Table of Contents
Get our free local reporting delivered straight to your inbox. No noise, no spam — just clear, independent coverage of Marblehead. Sign up for our once-a-week newsletter.
The cold arrived early Friday evening, and so did the crowds. By dusk, Pleasant Street sidewalks and Essex Street corners were full — families in winter coats, children sitting curbside, parents angling smartphones over strollers and shoulders.
The 54th annual Marblehead Christmas Walk began in the way residents expect: with immediate turnout, familiar scenes and a visible lift for downtown shops.
The weekend opened with back-to-back tree lightings. At National Grand Bank, families packed the Essex Street lot as the official tree came on around 7 p.m. A block away, Mud Puddle Toys drew roughly 80 people for the lighting of its lobster-trap tree — a local favorite built each year from eight borrowed traps lent by Little Harbor Lobster Company and decorated with lights and garland. The display has become a reliable photo stop and a draw for foot traffic on a typically quiet winter retail stretch.
By Saturday morning, crowds shifted to State Street Landing, where families lined the waterfront rail awaiting Santa’s arrival by lobster boat — a variation on the national tradition that Marblehead leans into. The boat docked at about 8:45 a.m., carrying Santa, Mrs. Claus and several children. Parents moved in for photos. Santa posed steadily — with excited kids, hesitant toddlers and babies bundled so tightly only their eyes were visible.
Later in the morning, Washington Street was standing-room only. Families lined storefronts several rows deep for the parade route from Clark Landing to National Grand Bank. Colonial reenactors marched. Antique cars rolled slowly with wreaths tied to grilles. Children on floats waved through strings of garland. The procession was busy but orderly — a civic exercise residents know how to navigate.
Behind the scenes, the event is a coordinated effort. The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce runs Christmas Walk in partnership with the Select Board, which authorizes decorations, street closures and parade logistics. Police and DPW staff assist with traffic control and staging. Businesses extend hours and plan promotions around the weekend.
The result is less an isolated celebration than a deliberately timed economic push. Shop owners say the surge of December visitors helps make up for slower months that follow. Restaurants reported crowded decks and dining rooms. Retailers credited Saturday foot traffic with new customer introductions and early holiday sales.
Beyond Santa’s arrival and the parade, the weekend filled the calendar. Abbot Hall and the Marblehead Arts Association hosted artisan markets. The Jeremiah Lee Mansion ran its gingerbread festival. St. Andrew’s Church held an evening piano and chamber concert. Nursing homes ran bus loops so residents could see lights. Community groups and antique car clubs joined the festivities.
Sunday brought more — brunch with Santa at The Beacon, a waterfront fundraiser at The Landing, encore markets and concerts — before traffic thinned and downtown returned to its ordinary winter pace.
If our reporting has helped you follow Marblehead’s traditions, from tree lightings to crowded parade routes, this is the kind of coverage your neighbors already sustain. The Independent runs on an $80,000 annual budget, with 95% going directly to journalism — no paywall, no corporate owner, just local reporting free for all. You’re able to read this work free because 60 Marbleheaders already make it possible through annual and monthly contributions — and we endeavor to reach 100 members by Dec. 31 to keep this journalism strong. 🟦 Click here to become an Independent member.
