Westfield Lights Its Tree at the Train Station on Small Business Saturday, and Downtown Has Changed Since Last Year's

On Saturday, November 28, downtown Westfield's shop doors open in the morning, and Santa arrives at the North Side Train Station lot that evening.

The Town of Westfield calendar lists Small Business Saturday downtown starting at 9:30 a.m. that day. The Christmas Tree Lighting follows the same evening, 5 to 7 p.m., billed as an evening of "festive music, community spirit, and a magical evening for families." The Downtown Westfield Corporation's 2026 event brochure puts the lighting at the North Side Train Station.

So the season starts with one long day that runs from the shops to the station lot. And plenty of the downtown hosting it is new since last year's lighting.

The Calendar Moved Closer Together This Year

The two holiday gatherings at the station are packed more tightly than last year. Here are the dates side by side.

Last year, 15 days passed between the tree lighting and the menorah lighting at the station. This year it's six, from a Saturday to the following Friday. Both are in the 2026 Town calendar, and the station parking lot hosts both.

What the Station Lot Looked Like Last November

The North Side lot has become the town's holiday gathering spot, and TAPinto Westfield's coverage of the 2025 lighting shows what that looks like. Santa arrived at the North Side Train Station parking lot and greeted a crowd of several hundred, and the tree stood at the center of the lot.

Last year's program was mostly local. Big Box Photography took free photos while families lined up. Bovella's Pastry Shoppe and Kirshenbaum Baking Co. handed out cookies, and Maize Cocina & Cocktails served hot chocolate and churros. DJ Tony Morelli of DJ Spinners played before Santa arrived, and the a cappella Harmonics Quartet sang.

Kirshenbaum Baking Co. connects last year's lighting to this year's downtown. The same owners have since opened Vina, a Vietnamese street food restaurant at 114 Quimby St., according to Patch. One of last year's cookie tables now has a sister restaurant a short walk from the station.

Ten New Businesses Since Last Year's Lighting

Vina is one of many. Business roundups from TAPinto Westfield in October and Patch in September list at least ten downtown businesses that have opened since the end of summer. Here they are, organized by street, since that's how you'll walk them on the 28th.

Quimby Street

• Le Bistrot, 103 Quimby St., a casual French restaurant that opened in September
• Vina, 114 Quimby St., Vietnamese street food, opened in late October with a ribbon cutting set for Nov. 10

Elm Street

• Glowbar, 118 Elm St., a studio offering customizable 30-minute facials, which held its grand opening this fall
• Bonded Lash Bar, 57 Elm St., the brand's newest location

East Broad Street

• Modern & Classic Rugs, 11 E. Broad St., back in Westfield after several years in Summit
• Gamify U, 219 E. Broad St., which helps students turn gaming, technology and creative interests into real-world skills and industry-recognized credentials
• Framebridge, 220 E. Broad St., custom framing

South Avenue West and North Avenue East

• Kome Omakase, 407 South Ave. W., a Japanese restaurant that recently held its grand opening
• Thai Society, 321 South Ave. W.
• Bagel Cafe NJ, 272 North Ave. E., serving breakfast, lunch, smoothies and coffee

Four more names are tied to the same blocks. The Scoop N Scootery, known for customizable ice cream sundaes, is at 109 Quimby St. Straight Up Indian is at 9 Elm St. Perch & Parlor, a specialty coffee bar with brunch and dinner and counter service, is at 102 E. Broad St., and the medical spa and wellness center 4Ever Young is at 231 E. Broad St.

A couple of familiar names have also left Broad Street. Baby boutique Francis Henri, open since 2022, closed this fall and told customers on Facebook, as TAPinto reported, that it had "outgrown the space" and is "on the hunt for a new magical space" while its Montclair shop stays open. Rush Bowls, which opened on Broad Street in 2024, closed that location in September.

That's why November 28 is a little different this year. Small Business Saturday will be the first one for most of these businesses, and the tree lighting closes out the same day a short walk away.

One Way to Spend the 28th

The schedule practically plans the day for you. Shops open in the morning, and the lot fills at 5. Here's one way to work through it.

1. Start on Broad Street when Small Business Saturday begins at 9:30 a.m. Framebridge at 220 E. Broad St. and Modern & Classic Rugs at 11 E. Broad St. work well if you're planning gifts with a long lead time, like a framed family photo or a rug for the dining room before guests arrive.
2. Have breakfast at Bagel Cafe NJ on North Avenue East, which is on the train station side of downtown.
3. Have lunch on Quimby Street. Le Bistrot and Vina are across the street from each other on the same block.
4. Head back to Elm Street in the afternoon. Glowbar's facials take 30 minutes, which fits easily before dinner.
5. Get to the North Side Train Station lot by 5 p.m. for the lighting, which runs until 7.
6. Finish with dinner at Kome Omakase on South Avenue West, or go back to Quimby Street.

Last year, the town offered a few extras around this weekend. TAPinto's 2025 holiday guide listed free gift wrapping on weekends from Nov. 29 through Dec. 21, noon to 4 p.m., at Heirloom x AHD, 112 Elm Street. You needed a receipt from a downtown retailer. The same guide listed Santa photos at Heirloom x AHD on Dec. 6, 13 and 20, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Dec. 13 was Pet Photo Day. A November 2025 update from the mayor made downtown parking free from Nov. 28 through Jan. 1 at pay-station lots and street meters. Hourly limits still applied. Those were last season's arrangements, and the Town and the Downtown Westfield Corporation post their own updates each year.

The Rest of the Season Comes Back to the Same Lot

Six days after the tree lighting, the station lot hosts the Hanukkah Menorah Lighting on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Last year's menorah lighting was held on the North Avenue side of the station and included chocolate gelt and doughnuts.

Several traditions from last December happened away from the lot. In 2025, Gingerbread Sunday at the Miller-Cory House Museum offered children's stories, a decorative gingerbread house activity, a craft and cooking demonstrations. The Westfield Community Concert Band played a free Holiday Concert at Edison Intermediate School, and the New Jersey Festival Orchestra played a New Year's Eve concert at Westfield High School. The College Woman's Club Holiday Sip & Shop raised money for its scholarship fund. The Recreation Department's Holiday Lights contest drew 25 homes last year.

For a family in town, the season's two big public gatherings fall six days apart, at the same train station lot, and a short walk from more new restaurants and shops than last year's lighting had.

If you're getting your Westfield home ready for guests this season and want a few local names for help, from Framebridge to the new spots on Quimby Street, I'm happy to share what I know. Kristen Lichtenthal loves talking about this town, so start the conversation anytime.