On Friday, November 20, a Double M Ranch carriage will pull up in front of First Church at 250 Main Street at 11 a.m. and start making free runs down Main Street to River Road and back. It will keep that schedule every Friday and Saturday through December 26, with rides until 3 p.m. On Sundays the launch moves to the Wethersfield Green, and the carriage circles the Broad Street Green. Some rides use a small old-fashioned carriage for smaller groups. Others use a larger hay-ride-style wagon. Rides are first come, first served, and the Town of Wethersfield credits the town's state delegation with securing the funding.
The town's own listing says the rides pair well with "so many local businesses to visit for shopping or a bite to eat when you are through with your ride." Since November 2, one of the best-known places to eat on that stretch has been dark. Five days after the first ride, another one closes for the season. Plan this year's carriage day around the stops that are still open.
161 Main Street Went Quiet Before the First Ride
The Charles, the restaurant in the 1790 E.G. Robbins House at 161 Main Street, served its last meal on Monday, November 2, after six years. NBC Connecticut reported the closure that afternoon, citing the restaurant's own announcement on its website and social media. In the statement NBC Connecticut published, the owner pointed to the building itself:
"Operating a full-service restaurant in a historic building brought significant limitations, particularly with kitchen capacity, accessibility, and our ability to grow."
CT Insider's report gave the same reasons. The same historic buildings that draw people to Main Street for the carriage rides also limit what a full kitchen inside them can do.
For holiday weekends, the closure leaves a practical gap. Before the closure, a ride and a sit-down lunch by the fire could happen in one walk. This season, that lunch means a different door.
What Is Still on Main Street, by House Number
The Friday and Saturday launch point sits in the middle of the commercial blocks. Everything below is on Main Street, which makes for an easy walk before or after a ride. Winter hours on this street can differ from posted summer hours, so check with each business before you go.
| Address | Business | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| 125 Main | Neill Walsh Goldsmiths and Gallery | Jewelry, local art, gifts |
| 133 Main | Cottonwood & Church | Vintage and modern home goods |
| 133 Main | Raised on Ridge Boutique | Children's clothing |
| 135 Main | Birdie's | Toys, books, craft kits |
| 147 Main | The Blackbird House | Gifts and locally made art |
| 163 Main | Castor and Poly Boutique | Women's clothing and accessories |
| 165 Main | Jackie Home & Beauty | Home design and skincare |
| 217 Main | Vino Crudo | Wine and cheese |
| 221 Main | Old Wethersfield Country Store | Local goods, gifts, candy |
| 222 Main | Lucky Lou's Bar and Grill | Lunch and dinner |
| 227 Main | Aroma Bistro | Breakfast and lunch |
| 233 Main | Village Pizza | Pizza, online ordering |
| 263 Main | Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre | Café, natural foods grocery, seeds |
| 271 Main | Main Street Creamery & Café | Ice cream, until Nov. 25 |
| 281 Main | Noci Gelato | Gelato, pastries, coffee |
| 285 Main | Lenoci's Kitchen | Italian lunch |
The closest food to the First Church launch point is the 263 to 285 cluster. Heirloom Market at 263 serves locally roasted coffee and espresso, fresh pastries and bread, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches, panini, soups and salads from a seasonal menu. That makes it the natural first stop before an 11 a.m. ride. Lucky Lou's Bar and Grill at 222 posts both lunch and dinner menus, so it's the Main Street table to try once the carriage stops at 3 p.m. and the afternoon turns into evening. Village Pizza at 233 takes orders online, which helps on a cold Saturday when you'd rather pick up than wait.
The Creamery's Last Day Comes Five Days After the First Ride
Main Street Creamery & Café at 271 Main has posted that Wednesday, November 25 is its last day of the season. Since the carriages run only Friday through Sunday, the November 20 to 22 weekend is the only time the rides and the creamery overlap this year.
The creamery's 2026 Advent calendars are already sold out. Pickup is in person on Tuesday, November 24 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesday, November 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. That means a lot of Main Street traffic just before Thanksgiving. After that, the closest frozen dessert to the launch point is Noci Gelato, a couple of doors up at 281 Main.
