Fremont lights two holiday trees this year, one week apart, both on a Friday and both at about 6 p.m. Niles goes first on November 27. Downtown on Capitol Avenue follows on December 4. On each of those Fridays, Ardenwood Historic Farm is open until 4 p.m. with something worth the trip. The farm is free on the first Friday, and the Patterson House Christmas tours start on the second. Because the farm closes before either tree lighting starts, each Friday can hold both.
What follows is the calendar built around those two days, starting with what changes at Ardenwood before Thanksgiving week.
Ardenwood finishes its construction the same week its prices drop
Since October 12, crews have been working on several buildings around Ardenwood Historic Farm at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd. The East Bay Regional Park District says some buildings and exhibits may be temporarily closed and there may be dust and noise near the work. The park's construction notice, last updated November 8, gives November 25 as the end date.
The farm's pricing changes that same week. The historic season ends the Sunday before Thanksgiving, which is November 22 this year. The winter season starts Tuesday, November 24. In winter, every open day costs what were the cheaper weekdays in the historic season.
| Ardenwood admission | Adults 18+ | Seniors 62+ | Children 4–17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Historic season, Thu/Fri/Sun, through Nov. 22 | $6 | $5 | $4 |
| Historic season, Tue/Wed/Sat, through Nov. 22 | $4 | $3 | $2 |
| Winter season, Tue–Sun, from Nov. 24 | $4 | $3 | $2 |
Children under 4 are free all year, parking is free, and the farm is cashless. It takes Visa, MasterCard, Discover and tap to pay at the kiosk. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. The farm is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and open on Christmas Eve. Dogs are not allowed.
So the farm reopens after construction on the winter price schedule, with the Thanksgiving Day closure falling in between. That sets up the first Friday.
One event comes before all of this. On Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Joseph Church holds its Mission San Jose Dominican Center Holiday Boutique at 43326 Mission Circle. It will have baked goods, handmade items, jewelry, a silent auction and a raffle.
Friday, November 27: a free farm, then Niles at 6
The day after Thanksgiving is Green Friday for the East Bay Regional Park District. According to the district's November–December 2026 activity guide, entry to Ardenwood Historic Farm is free that day, along with parking, boat launching and fishing fees across the parks. Only state fishing licenses, watercraft inspections and concession fees still apply. The farm normally charges for every open day, so this is its one free day of the season. It is also the first Friday after the construction ends.
The farm closes at 4. Two hours later, the Festival of Lights Parade and Tree Lighting starts at Niles Town Plaza, 37482 Niles Boulevard, and runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The Niles Main Street Association holds the parade every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It has more than 60 floats and other entries, marching bands, specialty service units, costumed characters and Santa Claus. Niles community members and the wider Fremont community sponsor it.
If you want to help out instead of sightseeing, the park district also runs Green Friday volunteer projects that day. Spots are limited and you need to register. The Fremont project is at Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area under program code 60833.
Saturday, November 28: the Niles routine takes a week off
The morning after the parade, Niles Town Plaza will be quiet. The Niles Fremont Farmers Market normally runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the plaza, rain or shine. The market's holiday schedule shows it closed on November 28 for Thanksgiving. It is also closed December 26 for Christmas and January 2, 2027 for New Year's.
So the Saturday after Thanksgiving is the one weekend morning that week with no market in Niles. The holiday weekend picks up again on Sunday at Coyote Hills Regional Park. From 2 to 3 p.m. on November 29, the park celebrates the 50th anniversary of the planting of its coast live oak. The program covers the natural history of oaks and their importance to people and wildlife, and there will be cake. Meet at the Visitor Center. It's drop-in, with no registration.
Friday, December 4: the Patterson House opens, and Capitol Avenue lights its tree
The second Friday repeats the first one's pattern, with a daytime at the farm and a 6 p.m. tree lighting. This time the tree is downtown.
At Ardenwood, Old-Fashioned Christmas at the Patterson House opens on December 4. Costumed docents lead tours of the farm's restored Queen Anne mansion, where 14 rooms are decorated with Victorian-style holiday ornaments. The tours are included in Ardenwood admission, according to the park district's activity guide. Starting November 24, admission is the winter rate shown in the table above, though the Ardenwood page says special-event fees can vary and lists (510) 544-2797 for current pricing.
There are two kinds of tours:
- 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.: all ages, downstairs only, wheelchair accessible, about 20 minutes
- 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.: full tours for ages 6 and up, about 45 minutes
The last full tour starts at 2:30 and runs until about 3:15, which still leaves time before the farm closes at 4.
Downtown, the City of Fremont's Holidays at the Plaza runs from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Downtown Event Center and Plaza, 3500 Capitol Ave. The city's November 6 newsletter says the event is free and family-friendly. It includes a 6 p.m. tree lighting, hot chocolate, gourmet food trucks, music, winter activities and holiday photo spots. PG&E is the presenting sponsor and Republic Services is the supporting sponsor. The Fremont Chamber of Commerce and Food Truck Mafia are community partners. The city keeps updates on its Holidays at the Plaza page.
Here is how December 4 fits together:
- 11:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.: full Patterson House tour at Ardenwood
- 2 p.m.: the last downstairs-only tour, for groups with children under 6
- 4 p.m.: Ardenwood closes
- 5 p.m.: Holidays at the Plaza opens on Capitol Avenue
- 6 p.m.: tree lighting at the Downtown Event Center Plaza
- 9 p.m.: the plaza event ends
The Patterson House stays open longer than either tree lighting
The tree lightings are each one night only, but the Patterson House tours continue for three weekends, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday:
- December 4, 5 and 6
- December 11, 12 and 13
- December 18, 19 and 20
That gives you nine days to see the house. Only the first one, December 4, comes before the downtown tree lighting that evening. If a Friday is too packed, Saturdays and Sundays have the same tour times, and on Saturdays you can combine the house with the Niles market.
The first Sunday of the tours also has the season's most hands-on event at the farm. Ardenwood's Wreath Making Workshop runs on December 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You make a wreath from fresh evergreens and bring your own handheld pruners. It is open to ages 10 and up, and anyone under 16 must register with an adult. The fee is $33 for residents and $38 for non-residents. Registration is required, using program code 60705. The workshop ends at 1 p.m., which leaves time for the 2:30 p.m. full house tour that afternoon.
After the house tours end on December 20, the holiday hours still change a few more times. Ardenwood is open on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day, and the Niles market skips Saturday, December 26 before closing again on January 2.
Planning a December that includes family visiting from out of town, maybe for longer than a weekend? The Heather Lin Real Estate Team follows local calendars like this one all year across Fremont and the rest of the Peninsula and South Bay, in English and Mandarin. Schedule a Free Consultation and we'll help you plan visits around the dates that matter in your part of town.
