Which tree lighting kicks off the holidays in downtown Walnut Creek? This year downtown lights two trees, two weeks apart, run by two different hosts. The first one goes up in Civic Park on Friday, November 20, the same day the ice rink opens a few steps away.
The Civic Park tree, the rink and the Lesher Center for the Arts sit within one block of Civic Drive. From mid-November to early December, that block carries most of what downtown has on the calendar. On December 3, Broadway Plaza holds its own parade and tree lighting, and the season moves west toward the mall and North Main Street. Knowing which half you're in makes it easier to plan.
Civic Drive Gets the First Three Weeks
The Walnut Creek Downtown Association lists the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony for November 20, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Civic Park, 1375 Civic Drive. It's free and open to everyone, with complimentary hot cocoa, holiday carolers and a visit from Frosty the Snowman.
The Civic Park lighting has had breaks over the years. A 2014 event listing in Beyond the Creek called that year's ceremony a return after a three-year hiatus. In December 2023, the city's City Manager update again described the lighting as the return of a long-standing city tradition. It was held again in 2025, and the 2026 listing doesn't describe a move or a change of format.
Opening day matters too. Walnut Creek on Ice opens at Civic Park, 1365 Civic Drive, on November 20 and runs through January 18, 2027. That's its 21st season, according to the Downtown Association's October 13 announcement. So the tree and the rink start on the same evening in the same park.
Kathy Hemmenway, Executive Director of the Walnut Creek Business Association, a presenter of the rink, described the run this way in the Downtown Association's release:
"After 21 years, we've seen kids grow up on this ice and come back with families of their own. That's what makes this rink so special. It's part of how Walnut Creek celebrates the holidays, and we can't wait to see everyone back on the ice."
The rink is produced by the Community Partnership for Walnut Creek Downtown, the nonprofit partner of the business improvement district. It also puts on the Locust Street Festival and Oktoberfest. Because downtown's own event organization runs this half of the season, the Civic Park side runs on a different schedule from the mall.
What the Rink Offers Beyond Open Skate
The Downtown Association calls Walnut Creek on Ice the Bay Area's only outdoor ice rink and ice slide, and the rink itself is covered. Here's what the 2026–27 announcement lists:
- Frosty's Summit Ice Slide: a 90-foot ice slide next to the rink.
- Ice-Skating Academy and hockey classes: offered throughout the season.
- Littles Skates: Wednesday-morning sessions for the youngest skaters, including a morning visit from Santa.
- Private fire pits: reservable rinkside for warming up between sessions.
The rink's page describes 90-minute sessions and a completely cashless setup, so plan to pay online or with an approved digital method on site. Some ticket links and the visit-planning page still show labels from last season. Check current pricing and hours at WalnutCreekOnIce.com before you go, since the October release sends visitors there for tickets, hours, classes and reservations.
The Lesher Center Starts Before the Tree Does
The tree lighting isn't the first holiday event on Civic Drive. The Lesher Center for the Arts, at 1601 Civic Drive, opens its holiday run a full week earlier. Diablo Ballet's The Nutcracker Suite plays November 13 and 14, and the Lesher event page calls it a new two-act production by Julia Adam.
After that, the Lesher calendar lines up with the rink season almost week for week:
| Dates | Show at the Lesher Center |
|---|---|
| Nov. 13–14 | Diablo Ballet's The Nutcracker Suite |
| Nov. 21–22 | Smuin's The Christmas Ballet |
| Nov. 27–29 | Once Upon A Christmas |
| Dec. 6 | Snow Day! Holiday Concert |
| Dec. 9–23 | A Christmas Carol |
| Dec. 12 | The Snowman Meets Vivaldi! |
| Dec. 12 | Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole |
| Dec. 16–23 | Visit to the North Pole |
Smuin's The Christmas Ballet opens the day after the tree lighting, and Once Upon A Christmas covers Thanksgiving weekend. If you drive in for a show, the Lesher's visit page says the Lesher garage may charge a flat $5 event-parking fee. The city's Parking Downtown page lists the fee as up to $5. The garage puts you within walking distance of Civic Park, so you can see a matinee and skate on the same day without moving the car.
December 3 Is When the Season Moves to Broadway Plaza
The second tree belongs to Broadway Plaza. Its Holiday Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting is set for Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., throughout the shopping center. The listing promises music, entertainment, a parade and a tree-lighting ceremony led by Santa Claus.
The two lightings are different events. Civic Park's is a one-hour, free gathering in a city park with cocoa and carolers. Broadway Plaza's runs two and a half hours on a weeknight and fills the mall with a parade. Families with young kids can make the first one by dinnertime. The second one runs well into a school night.
After December 3, the new things on the calendar sit closer to the mall and North Main Street. Bay Area Telegraph reported that Bacio di Latte is planning its grand opening for December 11, 2026, at 1500 Mt. Diablo Boulevard. Brian Hirahara of BH Development told the outlet that "Bacio is planning a Grand Opening on 12/11/26 but hope to open sooner." That puts a new gelato counter downtown in the middle of holiday shopping season.
Two days later, on Sunday, December 13, the HEAD WEST Marketplace returns to North Main Street for the last of its four 2026 dates. It's an open-air market of local makers, artisans and small businesses selling handcrafted goods, vintage finds, art, home décor and fashion. If your gift list needs things you can't find in a mall, this is the downtown date to keep open.
The Weekend Both Halves Overlap
Most of the season splits cleanly between Civic Drive and Broadway Plaza. The weekend of December 11 through 13 is when the two run together. Here's what's on the schedule:
- Friday, Dec. 11: Bacio di Latte's planned grand opening on Mt. Diablo Boulevard, with A Christmas Carol already in its run at the Lesher Center.
- Saturday, Dec. 12: Two separate Lesher shows, The Snowman Meets Vivaldi! and Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole, with the rink open across the park.
- Sunday, Dec. 13: HEAD WEST Marketplace on North Main Street.
If you only have one downtown weekend free in December, this one covers the most ground. On the Saturday you can see a show and skate at Civic Park, and on Sunday you can shop the makers' market on North Main, all without leaving downtown.
The weeks after that belong to the Lesher's closing runs. A Christmas Carol and Visit to the North Pole both end December 23. The rink is the last thing open, with its season closing on January 18, 2027.
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