Hanukkah in Palo Alto

Hanukkah in Palo Alto has a public face and a private one. The public face is a tall menorah outside City Hall, a crowd of families on Hamilton Avenue and a fire truck dropping chocolate coins for the kids. The private one is eight nights of candles in windows across town, latkes frying in home kitchens and gifts wrapped for the youngest members of the family. Both are easy to join.

In 2026 Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4. That is the same evening as the city's Holiday Tree Lighting at Lytton Plaza, two blocks from City Hall. The holiday runs through nightfall on Saturday, December 12. This guide covers the dates, the public celebrations confirmed in recent years, where to buy kosher food and what stays open. For the wider season, see our holiday season guide.

Hanukkah 2026 night by night

Each night begins at sundown. Sunset in early December comes at about 4:50 p.m. in Palo Alto, among the earliest of the year.

Hanukkah 2026 spans two Fridays. Observant families light Hanukkah candles before the Shabbat candles on Friday evenings. On Saturday they wait until Shabbat ends after dark.

The City Hall menorah lighting

The best-known public event is Chabad of Palo Alto's menorah lighting in front of City Hall at 250 Hamilton Avenue. Chabad has held it for about four decades, usually on or near one of the first nights of the holiday. In 2025 it took place on Sunday, December 14, the first night of Hanukkah that year, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The listing promised a community candle lighting, kids' activities, a gelt drop from a fire truck, sufganiyot and cheesecake. The first 50 guests received a free LED token.

The 2026 date and time had not been posted as of November 1, 2026. Given the 2026 calendar, a lighting on Sunday, December 6 or during the week would fit the pattern, but check with Chabad of Palo Alto before you go. The plaza in front of City Hall is described in our King Plaza and City Hall guide.

Tips for the evening

• Dress warmly. December evenings drop into the 40s °F soon after sunset.
• Park in a garage. Downtown city garages near Hamilton Avenue are a short walk away. Our parking guides list them.
• Bring the kids early. Gelt drops and giveaways happen near the start.

Events at the JCC and beyond

The Oshman Family JCC sits on the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life at 3921 Fabian Way, on the former Sun Microsystems site in south Palo Alto. It runs programs for every age through the year. In 2025 it co-hosted an Engaj Hanukkah Casino Night on December 14 for people in their 20s and 30s, with casino and dreidel games, drinks, treats and a community menorah lighting. Tickets were $25 in advance and $35 at the door. Our cultural centers guide describes the campus.

Synagogues and Jewish schools in and around Palo Alto hold their own celebrations, often for members and families first. Check their calendars in November. The 2026 JCC schedule had not been posted when we checked.

Kosher food and latke supplies

Palo Alto has a small kosher scene. Sunrise Kosher, the certifying agency, lists three places in town. One supermarket also runs a kosher meat counter.

• Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels on South California Avenue is a kosher bagel bakery with more than 30 kinds of bagels, lox sandwiches, knishes and catering. It lists shorter hours on holidays, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Holy Sushi at 3441 Alma Street serves kosher sushi. The Ma'lawah Bar at 4131 El Camino Real serves Yemenite food.
• Mollie Stone's on California Avenue has a kosher meat counter and stocks kosher groceries.

Not every Jewish family keeps kosher. Israeli food is a popular choice for Hanukkah gatherings. Oren's Hummus began on University Avenue in 2011 and serves hummus, pita and grill plates, with a second outlet at Town & Country Village. Our kosher food guide covers certification details.

For homemade latkes, any supermarket sells russet potatoes and onions. Buy oil and applesauce early in the week, since the first weekend of Hanukkah is also a busy holiday shopping weekend.

What stays open

Hanukkah does not change city schedules. None of the eight days is on the city's 2026 holiday list, so City Hall, the libraries and trash pickup run normally. Caltrain runs its regular weekday and weekend timetables. Stanford Shopping Center runs extended December hours, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on most days in the first half of the month and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, per its holiday schedule.

The first weekend of Hanukkah also brings the tree lighting, the Gamble Garden marketplace and the Art Center sale, so downtown will be busy. Our holiday shopping guide has store hours and gift ideas, including the independent bookstores downtown and at Town & Country Village.

Hanukkah with kids

Eight nights is a long time for small children to wait for presents, so many families spread the fun out. A few local ideas:

1. Pick a night for books. Books Inc. at Town & Country Village and Bell's Books downtown, in business since 1935, both carry children's sections with holiday titles.
2. Play dreidel for real stakes. Gelt is sold at most supermarkets in December. Chocolate coins also turn up at the City Hall lighting.
3. Make it a lights tour. After candle lighting, a slow drive or walk past the decorated houses of north Palo Alto stretches the evening.
4. Skate under the stars. The Winter Lodge outdoor rink on Middlefield Road is open through the holiday. Buy tickets online in advance.

The library's branches run winter storytimes in December too. Check the events calendar for any holiday-themed sessions.

Visiting for Hanukkah

Early December is a good time to visit. Business travel slows, the weather is cool and clear between storms and the town is decorated for the season. Families in town for Hanukkah can add the lights on Christmas Tree Lane later in the month or the evening Holiday Lights at Filoli. Our holiday lights guide covers both. If you need a room, compare Palo Alto hotels for early December and book early if your dates overlap a Stanford event.

Frequently asked questions