Things to Do in Snohomish County in November 2026
Lifestyle
Lifestyle
What are the best things to do in Snohomish County in November 2026? Shop the Edmonds Holiday Market on Saturdays, catch Everett's Wintertide lighting Nov 27, then Edmonds or Snohomish tree lightings and Small Business Saturday on Nov 28.
November in Snohomish County has a reputation problem. It gets dark at 4:30, the rain settles in, and most of us spend the month waiting for December to show up and make the season official. I get it. But if you're looking for things to do in Snohomish County in November, the last two weeks of the month are where the holiday season starts, and most of it is free.
I put a version of this list on Instagram a few days ago, and it took off. Clearly I'm not the only one who wants a plan. So here's the expanded version, with every date checked against the organizers' own websites, a correction from the original post, and my honest take on which events are worth rearranging your weekend for.
Below you'll find the Saturday markets in Edmonds, the big Thanksgiving weekend tree lightings in Everett, Edmonds, and Snohomish, a Small Business Saturday plan that includes Mill Creek Town Center, and a preview of Mill Creek's Holidays on Main on December 5.
The easiest win this month is the Edmonds Holiday Market, held along 5th Avenue North and Bell Street just outside the Edmonds Historical Museum. For 2026, the market runs Saturdays on November 7, 14, and 21, then picks back up December 5, 12, and 19, from 9am to 2pm, according to the Edmonds Historical Museum and the Edmonds Downtown Alliance's holiday calendar.
One correction from my Instagram post: the market runs 9 to 2, not 10 to 3, and there's no market on November 28 because that's the day of the Edmonds tree lighting.
What you'll find is locally made gifts, art, and food vendors in a walkable downtown that already does the holidays well. My strong recommendation is to go on November 14 or 21. The pre-Thanksgiving Saturdays are noticeably calmer than the December dates, and you get first pick from vendors before the gift-shopping rush hits.
If you want to make an evening of it, downtown Edmonds also has an Art Walk on Thursday, November 19 from 5 to 8pm, and a "First Dibs" holiday shopping night on Saturday, November 21 from 5 to 8pm, both listed on the Edmonds holiday calendar.
Takeaway: Pick November 14 or 21, arrive before noon, and pair the market with an evening event downtown.
Thanksgiving weekend is the main event, and Everett kicks it off. The Wintertide Tree Lighting and Kickoff Celebration is Friday, November 27, 2026, from 2 to 8pm in downtown Everett, according to the City of Everett's event listing with the Downtown Everett Association.
In past years, the tree has been at Colby Avenue and Hewitt Avenue, and in 2025 the crowd gathered just before 5pm for Santa's arrival and the lighting countdown, as The Daily Herald reported. The city hasn't published the 2026 lighting time yet, so plan to be there by 4:45 and check visiteverett.com the week of.
Why this one is worth the drive from Mill Creek or Bothell: it's the longest event of the weekend, so you're not locked into a 30-minute window. Arrive mid-afternoon, wander downtown, grab dinner, and catch the lighting without racing anyone for parking.
Takeaway: Go Friday, give yourself the whole afternoon, and confirm the exact lighting time on visiteverett.com before you leave.
Here's the scheduling problem nobody mentions. Edmonds and Snohomish both light their trees on Saturday, November 28, and both run from 3 to 5pm. You can't do both, so pick the one that fits your evening.
The Edmonds Tree Lighting is 3 to 5pm at 5th Avenue North and Bell Street, at Centennial Plaza in downtown Edmonds, per the Edmonds holiday calendar. Last year's program started at 4:30 with live music and a countdown, according to Explore Edmonds. Go for the setting. Downtown Edmonds at dusk in late November, with the Sound in the background, is a good evening.
The Snohomish Tree Lighting is 3 to 5pm at the Carnegie Building, 105 Cedar Avenue. According to the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association, Santa arrives at 3pm for photos inside the historic Carnegie, a live music countdown and sing-along starts at 4:45, and the tree lights at 5pm. The event is free and organized with the City of Snohomish.
