Three Tree Lightings, Three Nights: How Alpharetta Opens the Holidays This November

Between 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20, and 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, Alpharetta will light three Christmas trees in three parts of the city. First comes The Hamilton Alpharetta on Milton Avenue, then the City of Alpharetta's tree in front of City Hall, then Avalon. Each night has a different start time, a different setting and a different main draw. For a household with one free evening that weekend, the useful question is which night to pick.

Milton Avenue and Avalon get a head start in October

The Hamilton, its Milton Avenue neighbor Truck & Tap, and Avalon all have Halloween events on the calendar, so two of the three lighting sites can be scouted in October before the trees go up. Here is what's on the calendar from this week through the first of November:

• Paint The Town 2026: Alpharetta Plein Air runs every day through Saturday, October 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Fermented Fridays at 50 Canton Street, Suite 106, has live jazz and natural wine on October 23 and October 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. Cover is $10, or $5 for wine club members.
• Big Screen by The Green at Chiringa, 34 S. Main St., streams college football on October 24 and October 31 from noon to 10 p.m.
• Avalon Trick or Treating is Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to noon, with kids' activities and food for sale.
• Alpharetta Boos & Booze Bar Crawl starts at Truck & Tap, 30 Milton Ave., on October 24 and October 31 from 4 to 10 p.m.
• Avalon Trick or Drink is Friday, October 30, from 6 to 8 p.m.
• A Hamilton Halloween: Mystery of Room 231 is an adults-only immersive mystery with cocktails and a costume contest at The Hamilton, 35 Milton Ave., on October 30 from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Alpharetta Women's Half Marathon & 5K runs Sunday, November 1, and registration is open.

The calendars don't say what several of these cost. Check the bar crawl, Trick or Drink and The Hamilton's mystery night before you go. Taken together, though, the list shows the pattern for November. Milton Avenue hosts the adult evenings, and Avalon hosts the daytime family events plus an early-evening one.

Friday at The Hamilton has the earliest lighting of the three

The Hamilton Alpharetta calls its tree lighting an annual event and sets admission as complimentary. The evening runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20, and the tree is lit at 6:30. That's the earliest lighting of the weekend, half an hour before Avalon's.

The listing reads like a party at a restaurant and hotel. There's a Hot Cocoa Baileys Bar and a Prime Rib special from the restaurant. Carolers from the Alpharetta High School Chorus perform outdoors, and there's a family photo area, photos with Santa, and holiday classics on a big screen on the Amenity Deck. The Hamilton suggests arriving early to get a drink before the lighting.

Friday also starts the weekend after work. A household that wants a lighting and a sit-down dinner in one stop, with the evening over by 8:30, has a clear choice on the first night.

Saturday splits between North Point and City Hall

Saturday, November 21, is the only day with two holiday events in different parts of the city, and their hours don't overlap.

North Point Mall's Holiday Kick-Off runs from noon to 3 p.m. at 1000 North Point Circle, with Santa, activities and an indoor parade. The listing doesn't give an admission price. Two hours after it ends, the city's Season of Celebration begins downtown at 2 Park Plaza and runs from 5 to 8 p.m.

At 50 feet, the downtown tree is ten feet taller than Avalon's 40-foot tree on Sunday. The program is the most elaborate of the three nights. It runs on the main stage in front of Alpharetta City Hall with live holiday music, snow flurries, marshmallow roasting, sing-alongs, characters and performers walking through the crowd, and a visit from Santa. The city asks guests to bring portable chairs, and the event is free and held rain or shine.

Since you bring your own chairs, plan to arrive early and stay put. After 8 p.m. the dining rooms are a short walk away. Little Alley Steak is at 102 S Main St. Chiringa, home of the October Big Screen by The Green football screenings, is at 34 S. Main St.

Sunday at Avalon runs on two schedules at once

The Lighting of Avalon on Sunday, November 22, is the longest of the three events. It runs from 2 to 7:30 p.m., with free family activities and the season opening of Avalon on Ice. Avalon's posted schedule:

1. 2 to 3 p.m. Activity Row, with an ice skating performance by students of all ages.
2. 3 p.m. Avalon on Ice opens to the public.
3. 3 to 5 p.m. The Atlanta Figure Skating Club performs, and Avalon Boulevard has face painting, holiday crafts and a photo booth.
4. 7 p.m. Santa counts down to the lighting of the 40-foot tree, and Avalon says it starts promptly.

The boulevard events and the tree lighting are free. Skating is not. The rink's posted rates are $18 for general admission and $14 for children 12 and under, skates included. Avalon recommends booking a time slot in advance. Walk-ups are welcome, but a slot isn't guaranteed. There are no group rates Friday through Sunday. The rink's regular posted Sunday hours run from noon to 7 p.m., the same time the tree lighting starts. If your family wants to skate and also see the tree lit, a reserved slot between 3 and 7 is the safest plan. The rink page lists its season only as "Holidays 2026," so check the times and prices when you book.

Avalon's parking advice is the most detailed of the three venues. You can park free in any of the decks, use the valet at 3rd Street, or park at Gwinnett Technical College across the street and take a shuttle. Avalon expects parking to fill quickly and suggests carpooling or ride-share.

What keeps going after Sunday

The weekend starts the season, and several events at Avalon, North Point and the Alpharetta Community Center keep running into December.

• Once Upon A Merry Maze at North Point, 1000 North Point Circle, opens Friday, November 13, from noon to 5 p.m. It runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays into the first weekend of January 2027. The listing doesn't give admission.
• Tuck-ins with Santa at The Hotel at Avalon, 9000 Avalon Blvd., runs nightly from November 23 through December 23, 7 to 10 p.m. The listing doesn't give a price.
• Friendship Ring of Kids Holiday Display at the Alpharetta Community Center, 175 Roswell St., opens November 30 and is on view daily through December 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Avalon on Ice keeps its posted hours after opening night. It's open 3 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

The weekday rink hours run until 9 p.m., so a weeknight skate after opening Sunday fits around dinner. The Merry Maze also opens a week before any tree is lit, so North Point's season is already going by the time The Hamilton plugs in its lights on November 20.

Alpharetta is our home base, and we'll be planning around the same Friday dinner, Saturday lawn chairs and Sunday rink reservation. If family is visiting for the holidays and you'd like a local view of the city beyond this weekend, Abigail Kroupa and Todd are glad to help. Contact Us.