Discover Newport, in partnership with the Newport Marriott, is celebrating Christmas in Newport with New England’s largest working gingerbread lighthouse, constructed by the Newport Marriott’s kitchen team. The artfully decorated culinary creation is located in the lobby of the Newport Visitor Information Center.
Christmas in Newport is a month-long celebration that embraces the noncommercial traditions of the holiday season. Marking its 47th year, white lights illuminate homes, shops, restaurants, city streets and the bustling wharves in a ritual representing candlelight from days gone by, when families would wait for their loved ones to return home from their seafaring adventures. Holiday events are tailored to entertain every age, including tree lightings, lantern-led walking tours, shopping strolls, concerts, visits with Santa, Victorian-era Christmas festivities, culinary fêtes, arts and cultural celebrations and more.
At the Visitor Center, the 16-foot gingerbread lighthouse will welcome guests from near and far. The hotel team devotes 100 hours to baking, building and decorating the lighthouse, which includes 350 pounds of gingerbread comprising more than 1600 bricks, all topped with 2400 pieces of candy and 20 gallons of royal icing! The festive and fragrant confection lighthouse has been a beloved Newport tradition for 17 years!
The Newport Visitor Center is located at 23 America’s Cup Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. Complimentary parking is available in the garage at the Visitor Information Center, courtesy of the City of Newport. The completed lighthouse will be on view to the public daily (Saturdays through Thursdays from 9am-4pm, and Fridays from 9am-5pm ) until January 1 (excluding Christmas Day).
Santa Claus is scheduled to visit the gingerbread lighthouse on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 11 am to 2 pm. All visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to fill our sleigh for local food pantries.