Four historic Newport mansions will open their doors to holiday celebrations beginning Nov. 21, featuring elaborate seasonal decorations and an illuminated outdoor light display at The Breakers.
The Preservation Society of Newport County will present Holidays at the Newport Mansions at The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms and Chateau-sur-Mer, according to a news release issued Monday. All four properties are National Historic Landmarks.
The seasonal display will include nearly 30 Christmas trees decorated to match the décor and themes of individual rooms, along with poinsettias, garlands, wreaths and fresh floral arrangements throughout the properties.
The 15-foot poinsettia tree in The Breakers’ Great Hall — assembled from 150 poinsettia plants — will return as a centerpiece of the display. A mailbox for letters to Santa Claus will be available in The Breakers Welcome Center, and gift stores at The Breakers, Marble House and The Elms will be open for holiday shopping.
Sparkling Lights at The Breakers, returning for its sixth year, features a half-mile walking path illuminated by hundreds of thousands of lights across the 13-acre landscape. The outdoor display includes a 50-foot-long, 26-foot-high train modeled after locomotives from the Vanderbilts’ New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, as well as a new water fountain feature.
Holiday music will accompany the light display, and fire pits will be available for guests. Holiday treats and adult beverages will be offered for purchase on the back terrace and at The Breakers Welcome Center.
Admission to Sparkling Lights requires a timed ticket that includes interior access to The Breakers during the same visit. Entry times are available at 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Gates close at 6:30 p.m., and the house and grounds close at 8 p.m.
All Newport Mansions properties will be closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and will close at 3 p.m. Dec. 24, with last admission at 2 p.m.
The preservation society thanked its Partners in Preservation — BankNewport, Bartlett Tree Experts and Grande Masonry — for their support.
The Preservation Society of Newport County is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It maintains 11 historic properties, seven of which are National Historic Landmarks, spanning more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.
For more information, visit www.NewportMansions.org.