Marblehead Holiday Detours, Road Closures For Tree Lighting, Santa

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Santa Claus is coming to town in Marblehead this weekend.

And his arrival will cause some traffic disruption.

Marblehead police will put in place temporary detours and road closures both Friday night and Saturday for the town tree lighting and the annual Christmas Walk & Holiday Stroll with Santa Claus arriving at Clark Landing.

"Our hope is to minimize the negative traffic effects," police said. "But there are parts of the town that will be impacted on both Friday and Saturday."

On Friday, traffic detours will begin at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. tree lighting.

Pleasant Street inbound will be detoured at the 3 Cod Tavern down Washington Street, through the Five Corners intersection and back up Washington Street toward Abbot Hall. Essex Street will be closed. MBTA buses will follow Washington Street until the normal route resumes at lower Pleasant Street.

Outbound traffic, including buses, going outbound on Elm Street will be directed onto Sewall, left on School Street and right back on Pleasant Street outbound. Spring Street heading toward Pleasant Street will be closed at the traffic island to through traffic. Residents will be able to access the streets, as well as for businesses, as pedestrian traffic permits.

On Saturday, road closures will start at 8 a.m. in anticipation of Santa's arrival. Clark Landing will be closed to vehicles with pedestrian use only. State Street will be closed by 8 a.m. or when pedestrian traffic dictates.

There will be no traffic allowed down State Street toward the harbor.

The Clark Landing closure will remain in effect until after the end of the parade passes, as will the State Street closure for Santa's arrival.

Front Street from the BYC to State Street will be closed at 10:30 a.m. for parade staging. Darling Street from Washington Street to Front Street will also be closed for the parade at 10:30.\

The parade begins at 11:45.

The parade route and more information is below:

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)