Friday, December 4, 2026 – Saturday, December 19, 2026 · Finale with Santa 11 AM – 2 PM at Central Square
Elf Off The Shelf
Downtown Rochester · Rochester, NH
Part of the Santa Series, Elf Off The Shelf hides elves throughout downtown Rochester in early December. Find elves, fill out your passport, and trade it in with Santa at Central Square for raffle tickets - plus free photos with Santa and the Grinch at the finale.
Rochester Main Street is happy to bring back Elf Off The Shelf as part of the Santa Series. Elves hide throughout downtown - in public places, inside businesses, in windows - and it’s your job to find them.
A friendly note before you start: please respect businesses and use common sense. Restaurants may hide elves where you’ll pass through their dining rooms, but no business hides them anywhere the public wouldn’t normally be welcome.
How to play
- Download the passport and start hunting downtown.
- Write down where you found each elf - each one is worth one raffle ticket.
- Trade in your passport at the finale, when Santa and the Grinch swap passports for raffle tickets at Central Square, 11 AM – 2 PM. Santa will be available for free photos, and maybe a few other surprises.
Three ways to earn raffle tickets
- Describe where you found each elf - 1 ticket per elf.
- Attach a receipt for a $10+ purchase from any downtown business to your passport.
- Bring Santa a new toy for donation to Holidays On The Hill - 5 free tickets.
What do the elves look like?
Many stores have custom 26-inch elves displaying the face of the owner or an employee. We’re also hiding some of the classic wooden elf cutouts, and businesses can hide any type of elf they want. We may even scatter some Christmas elf ducks around downtown - please take just one duck a day, and remember some of these things are small.
Participating businesses? This year, that’s part of the mystery. If you’re struggling, Santa may give you some clues.
Elf Off The Shelf: your questions answered
How do I play Elf Off The Shelf?
Download the passport, then search downtown for hidden elves - in public places, inside businesses, and in windows. Write down where you found each elf. At the finale, trade your passport in with Santa's helpers - each elf found equals one raffle ticket.
Are there other ways to earn raffle tickets?
Yes - attach a receipt showing a $10+ purchase from any downtown business to your passport for extra tickets, or bring Santa a new toy for donation to Holidays On The Hill and receive five free raffle tickets.
What do the elves look like?
Many stores hide custom 26-inch elves featuring the face of an owner or employee; others use wooden elf cutouts or any elf they like. Keep an eye out for small Christmas elf ducks too - please take only one duck per day.
Which businesses are participating?
That's part of the hunt - you'll need to figure it out yourself! If you're struggling, Santa may give you some clues at the finale.
Page updated July 17, 2026.
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