Beloved Holiday Stroll Returns to Downtown New Bedford

On Dec. 3, downtown New Bedford will officially kick off the holiday season with its highly anticipated dNB Holiday Stroll.

With the support of NB Creative, the City of New Bedford and the New Bedford Local Cultural Council, Downtown New Bedford Inc. has put together a magical lineup of events to usher in the holiday season on the SouthCoast.

Downtown New Bedford, Inc.

Downtown New Bedford Inc. is a 100% volunteer-run organization that provides marketing, place-making and advocacy for downtown’s stakeholders.

“Our mission is to bring more people downtown every year to shop, eat and explore all that our community has to offer,” the organization said.

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“The Holiday Stroll has been a tradition for many years,” said Elissa Paquette, the president of Downtown New Bedford Inc. and owner of Calico on Union Street. “This will be my fourth year organizing the event for dNB.”

What to Expect at the Holiday Stroll

During the Holiday Stroll, Downtown New Bedford blossoms with holiday spirit. Seaglass Theatre Company Carolers and the SouthCoast Brass Band fill the air with holiday music. The Winter Fairy will buzz around the cobblestones as antique fire trucks pass by, courtesy of the New Bedford Fire Museum.

And what’s a holiday stroll without Santa?

“Holiday Stroll is a great opportunity to support downtown’s small business, as well as local artists and artisans,” Paquette said. “I hope the New Bedford community enjoys all the free family programming throughout downtown. I hope the event helps to drive foot traffic and sales to all of our local small businesses.”

This year’s event is filled with all kinds of holiday activities, bringing together local businesses, designers, artists, creators and musicians for a day of shopping locally during the holidays.

Important Information

A full lineup of the day’s events can be found on the dNB website.

The Holiday Stroll takes place Saturday, Dec. 3, with a rain date of Saturday, Dec. 10.