Narragansett holds nearly all of its public holiday events on two days. On Saturday, December 5, the Chamber of Commerce Holiday Faire sets up inland at the Parks & Recreation grounds on Clarke Road. On Sunday, December 6, the activity moves back to the Pier. It starts with a 5K on the sand at Town Beach in the morning and ends with a tree lighting and fireworks off Ocean Road at 5 p.m.
From this Thursday, that's a little over three weeks away. The two days work differently. Saturday is a market, and its vendor list is full of Narragansett and South County names. Sunday follows the beach's schedule, so where you stand at noon matters as much as where you stand at five. Here is how each day runs.
Saturday goes inland, to 170 Clarke Road
The Narragansett Chamber of Commerce Holiday Faire runs on December 5, and the Chamber's page lists the hours as 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It takes over the Parks & Recreation grounds at 170 Clarke Road, which the Chamber hosts with support from the Town's Parks and Recreation Department.
The Chamber doesn't send people to park on Clarke Road. It sends them to Scarborough Beach, where a free shuttle runs to the Faire for the whole day.
The grounds are split into three areas, and each one does something different:
- Artisan Barn: the largest group of vendors, mostly local artists, food makers and small businesses selling gifts, plus treats for pets.
- Outdoor Village and Artisan Tent: alpacas, greenery and staged photo spots outside, kids' crafts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Santa from noon to 3 p.m., and a second group of makers in the tent.
- Warming Lodge: live music, Holiday Faire commemorative items, a bake sale, raffles, grab-and-go snacks and seasonal drinks.
If the kids are coming, the hour from noon to 1 p.m. is the only time crafts and Santa overlap, so you can do both in one visit to the Outdoor Village.
The Barn reads like a directory of Narragansett's own shops
The vendor list is worth reading before you go, because several names carry the town right in them.
The Artisan Barn includes Fuel Coffee Bar, Gansett Craft Chocolates, Studio 123 Boon St. and Take and Bake Bakery. Alongside them are South County Museum, Photography from Sand Hill Cove, Rhed's Hot Sauce, Sam Honey Pottery, Beachcomber Baubles, Swall Jewelry, Undersea Designs, Fig and Dandy, The Daisy Company, BUPPY PETS, Block Island Candle Company and Block Island Craft.
The Artisan Tent adds Allume Chocolate, Block Island Nuts, Blue Mantle Sea Glass Designs, Narragansett Candles, Ocean State Pepper Co., Wickford Woodturning, Wrack Line Creations, Seashell Inspirations, Copper Fish and Lisa Ferucci Art.
For food, the Chamber lists Fuel Coffee, Gansett Poke, Milk Caffe and Kettle Corn Express. Fuel turns up twice, once in the Barn and again feeding the crowd.
One of the two acts in the Warming Lodge is local too. The Chamber describes the Narrow River Band as a Narragansett-based acoustic group that plays guitar, bass and cajon, covering songs from the Beatles and James Taylor to The Lumineers and Jason Mraz. L'Esperance Mandolin Ensemble brings players from four states and has performed around New England since 1994, with music that runs from Baroque to Celtic to Klezmer.
If your gift list includes chocolates from Gansett Craft Chocolates, a print from Photography from Sand Hill Cove and something from Studio 123 Boon St., all three are on the same Clarke Road grounds on the same day.
Sunday runs on the beach's clock
On December 6 the weekend returns to the water. The Town's 2026 Parks & Recreation special events calendar and The Towers' events page together give this outline of the day:
| Time | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 10 a.m. | Jingle Bell Run | Town Beach |
| 10 a.m. to noon | Surfing Santas | Town Beach |
| 11:30 a.m. | Festival of Lights activities begin | The Towers, Ocean Road |
| 5 p.m. | Tree lighting and fireworks | Gazebo Park and The Towers |
The morning depends on the tide more than on the calendar. The Chamber describes its Jingle Bell Run as a sanctioned, timed 5K run on Narragansett Town Beach at low tide. It goes ahead rain or shine and is part of the Town's Festival of Lights on the first Sunday of December. In past years, entertainment and refreshments were set up at the North Beach Clubhouse before and after the race. Since the start has followed the tide before, it's a good idea to check the Chamber's page again closer to the date, even with the 8 to 10 a.m. window on the Town calendar.
Surfing Santas follows on the same beach, from 10 a.m. to noon on the Town calendar. Parks & Recreation lists all of its calendar events as free unless noted otherwise, and outdoor events depend on the weather.
The afternoon moves up Ocean Road to The Towers
By late morning the activity shifts from the sand to The Towers at 35 Ocean Road. The Towers announces the Festival of Lights as free and open to everyone, with festivities starting at 11:30 a.m. The program includes:
- Pictures with Santa
- Face painting and caricatures
- The NES Chorus
- Live music from the Jesse Liam Trio Band
- Food and drinks
At 5 p.m. comes the tree lighting, followed by fireworks to end the day. Last year's Festival of the Lights used both sides of the block, with the tree lit in neighboring Gazebo Park, Santa inside The Towers, and hot chocolate, caroling and fireworks after. This year's Town calendar again puts the Festival at Gazebo Park, from noon to 5:30 p.m. So expect the lighting outdoors and the Santa line inside.
The Towers' own invitation is to bundle up and celebrate the season by the sea. Narragansett Parks & Recreation takes questions about the day at 401-782-0658.
Taken together, Sunday runs about nine hours, from the 8 a.m. start on Town Beach to the 5 p.m. fireworks, all at the Pier.
The Towers carries the weeks leading up to it
The two-day weekend doesn't leave November empty. The Towers fills the gap on its own schedule.
- Milonga, Sunday, November 15, 6 to 9 p.m. The Towers bills it as a fun evening.
- Native American Art Festival, Sunday, November 22, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Towers lists this one the Sunday before Thanksgiving. In earlier coverage, The Independent credited the festival to the Narragansett Indian Tribe and described handmade art and wares, storytelling, flute playing, singers, silverwork, wampum jewelry, craft activities and Native foods. WPRI's preview of the 2021 edition mentioned demonstrations, children's activities, door prizes and raffles.
- Social dance lessons on Wednesdays, 6 to 9 p.m. David Endicott teaches from 6 to 8 p.m., followed by an hour of review and practice. Classes are drop-in, no partner is needed, and beginners are welcome. The remaining 2026 dates are November 18 and December 2, 23 and 30. In January 2027 the lessons move to every Wednesday unless The Towers has an event booked.
The December 2 lesson falls three days before the Faire. The December 23 and 30 lessons come after the tree is lit, and Parks & Recreation takes calls about the weekend itself at 401-782-0658.
Since 2008, Libby Kirwin has helped people find homes along this coast, and she's glad to talk about the parts of Narragansett that come alive in winter. Speak With a Local Agent.
