La Plata's Holiday Season Lands on Three Straight Weekends, With Two Tree Lightings Five Days Apart

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the vendor tables behind the Charles County courthouse complex will hold the last pumpkin, apple and cinnamon goods of the La Plata Farmers Market's 2026 season. Eight days later, the Town Christmas tree gets lit in the circle at Town Hall. Five days after that, a second tree is lit across town at the Charles County Fairgrounds, when Santa arrives to open the Kris Kringle Christmas Market.

That gives La Plata's holiday season three consecutive weekends at three addresses, run by three different organizers. If you plan for only one of them, you'll probably miss part of the season.

Three Weekends, Three Addresses

The Town of La Plata's October/November/December 2026 Town Notes covers the first two dates. The Charles County Fair Board covers the third.

The pattern is simple. The season begins downtown near the courthouse, moves a few blocks to Town Hall, and finishes out on Fairgrounds Road. Each move takes you a bit farther from the center of town and makes the event a bit bigger.

Nov. 28: The Market Closes on Shop Small Saturday

The farmers market's 2026 season ends on Nov. 28, which the Town's calendar also marks as Shop Small Saturday. Hours stay the same as the rest of the season, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., behind the Charles County courthouse complex at 209 Washington Ave.

The Town describes the vendor mix as farmers, food trucks, local produce, baked goods, handicrafts, art, craft beverages, bath and body products, and home décor. Because this is the last market day of the year, it's also the last chance until the next season to buy from those regular vendors in one place. Kelly Phipps manages the market, and the vendor list is on laplatafarmersmarket.com and on the market's Facebook and Instagram, @lpmdfm.

Thanksgiving week also changes the Town's routines. Town Hall is closed Nov. 26 and 27, and trash pickup moves earlier that week:

• Thursday, Nov. 26 trash is picked up Tuesday, Nov. 24
• Friday, Nov. 27 trash is picked up Wednesday, Nov. 25
• Yard waste pickup is skipped on Friday, Nov. 27

Dec. 6: The Town's Own Tree, in the Circle at Town Hall

The Town runs the first tree lighting of the season. The Olde Tyme Holiday Gathering is Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, from 3 to 6 p.m. Town Notes describes it this way:

"The Christmas tree will be displayed in the circle at Town Hall and will be officially lit during the event."

Town Hall is at 305 Queen Anne St., and it's also one of two official Toys for Tots drop-off sites in La Plata. The other is the La Plata Police Department at 101 La Grange Ave. If you're already heading to the gathering, you can bring a new, unwrapped toy. The Waldorf Jaycees collect the toys, and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve distributes them to families in the community.

For updates on the gathering, the Town points people to its Facebook page and Instagram.

The Town's calendar for that week matters too. Wednesday, Dec. 9 is a Public Works In-Service Day, so trash normally collected that day is picked up Thursday, Dec. 10. Recycling stays on its usual schedule.

Dec. 11–13: A Second Tree, Five Days Later, on Fairgrounds Road

The second tree lighting has a different host, a different site and a much bigger crowd. The 14th Annual Kris Kringle Christmas Market opens on Friday, Dec. 11. Santa arrives and the official tree lighting happens at 5 p.m. The Charles County Fair Board runs the event, and it says the market is modeled after Germany's well-known Christmas markets.

Each day has different hours, and that affects which day suits your plans:

1. Friday, Dec. 11, 4 to 8 p.m. This is the shortest day, an evening opening with the tree lighting and Santa's arrival at 5 p.m.
2. Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is the longest day, with musical holiday fireworks at 6 p.m.
3. Sunday, Dec. 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is the daytime-only day, and it ends before dark.

Santa is on site for every open hour. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 10 and under. The BayNet reports more than 180 artisans and vendors, along with live greenery, a living nativity and children's activities.

The Fair Board also lists these attractions:

• Strolling carolers and music from local school choruses and bands
• Sales by local nonprofit groups such as the Boy Scouts
• A model train display and a lighted holiday path
• The decorated Historic McConchie School House, open for tours
• The Fair's Digges Farm Museum, open for viewing
• Fresh holiday greens gathered from local yards and fields, provided by Cardinal Creek Plant Farm's Garden Center

The Port Tobacco Players help with music and entertainment, and the Fair Board will post the 2026 entertainment schedule on the market page. A 2026 vendor list is already linked there. When you need a break, Building 6 has an indoor dining and seating area. The official 2026 market map shows the main gate, a drop-off point, the main and south parking areas, and the McConchie School House.

Where the $5 at the Gate Goes

The admission fee is a big part of why the market has reached its 14th year. The Fair Board launched it in 2013 as a nonprofit event run by volunteers. All admission proceeds are split equally among three groups: the Southern Maryland Food Bank, the Charles County Volunteer Fire and EMS associations, and the Charles County Fair.

Those $5 tickets added up to real money. After the 2025 market, the committee gave $13,000 each to the Southern Maryland Food Bank and to Charles County Volunteer Fire and EMS. The organizers also ask guests to bring nonperishable food for the food bank.

That makes the second weekend of December La Plata's third giving opportunity in a row. You can buy from local growers at the farmers market on Nov. 28, drop a toy at Town Hall on Dec. 6, and bring canned goods to the fairgrounds on Dec. 11, 12 or 13.

The Fairgrounds Rules That Carry Over

The market's page doesn't spell out every visitor rule, so the Charles County Fair's general policies are the best guide. These are written for the fairgrounds as a whole, not specifically for the market:

• Parking. The Fair's parking page says parking on the fairgrounds is free, and it lists a satellite lot by the Charles County Courthouse and Government Building. Its shuttle details are written for fair week.
• Pets. The Fair's FAQ says service animals are welcome and domestic pets are not allowed on the fairgrounds.
• Payment. The same FAQ says Fair ticket booths and the office take cash, credit and debit cards, and Apple Pay. Food vendors decide for themselves what payment they accept.
• Weather. Under the Fair's inclement weather policy, officials can delay opening, close early or close for the day if the weather becomes hazardous.

The policy names the Fair's website as the place for closing information, so if the weather turns on Friday afternoon, check the market page first. The Fair Board also posts updates on the Kris Kringle Christmas Market Facebook page.

If you'd like help working these La Plata weekends into a move, a listing timeline or a visit from family who are getting to know the area, Theresa Shoptaw follows the town's calendar as closely as its housing market. Let's Connect, and we can plan around the dates that matter to you.