Which side of the Mystic River will you be on at 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 28? On most evenings it hardly matters, because you can walk over the drawbridge in a couple of minutes. On the night of the Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, the bridge is part of the event. When it goes up for the boats, downtown becomes two separate places until it comes back down.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving falls on November 28 this year. The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce has set the full schedule for that day, and it builds slowly. The morning is a craft market, and by evening there is a tugboat, a tree, and boats lit up on the river. Each step narrows where you can drive, park, and stand, so the order of events tells you where to be and when.
The Day, Hour by Hour
| Time | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 a.m. | Cottrell Street closes to all vehicles | Along Mystic River Park |
| 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Holiday Artisan Market | Cottrell Street |
| 2:00 p.m. | Santa arrives on the tugboat John Paul | Mystic River Park |
| 6:00 p.m. | Christmas tree lighting | Mystic River Park |
| 6:15 p.m. | Lighted Boat Parade begins | Mystic River, ending back at the park |
| About 8:30 p.m. | Cottrell Street reopens once police say it is safe | Cottrell Street |
The closure times come from the chamber's vendor registration page. It says all vehicles must be off Cottrell Street by 10 a.m., with "no exceptions," and that the street stays closed until 8:30 p.m. or until police decide it is safe to reopen. That means one of the main streets next to Mystic River Park is closed for more than ten hours. If your Saturday errands usually take you down Cottrell, plan another route for the whole day.
Morning and Afternoon on the Park Side
The market is a juried event. The chamber accepts vendors by application and describes the goods as a curated selection of locally made products. Vendors can stay after 4 p.m. through the boat parade, until about 7 p.m. That's handy for anyone who wants to buy something after the tree lighting. Booths have no electricity, and generators are not allowed. If you see booths still open after dark, they are running on battery lights.
If you're a maker, the chamber lists the booth fee as $125 for a 10-by-10-foot space. Vendors bring their own tent, tables, and chairs. Vendor parking is on Washington Street, and since no vehicle can come back onto Cottrell, everything gets moved by hand. The chamber recommends a hand truck or wagon.
The day falls on Shop Small Saturday, so the shops a few blocks away are part of it too. Two newer storefronts are on West Main Street. North Swell Earth & Sea is at 18 West Main, and RI Boutique is at 12 West Main. Mystic Seaport Museum keeps its late-fall hours through November 30. It is open Thursday through Sunday, exhibits run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the grounds close at 5 p.m. That gives you a full afternoon there before you head downriver.
At 2 p.m., Santa comes into Mystic River Park aboard the John Paul, Cross Sound Ferry's tugboat. The chamber promises carolers, photos with Santa, and "a few surprises" near the park's Christmas tree. Mystic River Park is on the Stonington side of the river. That matters later in the day.
Why the Bridge Matters After Dark
The parade boats gather upriver. The 2025 registration listing included a 3:40 p.m. drawbridge opening so boats could meet at Mystic Seaport. A second opening was scheduled for the parade itself. From the Seaport, the boats head south through the bridge and down to Mystic River Park, where the judges and the biggest crowd wait.
Published bridge times have changed from year to year. For the 2024 parade, NBC Connecticut reported Groton police guidance that the drawbridge would go up around 5:55 p.m. and come down around 6:45 p.m. The chamber's own 2024 and 2025 registration pages listed a 6:20 p.m. parade opening. Either way, the bridge was up for a good part of the evening, which is when most people try to get from the tree lighting to a spot along the water.
In 2024, police also warned of heavy traffic on the Groton side before, during, and right after the event. The affected streets were West Main, Water, New London Road, Pearl, Gravel, and High. After the parade, West Main Street, which is Route 1, was limited to westbound traffic until the crowds cleared. Those were the 2024 rules, and the 2026 plan may differ. Still, if you live east of the river and park on the Groton side, you could have a slow drive home.
Choosing a Bank
The Day's 2025 preview noted that you can watch from either side of the river. The chamber names two main viewing areas, and they suit different plans:
- Gravel Street. The street closes by 6 p.m. so people can stand in the road and watch. The chamber asks spectators to stay on the pavement and keep off the lawns and docks of the homes along the street.
- Mystic River Park. This side has the tree lighting, the judging, and Santa earlier in the day, all in one place. The chamber warns that the dock at the park has limited room and can get crowded.
If the tree lighting at 6 p.m. is a must, the park side makes sense. You'll already be there when the bridge goes up, so you won't need to cross. Gravel Street is a better pick if you want more room and a longer look at the boats as they pass.
The chamber's page lists four parking locations. If you park in a neighborhood, it asks you to follow posted signs and respect the residents.
- Mystic Museum of Art, 15 1/2 Water St
- Seaport Marine, 2 Washington St
- Mystic Parking LLC, 1 Pearl St
- Union Baptist Church, 119 High St
The Parade Is Open to Locals With Boats
The chamber says participation "is open to the public." All it takes is a toy donation to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, which has people on site that day. The Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center hands out holiday toys and Christmas food baskets each season. It also offers local residents food, household supplies, clothing, and other help at no cost.
The chamber pitches it directly to boat owners: "Is your boat still in the water through the holiday season?" Registration is by email to [email protected]. Last year the field filled up. The 2025 registration page capped entries at 30 boats and showed 30 registered. If you plan to enter, register early.
Judges score each boat on creativity and team spirit. Prizes are awarded in five categories:
- Most Charismatic Crew
- Innovative Vessel
- Best Dressed Vessel
- Most Holiday Spirit
- Miss Mystic Vessel of Grandeur
For safety, the chamber asks people to leave paddleboards, kayaks, and Jet Skis at home that night. The parade is for decorated boats with crews. Small craft shouldn't be out on a crowded river in the dark.
The Heated Option, and What Is Not That Weekend
In past years, the chamber has held a ticketed VIP viewing party on the riverside patio of the Mystic Museum of Art. The 2025 event ran from 5 to 8 p.m. It included a clear view of the parade, food from Gourmet Galley, heaters, and one bar drink with each adult ticket. The listing showed 125 registered guests. As of late October, CTvisit lists 2026 VIP details as "coming soon," and the chamber's page still links to the 2025 event. If you'd like to watch from a heated patio, check back in November.
Don't mix this up with Lantern Lights, Mystic Seaport Museum's holiday event. It takes place in December, after the museum's late-fall schedule ends. The museum's December dates run December 3 through 20.
For dates and registration links, go straight to the chamber's Lighted Boat Parade page. Check it again in the days before the event for the 2026 VIP details and any traffic notices.
If you're thinking about a home where the Mystic River goes past your windows, or a slip where a boat can stay in the water into late November, Dan Contino and Kimberly Contino know these streets on both sides of the drawbridge. Contact Us and we'll talk through what living along the water here actually involves, parade night included.
