If you're staying in York around Thanksgiving, you may hear two names come up: the Lighting of the Nubble and the Lighting of the Anchorage. They're connected, but they're not quite the same event.
The Nubble still gets its holiday lights at Sohier Park, while the community celebration that once surrounded the lighting now takes place at Anchorage Inn. The change has given York two connected parts of a holiday tradition that once happened in one place.
In 2026, both happen on November 28. Here's how the tradition has evolved and where each part fits into a York holiday weekend.
The Celebration Moved, but the Nubble Didn't
The Nubble Holiday Lights begin on Saturday, November 28, 2026, and the lighthouse will remain illuminated nightly through February 1, 2027.
For years, the start of the holiday display was accompanied by a large community gathering at Sohier Park. As attendance grew, the park's limited parking and access made hosting a crowd of that size increasingly difficult. The lighthouse lighting remained, but the organized festivities moved to Anchorage Inn.
Today, there are two parts to the experience: Anchorage Inn is where the community gathers to celebrate, while Sohier Park remains the place to see the illuminated Nubble from across the water.
Where the Celebration Happens Now
Today, the community gathering continues at Anchorage Inn as the Lighting of the Anchorage.
In 2026, the celebration takes place on November 28 with music, hot chocolate, an ice bar, Santa, and fireworks at dusk. It carries on the festive side of the tradition in a setting better suited to bringing the community together while the Nubble begins its holiday display nearby.
For the full schedule and details about this year's celebration, visit our Lighting of the Anchorage event page.
See the Nubble Holiday Lights at Sohier Park
The lighthouse itself is still best viewed from Sohier Park. Nubble Lighthouse sits on a small rocky island just off Cape Neddick Point, with the park providing the classic mainland view of the white lighthouse, red-roofed keeper's house, and surrounding coastline.
At night, that familiar view changes completely. The coastline fades into the dark while the holiday lights stand out across the water, creating the scene that has made the Lighting of the Nubble such a longstanding York tradition.
You can make the Nubble and Lighting of the Anchorage part of the same evening, but you don't have to. The lighthouse remains illuminated nightly through February 1, so you can enjoy the celebration at Anchorage Inn on opening night and visit Sohier Park on another evening during your stay.
Make a Holiday Weekend of It
With the celebration at Anchorage Inn and the Nubble a short drive away, both parts of York's holiday tradition can fit easily into the same weekend.
Long Sands Beach is directly across from Anchorage Inn, so a walk along the shoreline can easily become part of the trip. You can also make time for a meal at Sun and Surf during the lighting weekend before the restaurant closes for the winter season.
For more ideas beyond the holiday lights, our Maine in November guide covers local places to explore, seasonal events, and dining around town during the quieter part of the year. If you're extending your trip into December, York's holiday season has even more to see after the Nubble lights make their debut.
Guests planning to stay for the celebration can also explore the Lighting of the Anchorage Package, which includes VIP event access for the weekend.
Book your stay at Anchorage Inn and experience both sides of a York tradition that has found a new way to bring the community together.