The Snohomish advantage is what happens after. First Street is right there, and the shops stay open, so the lighting turns into an evening on a historic main street.
Takeaway: Choose Edmonds for the waterfront atmosphere, choose Snohomish if you want to shop afterward.
Snohomish vs. Mill Creek: Small-Town Charm or Planned Community?
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26 this year, which puts Small Business Saturday on November 28, 2026, the same day as the Edmonds and Snohomish tree lightings.
That timing works in your favor. My three favorite places to shop local that day:
Skip the big box stores for one day. Locally owned shops are a big part of why these downtowns feel the way they do, and that feel is a real reason people choose to live here. When I walk buyers through Mill Creek Town Center or First Street in Snohomish, the shops are often what they remember from the tour.
Takeaway: Shop in the afternoon, then walk to the tree lighting in the same downtown. One parking spot, two events.
It's technically December, but no November plan is complete without a save-the-date for my own neighborhood. Mill Creek's Holidays on Main is Saturday, December 5, 2026, a full day of holiday events throughout Town Center that wraps with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, according to the City of Mill Creek.
Santa's Coming to Town Center runs noon to 6pm, presented by the City of Mill Creek and the Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce. Santa's Snowflake Village is open noon to 4pm at The Forum at Town Center (15121 Main Street), with Santa photos from 1 to 3pm. The Santa Parade starts at 4pm, heading south on Main Street to Jewelry Source Plaza (15603 Main Street), where the tree lights at 5pm, according to the City of Mill Creek.
As a Mill Creek local, this is my favorite night of the season. Main Street is small enough that you can actually see the parade, and the lighting has a hometown feel that bigger events can't replicate. Bothell's own Lucky the Tree festivities land in early December too, so check my full holiday guide for those dates.
Takeaway: Block December 5 now, get Santa photos between 1 and 3pm, and stake out a spot on Main Street by 3:45.
Snohomish County Holiday Guide 2026
Here's how I'd map out the month:
A few practical notes. Dress for rain, because this is Snohomish County in November and it will. Bring cash for smaller vendors. Get to downtown Edmonds and Snohomish early on the 28th, because both small downtowns fill up fast that afternoon. And check each organizer's site the week of, since outdoor events occasionally shift.
When is the Everett tree lighting in 2026? Everett's Wintertide Tree Lighting and Kickoff Celebration is Friday, November 27, 2026, from 2 to 8pm in downtown Everett.
Are the Edmonds and Snohomish tree lightings on the same day? Yes. Both are Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 3 to 5pm, so you'll need to choose one.
What day is Small Business Saturday in 2026? Small Business Saturday is November 28, 2026, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
What are the Edmonds Holiday Market hours? 9am to 2pm on select Saturdays: November 7, 14, and 21, and December 5, 12, and 19, at 5th Avenue North and Bell Street.
When is the Mill Creek tree lighting? Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 5pm at Jewelry Source Plaza in Mill Creek Town Center, right after the 4pm Santa Parade.
Things to do in Snohomish County in November are easy to overlook, but the month quietly delivers: calm Saturday markets in Edmonds, three tree lightings over Thanksgiving weekend, a Small Business Saturday that pairs perfectly with them, and Mill Creek's Holidays on Main right on its heels. Pick one or two, put them on the calendar, and let the season start a little early this year.
If these weekends have you thinking about which of these towns you'd actually want to call home, or what your current home is worth before the spring market, I'm happy to talk it through on your timeline. Reach out at [email protected] or 206.920.6500, or visit beccalocke.com for my full Snohomish County Holiday Guide and neighborhood resources.
About Becca Locke Becca Locke is a Real Estate Advisor serving Mill Creek, Bothell, Edmonds, and Snohomish County with over 20 years of experience and 500+ closed transactions. Specializing in first-time purchases, downsizing and rightsizing transactions, and cross-country relocations to the Mill Creek and Bothell area. Locke Real Estate at Real Broker LLC. Washington license #23740. Top 2% of NWMLS agents. beccalocke.com | 206.920.6500
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