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I crammed as much Christmas cheer as possible into 48 hours in Kennebunkport
This Maine town goes full Hallmark movie as Christmas Prelude kicks off.
I’m not sure what tipped me off that I’d entered a Hallmark movie first: the person whistling Christmas carols while strolling the sidewalk, the groups of women in their 60s giggling like children while shopping for novelty Santa hats, or the general air of good cheer. I was in no way prepared for how cartoonishly festive a wintertime trip to Kennebunkport would be — and I loved every second of it.
Thursday, December 5, kicked off the 43rd annual Christmas Prelude, an 11-day-long festival in Kennebunkport, Maine, that rings in the Christmas season with crafts, parades, tree lightings, lobster trap lightings, and a slew of other events that perfectly encapsulate Christmas in a historic fishing village. I arrived just as things were getting going with a very important goal: to cram as much Christmas cheer as humanly possible into the next 48 hours.
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My good friend Molly and I got to work immediately. Our timeline, which I’ve outlined here, feels like it was copied from the pages of a children’s storybook. (In reality, it was copied from the pages of a very detailed Google doc I made for us.)
Thursday
2 p.m. — Our first order of business was to get the lay of the land. We wandered in and out of the incredibly well-decorated shops in Dock Square and beyond, stopping to buy taper candles striped like candy canes at the Copper Candle. We marveled at how much Prelude merch was tacked up in shop windows, then sat down for a quick sandwich and some spiced pear Polar seltzers at H.B. Provisions, the Platonic ideal of a general store.
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4 p.m. — Consulting the official Christmas Prelude schedule for guidance, we moseyed over to a series of galleries called Maine Art Hill for the Merry Makers Market. (One thing to know about Prelude: there are no shortage of craft fairs, both big and small.)
A holiday photo booth awaited us at the market, along with a table festooned with over-the-top accessories to wear in said photo. Think: Sparkling hats shaped like Christmas trees, reindeer antlers, glasses shaped like wreaths. What we didn’t know was that these items weren’t over the top at all: We’d see countless Prelude revelers wearing the same exact ones very soon.
6 p.m. — The Nonantum Resort served as an idyllic home base for all the action. After settling in, we made our way to a Prelude-exclusive wine dinner there. The resort hosts several Prelude meals throughout the festival, from breakfasts with Mrs. Claus to holiday luncheons, but Thursday night’s menu prepared by chef Steve Sicinski was a true Christmas feast. Seven courses were paired with a range of wines from Merriam Vineyards, led by owner Peter Merriam, a Maine native himself.
Friday
11 a.m. — A hearty breakfast buffet at the Nonantum was exactly what we needed to fuel up for a full day of Christmas cheer, followed by a cookie butter latte and peppermint patty hot chocolate from Dock Square Coffee House, naturally.
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First up? The Shops at Morning Walk, an adorable cluster of cottages, each home to a different (yet equally adorable) vendor. Molly and I set up camp outside a garden shop called The Magic Sprout to give the “Make your own mistletoe memento” event a whirl. As we plucked the best sprigs to tie up neatly with a red bow, other festival goers roasted marshmallows over a fire behind us.
Another thing about Prelude: You will be offered a hot drink just about everywhere you go. We were often already sloshing around enough hot liquids as it was, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless.
1 p.m. — Next, cookie decorating at Auntie’s House Bakery. Long tables completely covered in candy and sprinkles were like a red carpet being rolled out for us. Molly’s gingerbread Christmas sweater design became a fan favorite.
2 p.m. — We squeezed in a break at Federal Jack’s, the birthplace of Shipyard Brewing Co., by indulging in a pint of Shipyard’s Prelude Winter Warmer. (As Prelude newbies, we were shocked to learn Shipyard brewed a special beer for the event.)
3 p.m. — Filled with winter warmth from the winter warmers, we marched over to what became my favorite activity of the trip: wreath-making at Kennebunkport Captains Collection. It’s a series of old sea captain’s homes turned into stunning hotels; the Nathaniel Lord Carriage House was the loveliest Christmas environment I’ve ever laid eyes on. Inside, we tore into heaping piles of evergreen and pine branches and wrapped them around our hoops with careful concentration, much like elves in a toy workshop.
4 p.m. — Though we didn’t notice it at the time, our need for breaks was increasing. We ducked into the Tinsel Bar at the Burleigh, which was decked out floor-to-ceiling in ornaments, lights, bows, and more. A couple of seasonal cocktails prepped us for our next adventure.
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5:30 p.m. — Smack in the middle of Dock Square is Kennebunkport’s towering Christmas tree, strewn with colorful buoys and lights, and topped with a lobster. Arguably the most important event of the festival, the tree lighting was also the most widely attended. Hordes of people gathered around the tree in all directions, leaving Molly and I standing on our tiptoes to see it all. We all counted down from 43 to mark the 43rd annual Prelude, which felt hilariously long on this 28-degree night.
6:30 p.m. — As naive first-time Preluders, Molly and I strolled to Batson River Brewing & Distilling thinking we could find a cozy corner to enjoy some snacks after the tree lighting. While we did get inside — and admired the best-decorated restaurant in town, in my humble opinion — we discovered every cozy corner was already taken. So, we wandered further away from the fray and tucked into tacos at Pedro’s.
9 p.m. — I’ve never seen anything like Christmas karaoke at Alisson’s Restaurant, situated directly across from the titular tree. Every reveler of drinking age was in attendance, wearing holiday sweaters, santa hats, light-up necklaces, or all of the above. One woman even sported a knit hat shaped like a lighthouse, complete with a glowing lightbulb at the top.
A highlight of this jolly gathering: A guy named Matt dressed in a reindeer suit yelling “HAVE SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER!” as he made his way to the stage. Matt started to scream-sing “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and within seconds, the whole bar (including Molly and I) were also scream-singing the tune. The Christmas cheer was more than palpable.
Saturday
11 a.m. — We’d planned to board a Christmas Prelude Boat Ride from the Nonantum to Dock Square in the morning, but we decided not to get on a boat after our night of revelry. Instead, we went back to the Kennebunkport Captains Collection to craft some sparkly ornaments.
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1 p.m. — It was a good warm-up for our next official activity: an adult crystal ornament workshop at River Tree Arts. Jewelry designer Emily Bider led us in beading some beautiful wire snowflakes.
3 p.m. — Just as the Prelude’s beloved Hat Parade (which is just what it sounds like) was about to begin, it was time for us to head home. We admired folks’ handmade headgear on our way out of town, with Christmas music softly playing on the car radio to ease the transition.
The Christmas spirit seemed to buoy us all the way back to Boston. I should note that completing as many Christmas activities as possible isn’t necessary for a festive trip. You, too, could be filled with good cheer if you simply head up to Kennebunkport this week, a Hallmark movie-esque place that’s often voted a top Christmas town in America.
This year’s Christmas Prelude runs through December 15, with an impressive lineup of events on offer every day of the festival. May the spirit of Christmas find you this season — whether you take a trip to Maine or not.
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