In 2026, Monument's holiday season comes down to two Saturdays. On Nov. 28, Shop Small Business Saturday fills Historic Downtown Monument during the day. That evening, the 91st Annual Palmer Lake Chili Supper & Star Lighting takes place a few miles up Highway 105. Then on Dec. 5, Small Town Christmas takes over the same downtown blocks, and the town's Annual Tree Lighting happens in Limbach Park that same day.
Each Saturday starts with shopping and ends with lights. If you plan the morning without the evening, you end up driving home and back out again, or skipping one half of the day. Most of the other holiday events this season fall in the weeks before those two dates.
The Season on One Grid
| Date | In downtown Monument | Nearby | How firm the date is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri. Nov. 6 and Sat. Nov. 7 | Downtown Monument Holiday Open House | Encore Community Arts show at Trinity Lutheran on Nov. 7 | Open House follows the Chamber's "first Friday and Saturday in November" schedule |
| Thu. Nov. 19 | "History of the Yule Log" talk, Palmer Lake Town Hall | Confirmed for 2026 | |
| Fri. Nov. 20 | Tri-Lakes Women's Club Holiday Home Tour | Listed in OCN's October 2026 calendar | |
| Sat. Nov. 21 | MITEE Gobble Squabble, Bear Creek Elementary | Listed in OCN's October 2026 calendar | |
| Sat. Nov. 28 | Shop Small Business Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 91st Palmer Lake Chili Supper & Star Lighting | Star Lighting confirmed; Shop Small follows the Chamber's "Saturday after Thanksgiving" schedule |
| Sat. Dec. 5 | Small Town Christmas, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Annual Tree Lighting, Limbach Park | Tree Lighting confirmed; Small Town Christmas follows the Chamber's "first Saturday in December" schedule |
The Tri-Lakes Chamber's downtown events page sets three of these by recurring rules, not printed 2026 dates. The Open House is the first Friday and Saturday in November, Shop Small is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and Small Town Christmas is the first Saturday in December. On the 2026 calendar, those rules work out to Nov. 6–7, Nov. 28 and Dec. 5. The Tree Lighting is listed by name for Saturday, December 5, 2026.
The First Weekend of November Starts It
The Chamber describes the Downtown Monument Holiday Open House as the weekend when "downtown businesses kick off the holiday season," with food, special events and sales. The page doesn't list hours or participating shops, so the simplest way to do it is a walk along Front Street and Second Street to see who has their doors propped open.
Saturday, Nov. 7, has more going on just outside downtown. Encore Community Arts is staging "Disney's 101 Dalmatians Kids" at Trinity Lutheran Church, 17750 Knollwood Drive, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The cast is young performers from the Tri-Lakes area and beyond, and tickets are sold through Encore Community Arts. That evening, the Tri-Lakes Chamber holds its Business After Hours Annual Non-Profit Showcase at the Tri-Lakes YMCA from 5 to 7 p.m., where local nonprofit members of the Chamber are featured. A 1 p.m. matinee followed by a downtown stroll fits easily between those two.
The Weeknights and Weekend in Between
Three events land in the third week of November. All of them are in the Tri-Lakes area, and none are downtown.
- Thursday, Nov. 19, 7 to 9 p.m. The Palmer Lake Historical Society presents "History of the Yule Log" by Patricia and Gary Atkins at Palmer Lake Town Hall, 28 Valley Crescent St. The Town of Palmer Lake posted the talk alongside its Star Lighting notice. The talk works as background for the Yule Log tradition that comes later in the season.
- Friday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Tri-Lakes Women's Club runs its Joys of the Holiday Season Holiday Home Tour, which visits five northern El Paso County homes decorated for the season. Proceeds benefit local nonprofits, public education and service providers. Tickets are at joysoftheseasonht.org.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 6th Annual MITEE Gobble Squabble comes to Bear Creek Elementary, 1330 Creekside Drive, with FIRST Tech Challenge matches, combat robotics, maker tables, a raffle and an auction. Details are on Monumental Impact's event page.
Nov. 28 Is Front Street by Day and the Star by Evening
The Chamber calls Shop Small Business Saturday "the most important shopping day of the year for our local economy," and lists it as 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Historic Downtown Monument, with holiday events and offers. Our Community News lists Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28 in its October 2026 calendar.
On Oct. 21, 2026, the Town of Palmer Lake posted a notice for the 91st Annual Palmer Lake Chili Supper & Star Lighting, dated 11/28/26. The notice text doesn't give a time or venue. In 2025, the Colorado Springs Gazette listed the supper and lighting as 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 28 Valley Crescent St. That's last year's schedule, so check the town's notice before you head over.
If this year runs on a similar schedule, the day could go like this:
- Start downtown in the late morning, once shops open for Shop Small.
- Have lunch and do your browsing on Second Street and Washington Street through the early afternoon.
- Wrap up downtown before the Chamber's 6 p.m. close.
- Drive up to Palmer Lake for the chili supper and the Star Lighting, using the time the town confirms.
Dec. 5 Starts Downtown and Ends in Limbach Park
The second big Saturday follows the same pattern, but it all happens in Monument. The Chamber describes Small Town Christmas as running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. downtown, with visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus and their reindeer, hayrides, crafts and other traditional Christmas activities. The same page lists the Town's Annual Tree Lighting at Limbach Park that day, with festive activities, live entertainment and food trucks "before Santa arrives to light the trees."
The listing also asks for one thing to bring:
"Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to support Tri-Lakes Cares and local families in need."
The 2026 listing doesn't give times. In 2025, Our Community News printed a schedule with downtown stores opening at 10 a.m., park activities at 2 p.m., performers at 3 p.m. and Santa arriving at 5 p.m. to light the trees. A later OCN recap said the choir included students from Lewis-Palmer High and Middle Schools and Palmer Ridge High School. If 2026 follows that schedule, Santa's afternoon downtown and the evening lighting in the park make one long day, with Limbach Park as the last stop. The Town of Monument's tree lighting page is the place to check for this year's times.
On the same morning in Palmer Lake, Monumental Impact holds a free makerspace orientation at 10 a.m. at 866 Hwy 105. That leaves plenty of time to get downtown before the afternoon events start.
Where to Duck In on Either Saturday
Both big days end with time outdoors in December weather, so it helps to know a few downtown spots to step into.
- Covered Treasures Bookstore, 105 Second St. The store hosted author signings on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 this fall, including Lynn Horton's debut thriller "Loose Arrows" and Donna Guthrie's children's book "Hildie and the Halloween Potion." It's a natural first stop for gift shopping.
- Black Forest Foods, 140 2nd St. Posted hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., so it's open on both Saturdays during the downtown hours.
- Super Junk Vintage, 274 Washington St. The shop lists hours of Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Bair Brew Coffee, 225 Front St., Unit 100. The Chamber's directory lists it as "coming soon." Check whether it has opened before counting on a coffee there.
Super Junk Vintage closes at 5 p.m. and Black Forest Foods at 5:30 p.m., both before the Chamber's 6 p.m. end for the downtown events, so plan to stop at those two earlier in the afternoon.
If you're thinking about a move in 2027 and want to talk through timing, staging, or how a winter listing works in Monument, Jeanne Guischard and The Elite Team are glad to help. Schedule Your Free Market Consultation, and we'll plan it around your calendar, holiday Saturdays included.
