Southold Historical Museum debuts Heritage Trail at Candlelight Tour
The Southold Historical Museum will debut its new Heritage Trail at the 26th annual Candlelight Tour and Tree Lighting on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, from 3 to 6 p.m.
The ADA-accessible path, funded by a $200,000 grant from Suffolk County’s Jumpstart program, winds through the Maple Lane Campus and connects all the historic buildings for the first time.
Museum executive director Darren St. George said he “can’t think of a better way” to kick off the holiday season. The celebration typically attracts about 1,000 people, who stroll amid decorations, demonstrations and the tree lighting.
During the candlelight tour, attendees will wander through twinkling lights and beautifully decorated historic homes, including the 18th-century Thomas Moore House and the Victorian Ann Currie-Bell House, each aglow with holiday cheer. All museum buildings will be open to the public, with guided tours and descriptive placards for those looking to travel back in time.
“This has been a big undertaking, from my board and the number of companies helping to bring this to fruition,” Mr. St. George said of the Heritage Trail. “For the first time, visitors will be able to traverse the entire campus, seeing all of the historic buildings from one path.”
The new heritage trail at Southold Historical Museum’s Maple Lane Campus. (Credit: Nicole Wagner) 
The new path was made possible by a $200,000 grant from Suffolk County Jumpstart program alongside other improvements to the historical museum’s campus in Southold. (Credit: Nicole Wagner) 
The path is ADA-compliant and will allow visitors to more easily traverse the museum grounds. (Credit: Nicole Wagner)
Before or after the tour, visitors can meet Santa in the barn, enjoy live music and watch fascinating historic demonstrations that bring the past to life. Community favorites include spinning, weaving and loom demonstrations.
The blacksmith demonstration is another exciting tradition.
“It’s always a favorite of kids to see the blacksmith shop open with a roaring fire and forging new materials on site, that’s always exciting,” Mr. St. George said.
Children can participate as Santa’s helper in games on the lawn and families can marvel at the classic model railroad display. Visitors can warm up with seasonal treats and refreshments available for purchase, and gather together at 5 p.m. for the tree lighting ceremony that caps off the festive evening.
Meet Santa at the Nov. 28 festivities hosted by Southold Historical Museum. (Courtesy Southold Historical Museum) 
The museum’s buildings will be decorated for the holidays. (Courtesy Southold Historical Museum) 
Step inside the Southold Historical Museum’s buildings on Nov. 28 and be transported back in time with holiday cheer. (Courtesy Southold Historical Museum)
“It takes a village” to put the event together, with dozens of volunteers and museum board members pitching in to make it a reality, Mr. St. George noted. Many volunteers and visitors dress in period costumes to enhance the old-timey spirit.
A handful of dedicated bricks will be unveiled at the 4 p.m. ceremony. The program allows people to purchase a customized brick to remember a loved one, a significant event, anniversary, or really anything they’d like to commemorate, which becomes a permanent part of the path at the Maple Lane Campus.
“A lot of the families come to see their brick, now a part of the fabric of the campus,” Mr. St. George said.
Admission for the tree lighting and candlelight tour is free, though donations are accepted.
The New York State Council on the Arts, with support from the governor’s office and state Legislature, help make the museum’s programs possible.
For more information, visit southoldhistorical.org, email [email protected] or call 631-765-5500.
