Christmas at Victoria Mansion
During the holiday season, many of our community’s leading and up-and-coming florists, designers, artists, and fellow non-profit organizations use the backdrop of the Mansion’s interior design to create unique decorations that emulate Victorian-era splendor. Now in its fourth decade, this annual event welcomes thousands of visitors each year from the end of November through the beginning of January.
2024 Season Theme: Stories of the Season
This year, our designers are taking inspiration from holiday tales of the past, some drawing from well-known 19th century stories and others drawing from regional folklore. Our 2024 season will run from November 29, 2024 – January 5, 2025.
In addition to our decorated house tours, we are pleased to host the return of two favorite events: Night of the Nutcracker with Portland Ballet on Sundays, December 8th and 15th, and A Magical Dickensian Celebration, performed by British actor Andrew Harris on Thursday, December 19th. Our “Stories on the Staircase” series for young visitors will also return to the Mansion every Monday morning at 10am, and we will be bringing back our brand new program for our youngest visitors, their stuffed animals, and their caregivers: the Ruffi Stuffie Sleepover!
Victoria Mansion’s annual Holiday Gala will take place this year on Thursday, December 5th. Please visit our event page for more information.
Our Designers
Our team of decorators donate their time, talent, and materials. Thank you to our 2024 Stories of the Season designers:
- Emerald City Design (Danny R. Hatt, Don Chouinard & Marcedas Hatt-O’Toole)
- Harmon’s Floral Company (Dan Kennedy & Jennifer Miller)
- Dan Gifford
- Saco Museum Festival of Trees Design Committee (Theresa Ruel)
- Melinda Thomas, Gail Diamon & Natasha Titus
- Chevaughn Marie Designs
- Maine Irish Heritage Center
- Sarah Coughlin Fine Art
- Dawn Hachey
- Victoria Mansion Docent Committee
Season Details
Stories of the Season runs from November 29th, 2024 – January 5, 2025. Open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10am-4pm, with tours every half hour starting at 10am, final admission 3pm. Final admission 12pm on December 24th and 31st. Closed Mondays; closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Tickets are on sale now on our Plan Your Visit page.
Ticket prices:
Adults: $19.25
Senior citizens (62+): $17.25
College students: $8.00 with valid student ID
Students age 6-17: $6.00
Children under 6: Free
Family rate: $41.75
– Family Rate applies to 2 adults and up to 5 children age 6-17 of the same household
Museums for All – tickets for SNAP/EBT cardholders: $2.00 with valid ID and EBT card, good for up to 4 tickets
Victoria Mansion members: Free
All tickets reflect a small service charge to defray costs of our ticketing service.
Additional ticketing information can be found on our Plan Your Visit page.
For groups of 10 or more, please see our Group Tours page before booking.
A two day event, mixed amongst beautiful barrels of specialty rare brews -Saturday December 7th & Sunday December 8th, both days from 11am-4pm.
From original art, printmaking, pottery, leather, jewelry at every price point, wood working; cutting boards & charcuterie, to skin care, felted children’s toys, florals, stationary, stickers & prints to hand bound journals, elixirs & holistic teas to sheep skins, & hand knit wool socks, hot sauce to chocolate, AND locally made casual & adventure apparel!
A family friendly event, with food offerings from Black Salt Dining, caffeine from Vagabond coffee, AMAZING HOLIDAY SHOPPING, AND/or of course delicious specialty libations only available at The Cellars location – on tap direct from the source: Allagash Brewing!
Save the date! On Sunday, December 8th, join us for Portland Trails’ annual, one-of-a-kind Holiday Dash 5K! Whether you dress up in a winter-themed costume or keep things more traditional, this race along the Eastern Prom Trail is sure to warm your spirits. Click here for a map of the out-and-back course.
Registration will open in the fall. Full event details to come!
Holiday time in the Old Port is the place to be! Explore the Old Port and downtown Portland’s rich history and places of interest from 1632 in this 2 ½ hour, 2-mile, exciting walking tour and historical adventure for all members of the family! We will begin our tour in the center of Monument Square, directly in front of the gorgeous City of Portland’s Official Holiday Tree, to discuss the origins of the Christmas Tree and the first Christmas celebrated in America. During the tour we will discover over 50 historic stops, visit the magical Lobster Trap Tree in the heart of the Old Port, and hear the story of Charles Dickens bizarre visit to Portland. At the end of the tour, we will visit the outside of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous home (the oldest home on the Portland peninsula) where you’ll hear the history of his famous poem Christmas Bells. Don’t miss it!
Public tours will run every weekend from December 7th through December 21st. Tour starts at 11AM and finishes approximately at 1:30PM. Advanced tickets required at ticketmaster/ticketweb. $45 per ticket. Kids 6 and under are free.
Private tours and special group rates are available by emailing [email protected]. If you would like to speak with your tour guide for any questions, please email or call Leigh directly at 646-845-9714.
Leigh Rush Olson, your tour guide and founder of Old Port Historic Tours, holds a BA in History from CUNY Brooklyn College and is a certified Portland History Docent. Moreover, Leigh is a Portland native and a resident of Kennebunk, Maine. You’re in good hands! Click here for more background about Leigh.
