Wassail Parade – Woodstock, Vermont

The Woodstock Wassail Weekend is a holiday tradition that sees the town come to life with festive holiday events and attractions the second weekend of every December. The weekend’s nonstop schedule includes a parade, concerts, craft fairs, holiday house tour, and much more. Often named one of the prettiest small towns in America, the village of Woodstock, Vermont becomes the ultimate holiday destination during its annual Wassail Weekend.

The highlight of the weekend is the Wassail Parade through the center of Woodstock with more than fifty horses and riders dressed in holiday costumes and period dress from the early 19th Century. Spanning the entirety of downtown, the Wassail Parade winds past the stately First Congregational Church before circling the town green and the Woodstock Inn, where each entry is formally announced. Throughout the route, upbeat crowds lined the street, waving and clapping and calling out “Merry Christmas!”

Mr. Claus himself usually puts in an appearance and then heads on to our Little Theater where he greets the children at the magical “Christmas Visions.”

The merriment of the parade, paired with the Christmas-drenched scenery of Woodstock (a town already celebrated for its visual charms), is an utter delight.

After the parade, as the Yule log burned low, volunteers lighted the 400 glowing luminaries.