Cambridge Square Takes the Afternoon. Collegedale Takes the Evening.

Every holiday event on Cambridge Square's 2026 calendar ends by 7 p.m. The evening events nearby, the ones with carolers, Glühwein and a Christmas concert, are in neighboring Collegedale. Put the two calendars side by side and the Collegedale events keep going after the square's have ended. Ooltewah's season works like a relay: the square runs the daylight hours and hands off to The Commons and Southern Adventist University once it gets dark.

That handoff is clearest on two Saturdays, November 7 and December 5. On each of them you can start at Cambridge Square around lunchtime and still catch the Collegedale side after the square wraps up.

Every Cambridge Square Holiday Event Ends by 7 p.m.

Here is what the Cambridge Square events page lists for the holidays, along with how much detail it gives so far.

All three are daytime events, and the December 6 event lasts just two hours. The square has posted no performer lineup, no vendor roster and no tree lighting for any of them yet. Check the events page again in November before you plan around a specific act.

The December 6 entry matters more than its two-hour slot suggests. Southern Adventist University, the same school that holds Collegedale's biggest holiday evenings, is bringing its program to the square that Sunday afternoon. The relay runs both ways.

November 7 Has the Cleanest Handoff

On the first Saturday in November, the square's Christmas in the Square runs on the same day as the 4th annual Christkindlmarkt Commons at The Commons, 4950 Swinyar Drive in Collegedale. The market is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., four hours longer than the square's event, and admission is free.

Lay the two schedules out by the clock and they stack into one long day:

1. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Shani Palmer opens the music at The Commons.
2. 11 a.m. Christmas in the Square starts at Cambridge Square.
3. Noon to 2 p.m. Camelcase plays at The Commons.
4. 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Amber Fults plays at The Commons.
5. 4 p.m. Christmas in the Square wraps up.
6. 5 to 7 p.m. Carolers close out the market's Saturday.

So the late-afternoon move from Ooltewah to Collegedale lines up with the market's final stretch. The organizers model the Christkindlmarkt on European Christmas markets, with seasonal greenery, twinkling lights, artisan and handcrafted vendors, festive food, and traditional red and white Glühwein. That suits an evening visit after a midday stop at the square.

If you want lunch between the two, Cambridge Square's tenant roster includes Il Primo, Lupi's Pizza, Shane's Rib Shack, WD Neighborhood Bistro, GameDay Social and 1885 Grill, with Morning Brew and Tasty Donuts & Scoops for an earlier start. Hoptown Beer Bar and Chêne Blanc are on the list too.

The market isn't a one-day event, either. On Sunday, November 8, The Commons is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Taylor Levin at 11 a.m., Jason Lyles at 1:30 p.m. and carolers from 4 to 6 p.m. That gives anyone who spends Saturday at the square a full second day for the market.

The Square Fills the Weeks Between

Between the two big Saturdays, Cambridge Square goes back to its usual weekly rhythm, and that's what keeps the season from feeling like two isolated dates. Its November calendar lists:

• Nov. 14: live music, act TBD
• Nov. 17: Women and Wine Night with Barn Door Boutique
• Nov. 21: Massage Method Wellness Market, 9 a.m. to noon, followed later by live music, act TBD

The square is busy before November even starts. On October 29, the day this post goes up, the Center Stage Dance Recital is set for 6 to 6:45 p.m. On Halloween night, Bone Daddies play from 6 to 9 p.m.

Southern Adventist University Holds the December Evenings

Once December starts, Collegedale's evenings come mostly from one place. The Southern Adventist University School of Music events calendar lists the following:

• Tue., Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m. Annual Christmas Tree Lighting with the Annie Moses Band, Iles P.E. Center
• Sat., Dec. 5, 5 p.m. Evensong: Organ Students, Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists
• Sat., Dec. 5, 8 p.m. School of Music Christmas Concert, Iles P.E. Center
• Sat., Dec. 12, 4 p.m. School of Music Christmas Concert, Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists

The tree lighting is the season's one weeknight anchor. It lands on a Tuesday, four days before the second big Saturday, and it's the only holiday event on either calendar that names a featured band, the Annie Moses Band.

The school also schedules its main Christmas concert twice. One is at 8 p.m. on December 5 at Iles P.E. Center. The other is at 4 p.m. on December 12 at Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists. The early Saturday performance on the 12th is the easier choice for anyone who would rather be home by dinner.

December 5 Runs From 1 p.m. Past 8 p.m.

The second big Saturday follows the same pattern as November 7, only later in the day. Once Upon a Christmas in Cambridge opens at 1 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m. At 5 p.m., while the square is still going, organ students play the Evensong at Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists. At 8 p.m., an hour after the square closes, the School of Music Christmas Concert begins at Iles P.E. Center.

That leaves three ways to spend the day:

1. The full relay. Afternoon at Cambridge Square, dinner at one of its restaurants, then the 8 p.m. concert.
2. The early split. A couple of hours at the square, then the 5 p.m. Evensong.
3. The weekend version. Skip the Saturday concert, then come back to the square on Sunday, December 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. for Christmas in the Square by Southern Adventist University.

December 5 matters for one more reason. It's the registration deadline for entries in the Collegedale Christmas Parade.

The Parade Closes the Season on a Sunday Afternoon

The City of Collegedale has set its Christmas Parade for Sunday, December 13, at 3 p.m. Parade entries are free, and registration closes December 5. Groups that want a spot in the lineup have about a week after Thanksgiving to sign up.

The parade falls the day after the second School of Music Christmas Concert, so the final weekend of the season takes place entirely in Collegedale.

Here is the season in one view:

Cambridge Square has said more details for its events are coming, so check the square's events page again before each Saturday.

If you live in Ooltewah and are thinking about listing your home next year, these weekends are worth noticing. Getting a home ready to show is a lot like planning a good day out: the timing matters as much as the details. Putnam Property Group is a small family team that handles staging, photography and pricing strategy, and we'd be glad to walk you through what your home might bring. Get Your Free Home Valuation, then enjoy the carolers.