When Iryna Patterson opened Pour Girls on Queens Way eight years ago, cars still drove down East Queens Way. During the pandemic, the city gave businesses on the corridor folding tables and chairs so people could eat and shop outside at a distance. That arrangement caught on. The city then supplied better furniture and started planning a permanent version, as the Daily Press reported in June.
That permanent version is now finished. Between Wine Street and South King Street, Queens Way is a brick, pedestrian-only corridor with metal seating, flowers and young trees. The project replaced the landscaping, lighting and paving, removed curbs and other trip hazards, and swapped out aging water and sewer lines under the street. Downtown Hampton scheduled the ribbon-cutting for Friday, May 22, 2026. WTKR reported that the ceremony had been moved there from May 7 because of weather.
That makes this December the first holiday season on the finished block. Most of Downtown Hampton's holiday calendar takes place on Queens Way itself or within a short walk of it.
Two years of construction, then one summer to recover
The completed corridor follows a long build. According to the Daily Press, work began in fall 2024, and the city reopened an unfinished version of the space in May 2025. WTKR reported on June 3 that Queens Way businesses were seeing their usual seasonal pickup. They were counting on a strong summer after nearly two years of renovation work.
Over the summer the city booked the new space heavily, with Saturday block parties and a monthly Second Saturdays flea market on Queens Way and Kings Way. Patterson had already added a second restaurant, the Mexican spot Las Reinas Cocina, next door to Pour Girls. She described the rebuilt corridor to the Daily Press as "almost like a whole brand new asset on the block."
The holiday season is the block's first winter test. Summer events depend on warm evenings. The holiday events depend on shopping, a parade route and the riverfront, and all three sit within a few blocks of Queens Way.
November 28: Small Business Saturday spreads across the new corridor
The season starts on Saturday, November 28, with Small Business Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free. Downtown Hampton, the Hampton Flea Market and Hampton Economic Development are organizing it together, and the event covers Queens Way, Kings Way and more of downtown, featuring local makers, retailers and food businesses.
The timing explains the scale. Small Business Saturday is the first big shopping day of the holiday season, and these are the same storefronts that went through nearly two years of renovation work. WTKR reported that during the first year, people couldn't walk up and down the street. The Downtown Hampton Development Partnership's Small Business Saturday listing asks shoppers to "explore businesses you've never visited before."
Four days earlier, on Tuesday, November 24, the Hampton Carousel starts Winter Whimsy. The carousel is decorated for the season and plays classic holiday music. Rides cost $1, and it runs through December 31. It is at 602 Settlers Landing Road, open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Those hours cover both Small Business Saturday and the Holly Days Parade, which ends at 7 p.m.
December 4 and 5: Phoebus Friday, then downtown Saturday
The first weekend of December splits between two parts of the city, one day each.
On Friday, December 4, Historic Downtown Phoebus holds its Holiday Illumination & Craft Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It sets up in the County/Hope Street parking lot behind the Phoebus Library, off East Mellen Street. The market has handmade gifts from local artisans, food trucks and Phoebus restaurants, a DJ, adult beverages, free hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa. The Phoebus Christmas tree is lit at dusk. If you leave Phoebus after the tree lighting, you can still reach the Hampton History Museum at 120 Old Hampton Lane in time for A Holiday Workshop with Auntie Lorraine, 6 to 8 p.m. The evening includes holiday crafts, a scavenger hunt, line dancing and a sing-along. Museum members get in free, and nonmembers pay $5.
The Hampton University Museum's 32nd Holiday and Kwanzaa Marketplace runs December 3 through 5, selling handcrafted items and artwork alongside the museum's current exhibitions.
On Saturday, December 5, the Hampton Holly Days Parade steps off at 5 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m. along Settlers Landing and nearby downtown streets. Visit Hampton calls it the longest-running illuminated holiday parade on the Peninsula, with lighted floats, marching bands and community groups. This year's theme is "Toys, Games & Candy Canes." The city posts viewing areas, parking and road closures on its Holly Days Parade page as they're announced. Check it that week before deciding where to park.