Join us to get some shopping in before the holidays are upon us! 8 local creatives will be popping up in our brewhouse!
We’ll have bevvies, food, and a raffle, all of the proceeds will be donated to Maine Needs (@maineneeds), a non-profit community donation center supporting families and individuals throughout the state with basic needs and essentials.
This is a great opportunity to buy some unique gifts for your loved ones while supporting wonderful local artists and a vital non-profit organization. We’re thrilled to be hosting this event for the 7th year in a row and hope to see you there! #bigtreehospitality #thehoneypaw #eventideoysterco #maineneeds
THIS is the Polar Express!
All aboard…. to the North Pole!
Maine Narrow Gauge warmly invites you to experience the Polar Express™ Train Ride! This magical train runs on select dates every holiday season.
The Polar Express™ Train Ride is the largest annual fundraiser for the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum. This theatrically-driven Christmas train has become an annual tradition for thousands of families, drawing over 23,000 passengers in 2023!
The fun begins at Portland’s Ocean Gateway Marine Terminal. Browse holiday and train-themed souvenirs. Before you know it, an enchanting scene is enacted at the station with live actors – they set the scene before your journey to the North Pole and invite you to come on the train.
The Conductor boards passengers onto the nine historic passenger coaches decked out for the holidays. Once on board, children are handed authentic golden tickets by the Conductor. Costumed chefs appear and serve hot chocolate and cookies to everybody on the train. Christmas music fills the cars as the steam locomotive blows its whistle, the wheels start turning, and your roundtrip ride to the North Pole begins.
Once at the North Pole, a very special guest boards the train and hands out the first gift of Christmas. The train begins its return journey back to Portland. Upon arrival, the atmosphere feels a little more magical, and passengers are inspired to believe in things that they can’t see.
The Polar Express™ Train Ride is staffed by volunteers and is the largest annual fundraiser for the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum. Thank you for your support! Your ticket purchase contributes to the continuity of our entirely unique historic railroad.
Presidential Class details: Passengers riding “Presidential Class” receive our most deluxe level of service! These passengers enjoy premium individual cushioned seating, get a commemorative limited-edition ceramic mug to remember their train ride, and can take home a copy of the Polar Express book signed by Santa Claus, on loan from the North Pole Library. (1 copy per grouping of 4 [or fewer] guests).
First Class passengers get to ride in one of Maine Narrow Gauge’s restored turn-of-the-century train cars (with individual padded seating), as well as receive a limited-edition ceramic mug as a unique souvenir of their train ride to the North Pole.
All passengers get the experience of riding on a brilliantly decorated train powered which may be powered by an authentic steam engine, as well as receive hot chocolate, a cookie, a brief visit from Santa, and the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell.
Are you interested in volunteering? Please contact Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad if you want to play a part of this very special magical event! Contact [email protected].
Be ready to board at least 20 minutes prior to the train’s departure! The Polar Express™ Train Ride leaves exactly on time.
Unfortunately, we cannot hold the train for any latecomers. We have a very tight schedule to keep to get everyone to the North Pole and back in time for Christmas!
An entire train car may be rented for your party, depending on availability. However, no group discount is available at this time.
Sunday, November 17: *Just added!
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm
Friday, November 22: *Just added!
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Saturday, November 23:
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Sunday, November 24:
1:30pm | 2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm
Friday, November 29:
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Saturday, November 30:
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm| 6:30pm | 7:45pms
Sunday, December 1:
1:30pm | 2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm
Friday, December 6
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Saturday, December 7
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm* | 6:30pm* | 7:45pm
Sunday, December 8
1:30pm | 2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm
Thursday, December 12 *Just added!
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Friday, December 13
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Saturday, December 14
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm* | 6:30pm* | 7:45pm
Sunday, December 15
1:30pm | 2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm
Thursday, December 19
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Friday, December 20
4:00pm | 5:15pm | 6:30pm | 7:45pm
Saturday, December 21
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm* | 6:30pm* | 7:45pm
Sunday, December 22
1:30pm | 2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm* | 6:30pm
Monday, December 23
2:45pm | 4:00pm | 5:15pm* | 6:30pm* | 7:45pm
* denotes peak night pricing. Experience the magic on peak nights: join us on our most popular Polar Express departures and enjoy a festive atmosphere unlike any other! Due to high demand, these select dates are premium priced. Book early to guarantee your spot for the most enchanting Polar Express ride.
Maine State Ballet ushers in the holiday season with its classic production of The Nutcracker at Merrill Auditorium from November 29th through December 8th. Artistic Director and former New York City Ballet dancer Linda MacArthur Miele directs and choreographs the story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince as they travel through the Land of Sweets to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. Costumes and scenery by Associate Director Gail Csoboth. Robert Lehmann returns as Conductor of the Maine State Ballet Orchestra and Choir.
ADULT, SENIOR 65+, and CHILD 12 & UNDER prices available for this event online.
GROUP 10+ prices available by phone or in-person.
Per ticket service fee varies from $3 – $10 depending on ticket price.