The Morristown Partnership will post the time closer to the date.
When are the Christmas parades in Morris County in 2026?
The Madison Christmas Parade is Friday, November 27 at 5:30 p.m., and the Boonton Fire Department Christmas Parade is Saturday, November 28 at 1 p.m. with a rain date of November 29.
What is the busiest weekend for Christmas events in Morris County?
The first weekend of December, Friday, December 4 through Sunday, December 6, 2026, has the most tree lightings plus the Morristown Christmas Market and Christmas Festival days.
Are Christmas events in Morris County free?
Many are. Tree lightings, parades and most of the Christmas Festival at the Morristown Green are free. Santa photos, brunches, shows and some markets charge admission.
Shop Morris County is the largest local guide for Morris County, NJ. For more seasonal plans, see our guides to tree lightings, Christmas markets and winter things to do in Morris County. Know a Christmas event we should add? Let us know.
Featured photo by Vladimir Srajber on Pexels.
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