Holiday Lights, Festivals And Celebrations Fill North Shore Calendar

SALEM, MA — With Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa festivities filling the December calendar, the problem may be deciding which events on the North Shore to attend.

Outside these religious and cultural celebrations, there are plenty of holiday light shows, parades, fairs and festivals to attend on the North Shore.

Here are some to consider:

• Live Nativity, Petting Zoo Highlight Marblehead Our Lady Star Of The Sea Festival

• Beverly Downtown Holiday Tree Lighting Set To Celebrate Season

• Peabody Downtown Holiday Stroll Returns For 2025

• Swampscott Police Association Holiday Parade Back For 2025

• Salem Old Town Hall Holiday Artists' Market Back For 2025

• North Shore Winter Wonderland Skating Rink Returns For 12th Season

• Peabody Holiday Pops Concert Returns For 2025

• Salem 'Holiday Happenings' Looks To Build Off Busy Halloween Business Boom

• When Does Santa Arrive At Shopping Malls Across MA?

• Beverly 'Biggest Holiday Parade Ever' To Celebrate Service To The Community

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.

(If you have a holiday festival or celebration you would like to highlights on the North Shore, email details to scott.souza@patch.com.)