Why does Roswell's 2026 holiday season start a week before Thanksgiving? Because June's rained-out Alive in Roswell was rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19. Canton Street fills that evening, Roswell Junction holds a birthday party the same night, and the Christkindlmarket opens at Bulloch Hall the next day.
After that night, the season moves from Bulloch Hall to Canton Street, Heart of Roswell Park, Town Square and three arts and museum venues across the city. A parking pilot with a Dec. 31 end date covers the downtown portion of all of it.
The June Rainout That Landed on Nov. 19
Alive in Roswell was scheduled for June 18 and canceled because of weather. The City responded by adding a 2026 edition on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 9 p.m., on Historic Canton Street and the Roswell Antique and Interiors Lot. Admission is free, and leashed dogs are welcome.
That same evening, Roswell Junction at 340 S Atlanta St marks two years in business with RJ's 2nd Birthday Family Bash from 4 to 9 p.m. The food hall describes it as a family event with live entertainment, food, drinks and games. Later that night, from 7:30 p.m., Roswell Junction has a Country Swing Night on its calendar.
The two events overlap almost completely, so families can plan the evening in order:
- Roswell Junction's party opens at 4 p.m., an hour before the festival starts.
- Alive in Roswell runs on Canton Street from 5 to 9 p.m.
- The birthday party also ends at 9 p.m., so the late evening is a choice between the two.
Nov. 20 Puts Bulloch Hall at the Center of the Season
On Friday, Nov. 20, the Christkindlmarket at Bulloch Hall opens at 180 Bulloch Ave and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 23. Friends of Bulloch Hall lists mulled wine, foods from around the world, vendor stalls, and free admission.
The market is open nearly every day for more than a month, so the other holiday events come and go around it. Its posted hours change by day of the week:
| Day | Market hours | Photos with Santa |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Not listed |
| Friday | 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. | 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Saturday | 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. | 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Sunday | 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. | 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. |
Weeknight visits have the shortest hours and no listed Santa time. Weekend afternoons have both. Santa photos need no reservation.
Two Tree Lightings, Six Days Apart
Roswell lights two major trees this season, at different sites, about a week apart.
The first is at Bulloch Hall on Saturday, Nov. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m., during the Christkindlmarket. Friends of Bulloch, Inc. describes it as an annual tradition. Guests gather on the porch of the Bulloch Hall Gift Shoppe and sing carols before the lighting, then shop the market and the gift shop afterward.
Earlier that same Saturday, the Roswell Holiday Expo runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art, 5000 Commerce Parkway, after opening Friday, Nov. 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. It brings together local holiday vendors selling gifts, décor and handmade goods. A Thanksgiving-weekend Saturday can cover both, with the Expo in the afternoon and Bulloch Hall in the evening. Shoppers who are short on time should note the Expo's hours. They are much shorter than the market's.
The City's own event, Roswell's Annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree, is Friday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Heart of Roswell Park, 925 Canton St. The schedule includes choral performances, hot chocolate, fire pits and s'mores, a visit from Santa, and Mayor Mary Robichaux reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. It ends with the lighting of a 40-foot tree in the middle of the park. Admission is free.
The two lightings are hosted by different organizers. Bulloch Hall's is tied to the market. The City's sits on the Canton Street end of downtown.
The First Weekend of December Fills Up
The Dec. 4 tree lighting falls in the busiest stretch of the season. Earlier that week, Trouble in Toyland plays at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, with 10 a.m. shows Dec. 2 through 4 and a 1 p.m. show on Dec. 4. On Friday, Dec. 4, a family could see the 1 p.m. show and still get to Heart of Roswell Park for the 6 p.m. lighting.
Saturday, Dec. 5, brings the Roswell Makers Market to the Roswell Visual Arts Center, 10495 Woodstock Road, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes before the Christkindlmarket's Saturday evening hours, so one day can include both a morning on Woodstock Road and an evening at Bulloch Hall.
The following weekend belongs to The Nutcracker, back at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. Performances are Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m.
At Town Square, 610 Atlanta St., the City is inviting organizations to decorate six-foot trees for Deck the Square. Applications close Nov. 13, so local groups that want a tree on the square have about two weeks from this post to apply.
Here is the full season in one place:
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Alive in Roswell, 5 to 9 p.m. | Historic Canton Street and Roswell Antique and Interiors Lot |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | RJ's 2nd Birthday Family Bash, 4 to 9 p.m. | Roswell Junction, 340 S Atlanta St |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Country Swing Night, from 7:30 p.m. | Roswell Junction |
| Nov. 20 to Dec. 23 | Christkindlmarket | Bulloch Hall, 180 Bulloch Ave |
| Nov. 27 to 28 | Roswell Holiday Expo | Mimms Museum, 5000 Commerce Parkway |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Bulloch Hall tree lighting, 6 to 9 p.m. | Bulloch Hall |
| Dec. 2 to 4 | Trouble in Toyland | Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | City tree lighting, 6 to 8 p.m. | Heart of Roswell Park, 925 Canton St. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Roswell Makers Market, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Roswell Visual Arts Center, 10495 Woodstock Road |
| Dec. 11 to 13 | The Nutcracker | Roswell Cultural Arts Center |
What Parking Costs Downtown This Season
Several of these evenings happen on Canton Street, which is in a paid-parking pilot. Since Friday, May 15, the City has charged $2 per hour for on-street parking on Canton Street, Elizabeth Way and East Alley, and in the East Alley Parking Lot. The daily maximum is $16. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that the pilot runs through Dec. 31. That covers every Canton Street date in the table above.
The other option is the City's 394-space downtown deck, which opened May 4 at 1056 Alpharetta Street, at the corner of Green Street. Drivers reach it from Alpharetta Street by way of Kevin Cash Memorial Drive. Roswell Connections reported that the deck would be free while Green Street is closed for the Green Street Activation Plan. That project converts Green Street to one-way southbound and adds a brick-paved multi-use trail, lighting and landscaping. The closure was expected to last about six months from May 4. FOX 5 reported that the end of the free period depends on when construction finishes and that the City will announce rate changes in advance. Six months from May 4 lands in early November, just before the Nov. 19 kickoff. Check the City's notices before you count on a free deck in December.
One familiar holiday venue is off the map this year. Riverside Park at 575 Riverside Road is temporarily closed, with reopening expected in summer 2027. The sprayground is closed and Riverside Sounds is on hold. Every event on this season's calendar takes place uphill, on or near Canton Street, Atlanta Street, Bulloch Avenue and Forrest Street.
Dinner Between Events
Some of the Canton Street dining options have changed since last December. Truth Be Told at 1104 Canton St. is a few blocks up the street from the City's tree. Rough Draft Atlanta reported that it rolled out a revised American-French dinner menu this summer and started Sunday brunch on Aug. 9. The brunch works well on the Sunday after a Saturday at the market or a Nutcracker weekend.
Roswell Inc.'s summer roundup notes that Hugo's Oyster Bar completed upgrades that added an enclosed patio and a larger dining room. That is useful on a cold evening when an open patio is not. The same roundup reports that Bellini Osteria Toscana has reopened after fire damage earlier in 2026, so it is back as an option for a holiday dinner. Families can also skip the reservation and finish an evening at Roswell Junction, which hosts recurring entertainment on its calendar along with the Nov. 19 party.
Mark Shoda has lived in Roswell all his life and has seen many Decembers on Canton Street. If this season's walk between Bulloch Hall and Heart of Roswell Park has you considering a home closer to it, or you want to know how a downtown Roswell property shows to buyers during the holidays, Mark Shoda can walk you through the timing and the pricing. Let's Connect.
