Narragansett's Parks and Recreation calendar for 2026 skips November. The last fall entry is the Ocean State Marathon on Sunday, October 25. The next is the Chamber of Commerce Holiday Street Faire on Saturday, December 5. Once December arrives, all four of the month's listed events fall on December 5 and 6. That makes the holiday season a two-day route. It starts on Saturday at the Parks and Recreation grounds on Clarke Road, moves to the sand at Town Beach on Sunday morning, and ends at The Towers when the tree lights at 5 p.m.
Six Quiet Weeks, Then Four Events in Two Days
The October section of the town's 2026 special events calendar has four outdoor gatherings spread over three weekends:
- Scarecrows in the Pier on October 3
- The Pumpkin Festival on October 17
- Trunk or Treat on October 24
- The Ocean State Marathon on October 25
December has the same number of events, all of them on one Saturday and Sunday.
The town lists every one of these as an outdoor event subject to weather, free to the public unless otherwise noted. Updates go out on the department's Facebook page and at 401-782-0658. For a December weekend by the ocean, the weather clause matters. Since the whole season rides on one forecast, it's worth checking those channels on the Friday before.
There is one earlier stop for anyone who wants to start before December. The Towers lists its Native American Art Festival for Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It isn't billed as a holiday event, but it puts people in the same Ocean Road building that will host the tree lighting two weeks later.
Saturday Belongs to Clarke Road
The weekend opens away from the water. The Narragansett Chamber of Commerce Holiday Faire takes place on Saturday, December 5, at Parks and Recreation, 170 Clarke Road. The Chamber lists the hours as 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The town's calendar lists the Holiday Street Faire from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you plan to arrive early, confirm the opening hour with the Chamber.
The Chamber advertises free shuttle transportation from Scarborough Beach, so Saturday has a built-in park-and-ride from a lot most locals already know. Here's the program the Chamber has posted:
- Local artisan and food vendors
- Children's crafts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Santa from noon to 3 p.m.
- Music by the Narrow River Band and the L'Esperance Mandolin Ensemble
The Narrow River Band and a mandolin ensemble set a different tone from what Sunday brings, and that fits. Saturday is the browsing and shopping day, set inland on town recreation grounds. The Chamber describes the event as supported by Town Parks and Recreation. The same two organizations run most of what happens over the following 24 hours.
Sunday Moves to the Sand
On Sunday the weekend moves to the shoreline, and the schedule has almost no gaps. Here's how the day runs, using the town's 2026 calendar and The Towers' own listing:
- 8 to 10 a.m., Jingle Bell Run at Town Beach. The Chamber's page describes the run as a timed 5K on Narragansett Town Beach that it describes as part of the town's Festival of Lights. The race is long-standing: the Chamber's registration form for 2019 called that year's edition the 18th Annual Jingle Bell Beach 5K Run. Details for the current year are on the Chamber's Jingle Bell Run page.
- 10 a.m. to noon, Surfing Santas at Town Beach. The town lists it right after the run, in the same place.
- 11:30 a.m. onward, Festival of Lights at The Towers. The Towers lists festivities starting at 11:30 a.m. The town's calendar lists the Festival of Lights at Gazebo Park from noon to 5:30 p.m.
- 5 p.m., tree lighting and fireworks at The Towers.
The overlap is part of the design. A runner who finishes the 5K by 10 can stay on the beach for Surfing Santas and walk to the festival as it opens. On this route, Santa appears three times in two days: at the Clarke Road faire on Saturday, on the water Sunday morning, and in photos at The Towers Sunday afternoon.
Town Beach in December runs on off-season rules. The town's 2026 beach information says that after Labor Day the beach is free, there are no lifeguards, and anyone who swims does so at their own risk. Facilities are unavailable while the beach is closed for the season. Portable toilets at the South Pavilion, facing the North Lot, stay in place year-round. Spectators planning a long morning at the beach will want to know that.
The Towers Closes the Season at 5 P.M.
The afternoon is centered on The Towers on Ocean Road. Its events page describes the Festival of Lights as free and open to all, with this lineup:
- Pictures with Santa
- Face painting
- 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. The Towers' page tells visitors to "stick around as we light up The Towers and close out the day with a sky full of sparkle." It closes with an invitation to "bundle up, and come celebrate the season by the sea."
The event takes place at The Towers, but its own page sends questions to Narragansett Parks and Recreation at 401-782-0658, the same number printed on the town calendar. So the last stop of the weekend comes back to the department whose grounds on Clarke Road hosted the first one. The fireworks over Ocean Road end the town's listed events for the year. The 2026 calendar has nothing after December 6.
Eating Along the Route
Champlin's on Great Island Road in Galilee says its fish market is open year-round, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. That works for picking up dinner on the drive home Sunday after the fireworks, or for stocking up Saturday after Clarke Road. Closer to the Festival of Lights, the Coast Guard House sits at 40 Ocean Road. The Towers also lists food and drinks among the festival's own offerings.
Planning the Two Days Around One Number
Every event on the route is free unless noted, every one is outdoors, and every one depends on the weather. A practical plan for the weekend looks like this:
- Saturday, December 5: Park at Scarborough Beach and take the Chamber's free shuttle to 170 Clarke Road. Confirm the opening hour with the Chamber, and time a visit around crafts from 11 to 2 or Santa from noon to 3.
- Sunday, December 6, morning: The Jingle Bell Run starts at 8 a.m. and Surfing Santas follows at 10, both at Town Beach.
- Sunday, December 6, afternoon: The Festival of Lights at The Towers opens at 11:30 a.m., with the tree lighting and fireworks at 5 p.m.
- Any day: For changes, call Parks and Recreation at 401-782-0658 or check the town's Upcoming Events page.
All three venues share one phone number, so a single call to Parks and Recreation on Friday, December 4, covers the whole weekend.
If you're considering a winter cottage near the Pier or deciding when to bring a family home to market, Geb Masterson would be glad to talk it through. Request a Private Consultation.
