New holiday trolley, free Sunday parking, printed holiday guides and a Live Elf on the Shelf activation announced at The Bushnell
HARTFORD, CT (November 13, 2026) — Hartford for the Holidays is back for the third year in a row, hosted by the Hartford Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Hartford Business Improvement District (HBID)/Hartford.com and the City of Hartford. Partners gathered today at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts to kick off the 2026 season and announce new ways for residents and visitors to experience Hartford this holiday season.
Hartford for the Holidays brings greater visibility to the city's holiday events and experiences, attracts visitors, and drives foot traffic and spending at local businesses, arts and cultural organizations. Since the campaign launched in 2023, it has generated more than 4 million digital impressions, successfully bringing more individuals, families and groups to Hartford, with an increase of 50,000 visitors in downtown Hartford, up 115% in just three years.
At the center of the campaign is the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, serving as a neutral convener. Rather than promoting any single venue or event, the Chamber brings organizations, businesses, and attractions to the same table so Hartford can market itself as one unified holiday destination. Partners include, but are not limited to, the Connecticut Ballet, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, GLOW at the Connecticut Convention Center, the Wadsworth, Hartford Stage, TheaterWorks Hartford, Winterfest, Winter Fair at Union Station, Winter Village on Pratt Street, and many restaurants and holiday activations across the city. Together, they showcase what makes Hartford special this time of year.
The campaign would not be possible without Hartford.com, which transforms each season into a one-stop hub where residents and visitors can find everything holiday-related in the city. To help people get around once they arrive, the Chamber is funding wayfinding throughout Hartford and printed marketing materials, so everyone knows where to go, where to eat, where to shop and, most importantly, where to park.
At today's press conference, partners announced several new additions to this year's campaign:
Printed holiday guides and free parking: Jordan Polon, Executive Director of the Hartford Business Improvement District, unveiled new printed holiday guides with maps and clusters of activities to make shopping, dining, and parking simple. Through the BID's partnership with LAZ Parking, four downtown lots will offer free parking on November 28 and December 6, 13 and 20: 180 Allyn St (Allyn St Lot), 1000 Main St (Morgan Lot), 300 Market St (Market St Lot) and 185/201 Pearl St (Pearl St Lot).
Live Elf on the Shelf: Jackie Gorsky Mandyck, Executive Director of iQuilt, who also organizes free ice skating at Winterfest in Bushnell Park, introduced the Live Elf on the Shelf activation in collaboration with The Hartford Chamber of Commerce, with sponsorship from Bradley International Airport – reminding our community that in addition to shopping and dining local, to fly local. For Elf on the Shelf promotion, Bradley will also be flying our elves around the region!
Holiday trolley: Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced the season's newest activation, a holiday-themed trolley that will carry residents and visitors to multiple holiday destinations downtown. Made possible with thanks to the Richard P. Garmany Fund, the trolley will run December 18, 19 and 20, with route and times to follow.
"Hartford for the Holidays works because no one is doing it alone," said Julio Concepción, Executive Director of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce. "Our role is to be the neutral convener, bringing arts organizations, venues, restaurants and small businesses together under one message. When we promote each other, the whole city wins, and visitors see Hartford for what it is: a destination worth celebrating."
“The holidays are when we gather with the people we love and return to the traditions that make the season special, whether that’s a first Nutcracker or a much-anticipated visit with Santa,” said Stephanie Fried, Executive Vice President & COO of The Bushnell. “There’s nothing like downtown Hartford this time of year, with the lights, the energy, and families filling our streets and theaters. We’re proud to be part of that celebration, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone through our doors to make new memories together.”
“Our new printed holiday guides have maps and clusters of activities around events to make shopping, dining, and parking as convenient and simple as possible,” said Jordan Polon, Executive Director, Hartford Business Improvement District. “We are so excited to be partnering with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce and the City of Hartford to give people an easy way to visit old favorites and make new holiday memories in Hartford this season.”
"Hartford comes alive during the holidays, in every neighborhood," said Mayor Arunan Arulampalam. "The holiday trolley is a fun, simple way for families to hop between celebrations, support local businesses and see how much our city has to offer. I'm proud of the partnership that makes Hartford for the Holidays possible."
For a full calendar of holiday events, dining, shopping and parking information, visit HartfordForTheHolidays.com.
About Hartford for the Holidays
Hartford for the Holidays is a citywide campaign hosted by the Hartford Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Hartford Business Improvement District/Hartford.com and the City of Hartford. The campaign promotes Hartford's holiday events and experiences to attract visitors and support local businesses, arts, culture and entertainment.