At dusk this week on Washington Street, the small street trees, the big oaks, Town Hall and Schmitt Hall all light up. So do the walkway along Bardessono's frontage and the two Washington Street bridges. They stay on until midnight. They come back on an hour and a half before dawn and go off when daylight arrives. That is their regular schedule now, and on October 20 the Town Council decided to keep it that way.
That changes what the Town & Tree Lighting on Sunday, November 22 does. The town no longer goes from dark to lit that night. What changes is the holiday tree, the stage program, the white lights on businesses and the restaurants open for the season. This year several of those restaurants are new to a Yountville holiday season.
The council's decision, and the question it left open
The Yountville Sun's report on the October 20 meeting explains the background. Last year the town bought the lighting now installed around the community, along with an annual maintenance contract. That contract runs out at the end of this year. Parks and Recreation Director Samantha Holland asked the council whether to renew it and keep the town lit all year.
The paper reported that Holland called the system complex and described its programming this way:
"infinite and overwhelming choices of colors, and scheduling options."
After a long discussion, the council concluded that most residents and visitors would rather have the lights up all year than only in certain seasons. Council Members Robin McKee and Hillery Trippe raised concerns about how late-night lighting might affect migrating birds. The council kept the lights year-round and is considering fewer overnight hours. Interim Town Manager John Ferons said the lights run on the town's power grid and haven't noticeably raised electricity bills.
So the lights will stay, but their hours may change. Any new schedule will arrive around the same time the maintenance contract ends. Heather Abrams will be in charge of town administration by then. She started as town manager on October 19, the day before this meeting.
What the lighting on November 22 actually lights
Lighting the town used to be the big moment. Last November, the Yountville Sun's preview of the 2025 event called the town lighting a decades-long tradition. Its writer described walking up Washington Street after sunset among "thousands of tiny white lights trimming the entire main thoroughfare." Now the town's own system is already on that evening, so most of what's new comes from the event itself.
Here's the evening as the Town of Yountville's event listing lays it out. The event is free, at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street.
- 4 to 5:45 p.m. Holiday crafts and activities for families inside the Community Center.
- Shortly before 6 p.m. Everyone moves outside for performances on the outdoor stage.
- 6 p.m. The town and the holiday tree are lit.
- 7 p.m. The town's listed end time.
The town asks people to leave pets at home. The Yountville Chamber's mixer schedule lists the same date with a 6 to 8 p.m. window. Families coming for the crafts should go by the town's 4 p.m. start.
The town and the Chamber have only announced the program above. Last year's extras were the California Dream Express train rides on Yount Street and the Yountville holiday pop-up kiosk near the post office, which opened that week. Both were described as new in 2025, and neither has been confirmed for 2026.
The businesses add their own layer. On its holiday resource page, the Chamber asks Yountville businesses to put white holiday lights on their exteriors before November 22 so the whole town glows. It also invites them to decorate lobbies and storefronts for a 2026 holiday décor feature. The town's lights stay on all year. The extra white lights on businesses are the part that marks the holiday season.
The storefronts in that layer are newer this year
The season runs from November 22, 2026 through January 1, 2027. The Chamber calls it six weeks in "the Brightest Town in Napa Valley." Several of the places taking part have changed since last December.
| Place | Where | What's different going into this season |
|---|---|---|
| The Yount Room | 6505 Washington St., the historic depot | Wine collective with artisan retail and tastings. Opened February 20, so this is its first Yountville holiday season. |
| Pancha's | Yountville | Reopened with a ribbon cutting on January 15, 2026 |
| North Block Restaurant | 6757 Washington St. | Casual, neighborhood-focused menu and a weekly three-course Sunday Supper with a menu that changes monthly |
| Birdie Yountville at the Lakeside Grill | Vintner's Golf Club | New name, new chef, daily breakfast and happy hour |
| Clementine | 6525 Washington St. | Second holiday season. Opened August 14, 2025. |
At the depot, the Yountville Sun's March profile of The Yount Room mentioned pours from several wineries, nonalcoholic tasting options and a refreshed patio. Pancha's reopened under primary partners Ren and Marilyn Harris and managing partner Scott Lewis, so this is also its first December since the change. At Clementine, chef Rebecca Weitzman marked the restaurant's first year in August.
North Block and Birdie changed the most, and both changes suit locals on a weeknight. The Yountville Sun reported in September that North Block moved away from formal dining. Chef de cuisine Antonio Natal now leads a seasonal menu with wood-fired pizza, house-made pasta and California-forward wine. The new Sunday Supper is three courses for $49 per person, and the menu changes monthly. That makes November 22 an easy Sunday Supper night. Dinner can come before or after the 6 p.m. lighting a short walk away.
At Vintner's Golf Club, the old Lakeside Grill is now Birdie Yountville at the Lakeside Grill. Chef Jimmy Martinez, who arrived recently, revamped the menu. It now serves breakfast daily from 8 a.m., weekend brunch and a daily happy hour. The owners told the paper their dining-room plans are a facelift with new wood finishes, flooring, booths and a lounge. They don't plan a structural remodel. On the 12 Days of Yountville Cheer weekends, that means there's breakfast in town before the shopping starts.
The 12 Days campaign runs from November 28, Small Business Saturday, through December 9. During that window, the Chamber features limited-time offers from local businesses in wine, food, lodging, retail and experiences.
One familiar address stays dark through the season
Not every landmark will be lit and open. V Marketplace, formerly Vintage 1870, is still closed. The Yountville Sun reported on October 22 that the town received an application to modify the building, including exterior changes and a second-floor commercial kitchen and event space. Planning and Building Director Aaron Hecock told the paper the application hasn't yet been deemed complete. That means it hasn't reached a full review under CEQA, the General Plan or zoning. He also said it's too early to estimate when it could go before the Zoning and Design Review Board or the Town Council.
The property is part of The Estate Yountville, and the application describes the project as Groezinger Wine Cellar and The Estate Yountville Winery. Updates will go on the town's Current Commercial Projects page. If the project goes to the Zoning and Design Review Board, that stage includes a chance for public comment. No reopening date has been announced, so plan on it staying closed this holiday season.
The dates between now and New Year's
The holiday season opens on November 22, but the town's calendar starts filling before then. Here's what's coming up from this Thursday on:
- Saturday, October 31, 5 to 11 p.m. The town's second annual Halloween Party on the north end of Washington Street, which will be closed to traffic.
- Ongoing. At the October 20 meeting, Council Member McKee said the food donation barrel at the Community Center is running low. The Food Bank especially needs dry cereal.
- Sunday, November 22, 4 to 7 p.m. Town & Tree Lighting at the Community Center, with the lighting at 6 p.m.
- November 28 through December 9. 12 Days of Yountville Cheer business offers.
- January 1, 2027. Holidays in Yountville ends.
- End of 2026. The town's lighting maintenance contract expires, and the council's look at shorter overnight hours may change when the oaks and bridges go dark.
The barrel at the Community Center is in the same building where families will do crafts on November 22. Anyone heading there can bring a box of cereal.
Carolyn Roberts has followed Yountville through many holiday seasons, from changing storefronts on Washington Street to decisions made at Town Hall. If you'd like to talk about how town decisions like this one are shaping Yountville, Carolyn Roberts is glad to share what she's seeing. Let's Connect.
