Light Up the Season holiday celebration returns to Hayward City Hall Dec. 6

Hayward's annual tree-lighting ceremony and holiday festival, Light Up the Season, will return to the City Hall Rotunda and Plaza Dec. 6 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The event will feature a performance stage, featuring student groups of singers, dancers and more. Returning this year after its successful debut in 2024 is the holiday market, with dozens of vendors offering traditional cultural dishes, sweet treats and holiday crafts. Attendees can also visit Curbie, the Hayward Public Library bookmobile, and ride a Ferris wheel at the market. There will also be various holiday-themed photo opportunities available inside the rotunda and outside at the plaza.

Around 5 p.m., as the sun dips below the horizon, there will be a lighting of a seasonal tree and other decorations in the rotunda and around the plaza. The traditional tree lighting ceremony is meant to observe the various celebrations of light in the dark winter months, creating a space for Hayward's diverse communities to celebrate their winter-time traditions together. These include Mawlid al-Nabi, Diwali, Twin Luminaries, Bodhi Day, Las Posadas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Lohri and other occasions.

If you have questions about Light Up the Season - or are interested in participating in this year's event or in future years - contact Zach Ebadi, of the Hayward City Manager's Office, at (510) 583-3911 or by email at [email protected].