"A new way to bring together the traditions our community already loves." That is how the City of Midway describes Christmas on the Square. The city announced it in mid-October, and it renames the night most of the valley already has on the calendar.
The date stays the same, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which this year is November 28, 2026. The tree lighting stays too. The clock is what changes. In past years the city listed the event as an evening ceremony. This year the city's listing starts at noon, and the hours in between go to something Midway has never held before, a Swiss-style Christmas market called the Midway Chlausmärt.
What the Saturday After Thanksgiving Has Looked Like
The old format has a loyal following, and it helps to know exactly what it was. The Park Record's coverage of the 2025 ceremony described hundreds of people holding candles around the 50-foot evergreen outside Town Hall. The tree was wrapped in lights to its top limbs. Fireworks went off overhead when it lit, and afterward lines formed for hot chocolate, candy bags and photos with Santa and his reindeer.
The candy bag has a reputation of its own. The Park Record listed the contents of one as cinnamon bears, caramel, white chocolate-covered pretzels and peanuts.
All of it fit into one evening. Heber Valley Life listed the 2025 celebration for 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on November 29, with holiday entertainment, candle lighting, live reindeer, Santa, fireworks and the city treat bag. A 2024 roundup of Utah holiday events listed the year before at 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. on November 30.
| Year | Date | Listed start | What filled the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Saturday, Nov. 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Evening tree lighting |
| 2025 | Saturday, Nov. 29 | 6:00 p.m. | Evening tree lighting with candles, fireworks, Santa and reindeer |
| 2026 | Saturday, Nov. 28 | 12:00 p.m. | Christmas on the Square, the first Chlausmärt from noon to 8:00 p.m., and the traditional tree lighting |
For years the Saturday after Thanksgiving in Midway meant a couple of hours after dark. This year Town Square is busy from lunchtime on.
The Market That Moves the Clock
The Chlausmärt is the reason for the earlier start. According to the city's vendor page, published October 13, the market will run outdoors on Midway Town Square from noon to 8:00 p.m. on November 28. The city calls it the first Midway Chlausmärt and says it was designed to complement both Midway's Swiss heritage and the Christmas on the Square celebration.
A few details on that page show what kind of market the city has in mind.
- The city is supplying the tents. Midway City will provide the vendor tents so the market looks consistent across the square.
- Vendors stay the whole day. They are expected to stay open for all eight hours and to be ready for late-November weather outdoors.
- It's meant to stay small. The city's stated goal is "a small, warm and inviting market," with vendors chosen carefully because space is limited.
- It's handmade first. Preferred goods include handmade ornaments, pottery and woodwork, candles and soaps, knit and felted winter textiles, jewelry and handmade toys.
- The food is the kind you'd find at a European Christmas market. The list covers Swiss- and European-inspired foods, chocolates and baked goods, roasted nuts, specialty jams, honey, cheeses and meats, plus hot chocolate, cider and tea.
The city adds that products do not have to be Swiss or European to qualify. Quality, craftsmanship and how well the mix of vendors fits together carry more weight.
So "European-style" here describes the atmosphere of the market more than a strict rule about what can be sold.
Combined with the tree lighting, that changes what the Saturday is for. A market that opens at noon makes room for holiday shopping, a cup of cider and a slow walk around the square while it is still light out.
Where the Name Comes From
The city ties the market to Midway's Swiss heritage, and its name points to Samichlaus. Switzerland Tourism explains that St. Nicholas customs center on December 6. In German-speaking Switzerland, Samichlaus visits children, who may recite a verse in exchange for sweets.
According to the Swiss National Museum, Samichlaus is the Swiss German name for St. Nicholas, who traditionally brings children mandarins, chocolate and nuts.
That makes the market an easy fit for Midway. A Swiss Samichlaus bag of chocolate and nuts isn't far from the candy bag the city already hands out, with its peanuts and chocolate-covered pretzels. November 28 also falls a little over a week before St. Nicholas Day on December 6.
How the Rest of December Lines Up
Once Town Square has opened the season, a few other traditions fill the calendar through December 13. Each was listed on Go Heber Valley for 2026 at the time of writing, and the site itself advises confirming details with each event's organizer.
- Homestead tree lighting, Saturday, December 5, 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. Homestead lights its tree outside the historic Virginia House at 700 North Homestead Drive, with carriage rides, carolers and seasonal food and drink, according to the Go Heber Valley listing. Like the new Town Square format, it starts in the afternoon and runs past dark.
- Midway Art Walk, Friday, December 11. It's a self-guided walk past local businesses and their artwork. The listing shows a 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. window for the December date and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for the regular schedule, so check the start time closer to the day.
- Messiah Sing In, December 12 and 13. This free yearly community sing with the Heber Valley Orchestra & Choir takes place at the LDS Church at 325 East 500 North in Heber City, according to Go Heber Valley.
Then there's the rink. The Midway Ice Rink is at 75 North 100 West, the same street the city gives for Town Hall, and its website has a liability waiver you can fill out before you arrive. Check the site for the 2026–27 opening date, hours and admission before planning a skate around the market.
What the City Is Still Finalizing
The broad plan is set: November 28, Town Square, a noon start, the market and the traditional tree lighting. The city's event page still says more details about "this year's events, activities, and schedule will be coming soon." That means the tree-lighting time, and whether the fireworks, Santa and reindeer stay in the same order, are still to be announced. The page promises "many of the familiar community traditions" along with new additions.
If your family plans around a specific part of the evening, like the candle lighting, the fireworks or the Santa line, check the city's Christmas on the Square page in the week before Thanksgiving. The market hours are already set at noon to 8:00 p.m.
We keep an eye on Midway's town calendar as well as its listings. If you have questions about Midway, or about the parts of Heber Valley you know well and want to understand better, Alpine Luxe Properties would be glad to talk. Contact us.
