The free events in downtown Willow Glen between now and Christmas happen at the Garden Theater, 1165 Lincoln Avenue. The ticketed events check in at the Bank of America parking lot, 1245 Lincoln Avenue. Most of the calendar fits that split. Once you know which address goes with which kind of event, you can plan the next eight weeks without looking up each page.
The Garden Theater side also changed this year. The building now has a full-time nonprofit tenant, so it stays busy between festivals.
The Garden Theater Has a Year-Round Tenant Now
On June 30, Cancer CAREpoint finished moving into the Garden Theater Building at 1165 Lincoln Avenue. The nonprofit picked it as a larger headquarters after more than 14 years at its previous San Jose location, according to The San Jose Blog. That item summarized reporting from the Silicon Valley Business Journal. The new space hosts free counseling, support groups, nutrition education and wellness classes, both in person and online. The organization has supported more than 12,000 people and families across the region.
The Willow Glen Business Association had already started using the building as a community room earlier in the year. Its free WellFest on February 1, 2026 brought 23 downtown merchants into the Garden Theater. Free Pilates, prenatal and postpartum movement, and barre classes ran upstairs in room 200.
This fall's Garden Theater events follow the WellFest model: free, open to the public and mostly in daytime hours.
Friday, Oct. 30: Trick-or-Treat Moves Up a Day
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and Trick-or-Treat Along Lincoln Avenue is scheduled for Friday, October 30, the day before. It runs in two sessions, each built for a different age group.
| Session | Time | Who it's for | Books for Treats giveaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Toddlers | Kindergarten age and younger |
| 2 | 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | School-age children | 1st through 6th grade |
The route covers participating businesses on Lincoln Avenue from Minnesota Avenue to Willow Street. The association asks trick-or-treaters to move clockwise around the route.
The Garden Theater stop is the one that lasts after the candy is gone. During both sessions, volunteers from Books for Treats will help each child pick one free book inside the theater. The nonprofit was founded in 2001 and has brought book giveaways to Halloween for more than two decades. Founder Rebecca Morgan said on the association's event page that Halloween "is already filled with excitement and imagination, so it's the perfect time to give children another kind of treat." The organization also accepts donations of new or gently used children's books.
The age split matters for the giveaway too. Books for Treats ties each session to a grade range. If you have a preschooler and a fourth grader, they belong to different sessions, which affects how you plan the day.
Sunday, Nov. 8: The Makers Market Uses the Same Room
Nine days after Halloween, the Garden Theater hosts the Garden Theatre Fall Makers Market. The Willow Glen Business Association and San Jose Makers are running it from noon to 4 p.m. with more than 20 local artists and makers. No ticket is required. Funcheap also lists the date as Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Holding it on a Sunday leaves Saturday morning open for the farmers market, covered below. That makes the weekend of November 7 and 8 an easy one to spend on Lincoln Avenue without anything overlapping.
December Moves to 1245 Lincoln, Where Tickets Come With Rules
December is when most events switch to the Bank of America lot at 1245 Lincoln Avenue. The two big ticketed events both check in there, and each has its own timing and refund rules.
| Event | Dates | Times | Price | Check-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday Bubbly Walk | Saturday, Dec. 5 | 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. | $60 early bird, $65 after Nov. 29, plus fees | 1245 Lincoln, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Holiday Trolley Rides | Dec. 6 through Dec. 17, 12 nights | 5:15, 6, 6:45, 7:30, 8:15 and 9 p.m. | $40 adults, $20 ages 2 to 12, plus fees | 1245 Lincoln, arrive early |
| Selfies with Santa | Dec. 12, 13, 19 and 20 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Free, donations accepted | Garden Theater, 1165 Lincoln |
The Bubbly Walk
The Holiday Bubbly Walk runs rain or shine, and the ticket page says there are no refunds for rain. Each ticket comes with tastings, a souvenir glass, a wristband and a map of the tasting sites. Staff check ID for every attendee. Check-in opens at noon, two hours before the walk starts, and closes promptly at 3 p.m. The organizers set it up that way so guests can have lunch at a Lincoln Avenue restaurant first. Most tasting sites aren't restaurants, and Health Department rules limit them to pre-wrapped snacks. The early-bird price of $60 ends after November 29, when tickets go to $65.
The Trolley Rides
The Holiday Trolley Rides are the most structured event on the calendar. Each ride lasts 30 minutes, departures leave on time, and a trolley seats 32 people. Children under 2 ride free on a lap. Dogs aren't allowed, and only drinks with secure lids are permitted. Most of the trolley is open to the weather, and the association suggests warm clothes or a blanket. Rain doesn't cancel a ride. In bad weather, a more enclosed vehicle may be used instead, with notice 24 hours ahead.
The refund rule is strict. Full refunds are available if you notify the association at least 72 hours before your ride. After that, or if you miss the trolley by arriving late, there's no refund.
As of this week, the association's trolley page says "Tickets on sale soon," and the 2026 ticket link is posted on SimpleTix. On select nights, groups can book a whole trolley. Pricing and availability come from the association at [email protected]. At 32 seats, a single private trolley could hold a block party, a team outing or a large extended family.
Santa Returns to 1165 Lincoln
While the trolley rides are still going, Santa comes to the Garden Theater for free selfies over two weekends: December 12 and 13, then December 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The second weekend falls after the last trolley night on December 17. Donations are accepted. The association's main events calendar shows those dates a little differently, so check the Selfies with Santa page before you go. The pattern from October holds. The free, kid-friendly morning event is at the Garden Theater, while the paid evening events start from the lot at 1245 Lincoln.
Saturday Mornings at 1425 Lincoln Stay the Same
One more Lincoln Avenue address runs all season on its own schedule. The Urban Village Farmers' Market at Willow Glen Elementary, 1425 Lincoln Avenue, is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round, rain or shine. The market's 2026 calendar shows no Willow Glen closure. Its Saturday and Sunday markets stay open on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's weekends.
That makes it the easiest anchor to plan around. The Bubbly Walk on December 5 starts at 2 p.m., after the market closes at 1 p.m. On a Santa Saturday, the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. selfie window falls entirely inside market hours, so both stops fit in one morning.
Planning the Season Around Three Addresses
Here's a short version of the calendar by address:
- 1165 Lincoln, the Garden Theater: free books on October 30, the makers market on November 8, and Santa on December 12, 13, 19 and 20. Cancer CAREpoint works out of the same building year-round.
- 1245 Lincoln, the Bank of America lot: Bubbly Walk check-in on December 5 and trolley check-in every night from December 6 through 17.
- 1425 Lincoln, Willow Glen Elementary: the farmers market every Saturday morning, holiday weekends included.
If you'd like more Lincoln Avenue background, our piece on why the street's newest rooftop bar is taking four years to open explains how the narrow lots behind these storefronts shape what can be built there. The Willow Glen neighborhood page covers the area more broadly.
Living within walking distance of these three addresses means the whole season is a short walk away. If you're thinking about how close to the Avenue you'd like to live, or how to talk about that walkability when you sell, the team at Amanda Vang can go through it with you street by street. Schedule a Consultation and we'll start there.
