Hoover lights its Christmas tree 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, at City Hall, with Santa on a fire truck. Free; park at the library. Vestavia Hills parades Dec. 6.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Updated each year. The 2026 date and time come from the City of Hoover’s events calendar; the program details are from the city’s Christmas Tree Lighting page, which still describes the 2025 event.

The City of Hoover starts the holiday season with its Christmas tree lighting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, outside Hoover City Hall, 100 Municipal Lane. The city’s calendar lists it from 6 to 8 p.m. It is free. Hoover does not hold a city Christmas parade; the nearest official parade is in Vestavia Hills, about seven miles away, on Sunday, Dec. 6.

Who to call

  • Tree lighting: City Hall information hotline, 205-739-6868; City Hall, 205-444-7500
  • Traffic and parking on the night: Hoover police non-emergency, 205-822-5300
  • Official page: Christmas Tree Lighting

The tree lighting
Date Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026
Time 6 to 8 p.m.
Place Hoover City Hall main parking lot, 100 Municipal Lane
Parking Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Drive
Cost Free

The city’s page describes the 2025 lighting, held Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, and the 2026 program had not been posted when we checked. Last year’s lighting had:

  • Performances by Hoover City Schools bands and choirs.
  • A Hoover City Schools student lighting the tree.
  • Santa making a grand entrance on a fire truck, then posing for pictures with families in the Library Theatre.
  • Light refreshments outside City Hall.
  • Golf cart shuttles from the library parking lot to the event.

We will update this page when the city posts the 2026 details.

Christmas parades near Hoover

Vestavia Hills Parade and Party in the Park, Sunday, Dec. 6, 4 p.m. The City of Vestavia Hills calls it the city’s official holiday parade. It begins near The Bray in Liberty Park and ends with a Party in the Park on the new Liberty Park Great Lawn, followed by a Liberty Park tree lighting. The rain date is Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. Groups that want to enter a float register through the city’s online portal, according to the Vestavia Hills event page.

Vestavia Hills tree lighting, Thursday, Nov. 19, 6 p.m., at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center, part of the city’s Holiday in the Hills series.

If your neighborhood, church or school is holding a Christmas parade in Hoover, send us the date, time and route through our contact page and we will add it.

More holiday dates in Hoover

  • Gifts of Art, Thursday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Aldridge Gardens, on the city calendar.
  • Christmas trees after the holiday: Amwaste picks up live trees at the curb on your normal pickup day; see trash and recycling.
  • Christmas week trash pickup: Friday, Dec. 25, pickups move to Saturday, Dec. 26.
  • Hoover City Schools winter break: Dec. 21 to Jan. 1; see the schools guide.

What this means for you

  • Tree lighting: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, at City Hall; park at the library.
  • No city parade in Hoover; Vestavia Hills parades Sunday, Dec. 6.
  • Bring the camera for Santa in the Library Theatre.

Related: things to do this month and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Hoover Christmas tree lighting 2026?

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hoover City Hall, 100 Municipal Lane, according to the city’s events calendar. It is free.

Does Hoover have a Christmas parade?

The City of Hoover’s annual events list includes the Christmas tree lighting but no city Christmas parade. Nearby, Vestavia Hills holds its official holiday parade at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, in Liberty Park.

Where do I park for the Hoover tree lighting?

At the Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Drive. The city ran golf cart shuttles from the library to City Hall at the 2025 lighting.

Can kids see Santa at the Hoover tree lighting?

Yes. At the 2025 lighting Santa arrived on a fire truck and posed for pictures with families in the Library Theatre.