The Snohomish Tree Lighting on Saturday, November 28, lasts two hours. Santa's visits around downtown add up to about 21 more. He arrives at the Snohomish Carnegie at 3 p.m. that Saturday, and the tree is lit at 5. The next day he starts visiting shops. Over the following three weekends he spends one afternoon at each of seven downtown businesses, noon to 3 p.m., ending at Peaches on December 20.
So the lighting kicks things off, and the shop visits fill the next three weekends. If your family missed the Saturday crowd, or relatives are coming in mid-December, you still have plenty of chances to see him.
The whole season on one page
The Historic Downtown Snohomish Association has the full schedule on its Santa in the Shops page. Here it is together with the lighting:
| Date | Where | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Nov. 28 | Snohomish Carnegie, Tree Lighting | 105 Cedar Ave | 3 to 5 p.m. |
| Sun, Nov. 29 | Spada Farmhouse Brewery | 709 1st St | Noon to 3 p.m. |
| Sat, Dec. 5 | Snohomish General Store | 922 1st St | Noon to 3 p.m. |
| Sun, Dec. 6 | The Raven and the Swan | 119 Glen Ave | Noon to 3 p.m. |
| Sat, Dec. 12 | Anna Marie Collective | 916 1st St | Noon to 3 p.m. |
| Sun, Dec. 13 | Snoqualmie Ice Cream | 923 1st St | Noon to 3 p.m. |
| Sat, Dec. 19 | Sprig Beauty Co. | 1204 1st St | Noon to 3 p.m. |
| Sun, Dec. 20 | Peaches | 1024 1st St, Suite 104 | Noon to 3 p.m. |
Every shop visit is free. HDSA asks families to bring their own camera and says Mrs. Claus might stop by too. HDSA also says all of the Santa in the Shops locations are ADA accessible. Six of the seven stops are on First Street, from 709 to 1204. The seventh is The Raven and the Swan, just off First on Glen Avenue.
How the Carnegie afternoon runs
The City of Snohomish and HDSA host the lighting together, and it's free. According to the event listing, here's how the afternoon goes:
- 3 p.m. Santa arrives at the Snohomish Carnegie, 105 Cedar Ave. Families can take photos with him inside the historic building.
- 4:45 p.m. A live-music Christmas countdown with a sing-along starts outside on Carnegie Plaza.
- 5 p.m. The tree is lit.
That's two hours, and most of it is the photo line inside. The plaza crowd gathers for the last fifteen minutes. If your kids care most about the photo, come early. If they care most about the lights, plan to be on the plaza by 4:45.
The lighting kept the same time and changed locations
The tree lighting hasn't always been at the Carnegie. City of Snohomish calendar entries for the community tree lighting on November 29, 2013 and November 28, 2015 put it at First Street and Avenue B.
By 2023 it had moved. The Snohomish Tribune reported that year that Santa would parade from the Avenue A Gazebo to the Carnegie at First and Cedar, with photos, hot chocolate and a 4:30 p.m. countdown and lighting. HDSA, the City of Snohomish and the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce were all listed as partners.
The schedule kept shifting after that. The Tribune's 2024 holiday roundup put Santa at the Carnegie at 2:30 p.m., the plaza countdown at 4:30 and the lighting at 5. HDSA's 2025 listing moved Santa to 3 p.m. and the countdown to 4:45 and kept the 5 p.m. lighting. The 2026 plan uses that same schedule.
Since 2024 the lighting has been at 5 p.m., and everything else has been set around it. Santa's arrival moved from 2:30 to 3, and the countdown moved from 4:30 to 4:45, so it now starts fifteen minutes before the lights come on. Starting later also means the photo line runs closer to dark, so the lights come on soon after the last photos.
The seven shops on the route
The shops are spread out, so families walk a different part of downtown each weekend. Each stop is open to drop-ins for three hours. Here's what each one is.
Spada Farmhouse Brewery, Sunday, Nov. 29. Spada is the first stop, the day after the lighting. Its website says the Spada family founded the family-owned brewery in 2016. It brews farmhouse ales on site and also serves pub fare, cocktails, local cider and wine. At 709 1st St, it has the lowest address on the route.
Snohomish General Store, Saturday, Dec. 5. This is the newest business on the route. The store announced a grand opening at 922 1st St for May 30, 2026. Its About page lists locally made goods, gifts, pantry items, home, body and table goods, and everyday essentials.
The Raven and the Swan, Sunday, Dec. 6. This is the stop on Glen Avenue, at number 119. The Raven and the Swan sells vintage fashion and home décor.
Anna Marie Collective, Saturday, Dec. 12. HDSA lists 916 1st St as the address for this visit. The HDSA business directory lists the shop as Anna Marie Creative Collective. It sells handmade local gifts, clothing, toys, books, art, jewelry and home décor, and it hosts craft classes. Because it carries toys and books, it's a good stop for picking up a few small gifts while you wait.
Snoqualmie Ice Cream, Sunday, Dec. 13. Snoqualmie Ice Cream is a Pacific Northwest brand of handcrafted ice cream with its own scoop shops. The Snohomish shop is at 923 1st St. This weekend falls during Winterfest, which HDSA's calendar lists for Friday, December 11. If you're downtown for Winterfest, the Santa visit runs noon to 3 that Sunday.
Sprig Beauty Co., Saturday, Dec. 19. Sprig Beauty Co. sells clean beauty products, skincare, haircare and women's clothing. Its website also advertises facials and color analysis. At 1204 1st St, it has the highest address on the route. Snohomish City Lifestyle reported that Sprig Flower Company opened on First Street in 2019 and that Sprig Beauty Company opened downtown in fall 2022.
Peaches, Sunday, Dec. 20. The last visit is at Suite 104, 1024 1st St. Peaches sells bags, menswear, jewelry, women's apparel and children's items. It's the final weekend before Christmas, so this is the last downtown photo afternoon of the season.
A few practical notes
- Times are fixed. Every shop visit runs noon to 3 p.m. on its scheduled day. Each shop hosts Santa for one afternoon only.
- Bring your own camera. HDSA describes the shop visits as a free photo op.
- The lighting has two separate parts. Photos are inside the Carnegie from 3 p.m., and the countdown and lighting are outside on the plaza.
- Check before you go. HDSA says events on its calendar are subject to change, and the downtown calendar has the current listings.
- Want more? HDSA's calendar covers the historic district only. For events elsewhere in the area, it points to the City of Snohomish calendar and the Seattle North Country calendar.
From November 28 to December 20, Santa is downtown on eight days: the Carnegie, then a brewery, a general store, a vintage shop, a gift collective, an ice cream shop, a beauty shop and a boutique. Six are on First Street and one is on Glen Avenue, so any of those weekends works for a visit.
Downtown is lovely this time of year, especially once the tree at the Carnegie is lit. If you're thinking about listing a home in or near the historic district, holiday season is a great time to see how it shows. We'd love to meet you for coffee downtown and walk through it with you. Kathie Salvadalena offers a free seller consultation and home valuation. Request yours whenever you're ready.
