About this Event
Twenty years of candlelight. Three centuries of Christmas stories.
Experience the warmth of the season as costumed historic interpreters bring Connecticut’s changing Christmas traditions to life at Stanley-Whitman House.
Join us for the 20th Annual Candlelight Tours: Christmas in Farmington, Connecticut, a seasonal tradition combining the atmosphere of a historic house with the immediacy of live performance.
Move from room to room through the circa 1720 National Historic Landmark, encountering short dramatic scenes that explore Christmas from the colonial era through the nineteenth century. Discover how beliefs, household customs, and ideas about celebration changed over time, shaping the holiday in ways both familiar and surprising.
The museum’s Roundabout Players, our volunteer living history troupe, portray the people behind these traditions. Through dialogue, period clothing, and historically informed settings, they reveal how earlier generations experienced the season and what their stories tell us about life in Connecticut.
Seasonal decorations and the warm glow of candlelight create a memorable setting for this anniversary year. Gather with family or friends for an afternoon of live performances and discover the history behind the holiday.
Saturday, December 12, 2026 | Noon–3:30 PM
Stanley-Whitman House
37 High Street, Farmington, CT 06032
Tour departures: 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, and 3:00 PM.
Each guided tour lasts approximately 30 minutes and is limited to 10 guests. The final tour departs at 3:00 PM and concludes at 3:30 PM.
Reserve your tour time and join us for this twentieth annual celebration of history, storytelling, and the season.
Admission
General Admission: $25 per person
Stanley-Whitman House Members: $20 per person
Admission includes one guided tour featuring performances by the Roundabout Players. With just 10 places per departure, advance registration is strongly encouraged.
Please select your departure time when purchasing tickets and arrive 10–15 minutes before your tour for check-in.
Parking and Your Visit
Parking is available in the museum lot and across High Street, with additional parking at the Barney Library, 71 Main Street. Please allow time to park and walk to the museum.
Before or after your tour, browse the Museum Shop for seasonal gifts and discoveries inspired by history.
About Stanley-Whitman House
Stanley-Whitman House is a National Historic Landmark museum and living history center in Farmington, Connecticut. Through historical research, interpretation, and participatory learning, the museum connects visitors with the lives and stories of early Farmington. It operates under the nonprofit Farmington Village Green & Library Association.
Support the Museum
Your year-end gift supports education, living history, community programs, and the preservation of this National Historic Landmark. Support Stanley-Whitman House.
Event venue & nearby stays
Stanley-Whitman house, 37 High Street, Farmington, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.