Holiday Lights, Festivals And Celebrations Fill The Stratford Calendar

STRATFORD, CT — With holiday festivities filling the December calendar, the problem may be deciding which events in Stratford to attend.

There are plenty of holiday light shows, parades, fairs and festivals to attend in the Stratford area. Here are some to consider:

Stratford Holiday Markey and Tree Lighting — Friday, Nov. 28. Stratford’s annual tree lighting and first-ever Holiday Market on the Town Hall Green will take place on Friday, Nov. 28. More than 28 organizations will be present representing vendors, artisans, and community partners, according to organizers.

The market runs from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with the tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. Read details here.

Danbury Stew Leonard's Christmas Tree Lighting — Thursday, Dec. 4, lighting at about 5:00 p.m.

At Stew Leonard’s, 99 Federal Road. A smaller tree-lighting within a retail context — good for a quick holiday-shopping and lighting outing.

Stratford’s 2025 Menorah Lighting — Tuesday, Dec. 16. The 2025 Menorah Lighting will take place at 6 p.m. at Stratford Town Hall. More information will be available leading up to the event.

For more local events, visit the Stratford Patch Events Calendar here.

As you plan your calendar, here are some key dates to consider:

• Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods, begins at sundown on Dec. 14 and continues until sundown on Dec. 22. The dates vary every year.

• Christmas, of course, is always Dec. 25.

• Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration primarily held in the United States to honor African heritage and African-American culture, is observed from Dec. 26-Jan. 1, culminating with gift-giving and a lavish feast. The dates of this holiday do not change.