Forever Motown: Soul of Christmas starts at The American Theatre at 7:30 p.m., half an hour after the parade ends. The show mixes Motown classics with Christmas songs. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 2 to 15, and parking is free.
December 12 and 13: the season moves to the river
The second Saturday of December centers on the Hampton River, just south of Queens Way. The Lighted Boat Parade on Saturday, December 12, runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Decorated boats pass the Downtown Hampton waterfront from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Santa is dockside from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and the event is free. According to Visit Hampton, Santa arrives by boat, and the day also includes live music, holiday treats and kids' activities.
The same weekend, the Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center hosts the Holiday Fine Arts Bazaar & Y'Art Sale on December 12 and 13, opening at 11 a.m. both days. The bazaar opens alongside the center's Small Works Exhibition, and the artists sell original pieces in person. Admission and parking are free. On Sunday, December 13, at 2:30 p.m., the Hampton Roads Philharmonic plays its Winter Classics and Holiday Favorites concert at The American Theatre. The program runs from winter-themed classical pieces to film scores including "Miracle on 34th St." and "Frozen." Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for children ages 2 to 15.
The American Theatre also has holiday Classic Movie Nights: White Christmas on Thursday, December 10, and The Muppet Christmas Carol on Saturday, December 19.
The season at a glance
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 24 to Dec. 31 | Winter Whimsy | Hampton Carousel, 602 Settlers Landing Rd. | $1 rides |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Queens Way, Kings Way and downtown | Free |
| Dec. 3 to 5 | Holiday and Kwanzaa Marketplace | Hampton University Museum | Not listed |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Phoebus Holiday Illumination & Craft Market, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | County/Hope St. lot behind Phoebus Library | Not listed |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Holiday Workshop with Auntie Lorraine, 6 to 8 p.m. | Hampton History Museum | $5, members free |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Holly Days Parade, 5 to 7 p.m. | Settlers Landing and downtown streets | Not listed |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Forever Motown: Soul of Christmas, 7:30 p.m. | The American Theatre | $25 / $15 |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Lighted Boat Parade, 5 to 10 p.m. | Downtown Hampton waterfront | Free |
| Dec. 12 and 13 | Holiday Fine Arts Bazaar & Y'Art Sale | Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center | Free |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | Hampton Roads Philharmonic, 2:30 p.m. | The American Theatre | $18 / $12 |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | Crab Pot Drop, 9 p.m. to midnight | Queens Way | Not listed |
Parking around a block with no curbside spaces
Because Queens Way is pedestrian-only, you can't park on the busiest part of downtown. Patterson told the Daily Press that nearby parking is very limited and that her customers often complain about finding a space. She also pointed out that parking farther away gets visitors walking past more of downtown than just the place they came for.
For holiday trips downtown:
- Settlers Landing garage: Visit Hampton lists free visitor parking in the garage at 555 Settlers Landing Road, entered from History Museum Way.
- Big event days: For this year's Blackbeard Pirate Festival, the city announced free public parking in the downtown garages, the City Hall lot and legal marked on-street spaces, and said private residential and business lots were restricted. For Holly Days, rely on what the city posts on the parade page for that night.
- Theater nights: The American Theatre's listings for Forever Motown and the Philharmonic say parking is free.
December 31: midnight on the rebuilt block
The calendar finishes on Queens Way. The Crab Pot Drop runs from 9 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, December 31, with a live DJ and food and drinks from downtown restaurants. At midnight, Crabby McCrabface comes down from the sky to start 2027. Downtown Hampton's listing places the event on "the beautifully renovated Queens Way." If you'd rather spend New Year's Eve indoors, PBR Hampton Roads is holding NYE Live! with live entertainment, a champagne toast and a $2,500 balloon drop at midnight.
For more on how Hampton's neighborhoods keep their own schedules, see our earlier look at Buckroe, Downtown and Phoebus, and our post on Fort Monroe after the summer season.
If you own a home near Queens Way, Phoebus or the waterfront and want to know how it's valued today, The Foundry Group can give you a clear, data-backed answer. Get Your Free Home Valuation or visit our Hampton neighborhood page.
