Christmas Tree Lighting Returns for Camas’ Hometown Holidays

The City of Camas’ Hometown Holidays will return this year to downtown Camas with a full slate of activities, including the popular Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, Friday, Dec. 1, from 5 pm-8 pm.

Residents and visitors will once again enjoy a bustling downtown Camas, filled with school and community choirs, bands and dancers, photos with Santa (bring your camera!), crafts for the kids, street food vendors, and downtown restaurants and shops open for business. The tree-lighting ceremony returns after a three-year hiatus, kicking off the event at 5 pm,, thanks to the coordination and sponsorship by the Downtown Camas Association and the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce.  Hometown Holidays is coordinated and hosted by Camas Parks & Recreation and coincides with Downtown Camas Association’s First Friday.

Hometown Holidays and the events are free and open to all, thanks to the financial support of Columbia Credit Union, iQ Credit Union, Windermere Real Estate, Downtown Camas Association, Lutz Hardware and in-kind donors and volunteers. In addition, various restaurants and food vendors will be open to purchase food. Visitors can also use the opportunity to shop for their holiday gifts in Camas’ well-known historic downtown.  

“This is one of our community’s favorite and festive events, getting us in the mood for the holidays and bringing our community together to share some of the joy of the season,” said Krista Bashaw, Special Events Coordinator with the City of Camas.

The free parking shuttle, courtesy of the Camas School District, will run its easy-to-park & ride event shuttles from 4 – 8:30 pm. Four color-coded parking lots within 1-mile of downtown Camas will be incorporated into one continuous shuttle route.  The shuttle route will stop at each of the parking lots and will drop off riders on the street between Camas City Hall and the Camas Public Library. The shuttle is free; details can be found at www.cityofcamas.us/parksrec; and click on the “Special Events” tab.

A few suggestions before venturing out this year: please leave dogs at home; this event is not a good fit, as it will feature very large crowds. Visitors can now park their strollers at the Festival Information Tent, located at 4^th & Cedar St.; and Journey Church will also be hosting a quiet room to allow diaper changing and nursing mothers. 

For event locations and other event details, visit https://www.cityofcamas.us/parksrec/page/hometown-holidays-0