The first ride Saturday also has an event at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum, one block from the launch point. Its Winter Decor with Foraged Plants workshop runs November 21 from 2 to 3 p.m. at 211 Main Street. Tickets are $25, or $20 for members, and children 6 to 12 attend free. That's the same day St. Paul's Lutheran Church holds its Holiday Fair at 371 Wolcott Hill Road from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with baked goods, crafts, a café and other vendors. So November 21 can be a full day: the fair in the morning, a ride at midday, the museum workshop at 2 p.m., and ice cream before the creamery closes for the season.
Sundays Follow a Smaller Loop
The Sunday rides take a different route. They leave from the Wethersfield Green and circle the Broad Street Green instead of running along Main Street to River Road. Anderson Farms at 165 Broad Street, across from the green, runs a seasonal produce stand known for fall pumpkins and mums. Main Street is still a short drive or a longer walk away for lunch.
The Sunday dates are November 22 and 29 and December 6, 13, 20 and 27. December 6 is the morning after the town's biggest holiday event, so a Sunday loop around the green is the quieter way to fit in a ride that weekend.
December 5 Puts Everything on One Street
The Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Wethersfield present the 15th Annual Holidays On Main on Saturday, December 5, from 1 to 6 p.m. along Main Street. That day the empty dining room at 161 Main sits in the middle of a street full of craft vendors, with other activity spread across the historic district:
- Food trucks in the Keeney Center parking lot and a beer garden on the Webb Deane Stevens Museum grounds
- A Winter Wonderland photo spot at the Keeney Center and Santa in the Webb Barn
- The Connecticut Belles at 3:30 p.m. and music from DJ Brian Skibo
- Hot chocolate at the Keeney Center, First Church and Trinity Church
- Keeney Museum and Hurlbut Dunham House open to visitors, plus shops along Main Street with the Old Wethersfield Shopkeepers
- Santa heading to the Main Stage around 5 p.m., with the tree lighting scheduled for about 5:15
The event listing also says to watch for the horse and buggy rides. December 5 is a Saturday, so the regular carriage launches from First Church that day. The free rides end at 3 p.m., three hours before the festival wraps, so plan to get in line early in the afternoon.
After 3 p.m., the Museum Takes Over
The carriages stop at 3 p.m., and that leaves the evening open. The Webb Deane Stevens Museum fills it on three December weekends with its Holiday Evening Tours on December 4 and 5, 11 and 12, and 18 and 19. Tours start at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Each one begins in the old Webb House kitchen with cider and holiday treats, then moves through the museum's three historic houses, where decorated trees fill the period rooms.
Before booking, keep these details in mind:
- Groups are capped at 12, and pre-registration is required.
- Tickets are $35 for the general public and $30 for NSCDA-CT and museum members, and they're nonrefundable.
- The tours involve walking and stairs and are meant for adults and children 13 and up.
- The museum gift shop stays open during the tour evenings, with ornaments, candles, books, toys and host gifts.
Three ride Fridays and Saturdays line up with tour nights: December 4 and 5, 11 and 12, and 18 and 19. On any of them you can take a midday ride, have an early dinner at 222 Main, and join a 6 p.m. tour. On December 5, the 6 p.m. tour starts just as Holidays On Main ends.
Before the Carriages Start
The week between this post and the first ride already has events. The Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair runs November 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Little Red Schoolhouse, 193 Wells Road, with a preview on Friday, November 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
The carriages depend on the weather. If snow or ice cancels a weekend, the town may reschedule rides to dates in January, and it posts updates on the Town of Wethersfield website. The full ride schedule runs November 20 to 22, November 27 to 29, December 4 to 6, December 11 to 13, December 18 to 20 and December 25 to 27. The first weekend after Thanksgiving starts the day after the holiday, and the last weekend starts on Christmas Day.
When a business changes hands or closes on a street like Main Street, it affects nearby homes in ways that don't show up on a listing sheet. If you own in or near Wethersfield's historic district and want to know how the street around you factors into your home's value, Danais & Gordon Team can walk you through it. Get a free home valuation and selling plan whenever you're ready.
