Hosting family for Thanksgiving, or looking for something fun to do the day after? Everett kicks off its holiday season on Black Friday with the free Wintertide Tree Lighting & Kickoff Celebration downtown. Pair it with a long weekend at a cozy lake house in south Everett, and you have an easy holiday getaway about 25 miles north of Seattle.

Wintertide Tree Lighting: the basics

The City of Everett lists the 2026 Wintertide Tree Lighting & Kickoff Celebration for Friday, November 27, from 2 to 8 p.m. It takes place at the town square at Colby and Hewitt avenues in downtown Everett, with indoor activities at the New Everett Theater (2911 Colby Ave.).

Here is what the city has posted for the day:

• Tree lighting just after 5 p.m., when Santa arrives at Hewitt and Colby.
• Falling snow downtown at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. (30 minutes each) and 5 p.m. (60 minutes).
• Free holiday movies inside the theater, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Santa Clause and Elf.
• Free Santa photos at the New Everett Theater from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
• Free cookies, hot cocoa and hot cider inside, plus food trucks and vendors outside.
• Crafts and activities in the Wintertide Workshop, plus music and dance performances.

Most activities are free. The city notes street parking downtown is free for the holiday weekend, and the Everpark garage (2815 Hoyt Ave.) is $1 per hour. Schedules can change, so check the city’s Wintertide page at visiteverett.com before you head out.

Make it a Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, so the tree lighting lands right in the middle of a long weekend. That makes it a nice plan if you have family coming in from out of town. Cook the big meal Thursday, sleep in Friday, then head downtown in the afternoon for snow, Santa and the lights.

If you would rather stay close to home base, Silver Lake has its own quiet charm in late fall. The 2.2-mile loop around the lake passes two public parks and is a good after-dinner walk to work off the pie. Mill Creek’s shops and restaurants are also just a short drive away.

Where to stay: the Silver Lake House

The Silver Lake House is a mid-century lakefront cabin in south Everett, built in the 1950s, with wood paneling, a sunken living room and a stone fireplace that is made for a cold November night. It is a great fit for a holiday gathering:

• Room for everyone: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths and sleeps 7.
• A full kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner and leftovers all weekend.
• A game room with air hockey and its own outside entrance, so the kids (and competitive uncles) have their own space.
• Lake views and a private dock for morning coffee by the water.
• Washer/dryer, fast Wi-Fi and a smart TV for football and holiday movies.
• Pet-friendly with a fee, so the dog can come for the holidays too.

The house sits near I-5, so getting to downtown Everett, Mill Creek, Mukilteo or Paine Field is easy, and an Everett Transit bus stop is a block or two away.

Good to know before you book

• Quiet hours are 9 p.m. to 8 a.m., and parties are not allowed. It is a cozy family house, not an event venue.
• No outdoor fires. The indoor stone fireplace is where the coziness happens.
• There is no fence between the lawn and the water, so keep an eye on little ones and pets.

Plan your holiday weekend in Everett

Holiday weekends book up fast in Snohomish County. If you want a lakefront place for Thanksgiving and the Wintertide kickoff, book direct for the best rate and a real person to answer your questions. Call or text 360-913-5965 anytime.