On the evening of Oct. 7, the Kiggins Theatre marquee read "Main Street Is Open, Bright Future Ahead." A long community dining table ran down the street in front of it, and an artist painted the block party as it happened. OPB covered the reopening, which marked the end of a $26 million reconstruction of lower Main Street from 5th to 15th streets.
Main Street is now heading into its first holiday season since the reopening. The tree lighting, the holiday market and the winter farmers market are still centered on Esther Short Park and 6th Street. Main Street's job this year is to be the lit, curbless, walkable route that connects those events to the Kiggins block and the shops north of it.
What 5th to 15th Looks Like Now
This stretch has been waiting a long time. In 1993 the city planned a two-part improvement of Main Street, but money ran out after the Uptown Village section to the north was done. A second try at the historic downtown section got through final design before the 2008 recession took the funding. The third attempt broke ground in early December 2024. The City of Vancouver says it finished ahead of its original spring 2027 schedule. Michael Walker, executive director of Vancouver's Downtown Association, told OPB the work wrapped up about five months early.
Most of the changes you'll notice on a walk are above the pavement. Underneath, the city replaced water, wastewater and stormwater lines that were nearly 100 years old. On the surface, the city lists these changes:
- Curbless street with wider sidewalks that meet ADA standards, plus tactile sidewalk treatments and audible crossings
- Parallel parking in place of angle parking, with 123 vehicle spots on Main Street. On its Main Street Promise page, the city says the change improves visibility and makes room for outdoor dining, art and landscaping, and that its planning analysis found parking capacity should not be negatively affected
- 104 bike parking spaces and an e-bike charging station
- Year-round decorative lighting, which the city also calls festival lighting
- Six dedicated spaces for public art, either fixed or rotating
- Removable bollards and power access along eight blocks, so the street can be closed to cars for events
The lighting matters most in November, when it's dark by late afternoon. Walker made the same point to OPB: "With all the new lighting that's been installed, it really creates a welcoming environment for folks to visit during the nighttime." He also said Main Street will tie in more closely with the waterfront and the Esther Short Park area.
Tree Planting Runs Through Thanksgiving
The street opened before all the work was done. The city says minor work, including planting more than 100 trees along Main Street, will continue through the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, so planting crews may still be on the street in November.
That puts the end of the work right next to downtown's biggest holiday weekend. The community tree lighting and the opening day of the Holiday Market are both on Friday, Nov. 27.
The Holiday Season Is Centered West of Main
Downtown's holiday calendar runs on a few fixed dates, and none of the main events are on Main Street.
Saturday, Nov. 7. The Vancouver Farmers Market switches to its winter schedule at 8th and Esther streets, open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through March 27, 2027, according to Visit Vancouver WA. The same morning, the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center at 1501 E. Evergreen Blvd. holds a free Holiday Book Fest from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with local authors and historic demonstrations.
Friday, Nov. 27. The Rotary Club of Vancouver presents the free Community Tree Lighting at Esther Short Park, 301 W. 8th St., from 3 to 7 p.m. According to the Visit Vancouver WA event listing, the evening runs in this order:
- 4 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus set out by Tidewater barge, escorted by Columbia River Christmas ships.
- 5:45 p.m. They arrive at the Vancouver Waterfront.
- 6 p.m. A parade of lighted vehicles heads up into downtown and into Esther Short Park.
- 6:30 p.m. Santa lights the tree.
Around the park, the listing includes a food and drink market on 6th Street, live music with ASL interpretation on the main stage, and Loci rides at the west end of 6th Street. The Santa photo booth runs until 7 p.m., with Santa on break from 5:30 until after the lighting.
Nov. 27 to 29. The Vancouver Holiday Market brings more than 120 local artisans and makers to the Hilton Vancouver Washington at 301 W. 6th St., next to Esther Short Park. Hours are 3 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Except for the Book Fest at the fort, these events center on 6th Street, 8th Street and Esther Street. For anyone parking on Main or eating near the Kiggins, the walk west is the new part of the evening, and on Nov. 27 it'll be on newly lit, curbless sidewalks.
Built to Close to Cars, Open to Cars for Now
The eight blocks of removable bollards and the new power access were built for street festivals. Walker compared the redesign to the pedestrian plazas found in Europe.
So far, those features haven't been used for a holiday event. The Downtown Association's November calendar lists park cleanups, a writing circle at Dovetail Cellars, and events at Columbia Springs. Its December calendar doesn't list a car-free Main Street event either. Calendars get updated, and an event could still be added. For now, the street will spend its first December like an ordinary walkable downtown block, with cars parked along it and lights overhead.
Stops Between the Kiggins and the Park
You'll have plenty of places to stop on the walk between events. The city says 26 businesses opened or expanded on Main Street or within a block of it during construction. Some of the longest-running ones are good places to start.
Joe Brown's Cafe opened in 1932 as a soup kitchen during the Great Depression and has stayed in the same spot ever since, with its original counter and grill. It's also where Joe Brown developed the caramel corn recipe he later took to Portland's Lloyd Center. Owner Karen Carlton told OPB she's already looking ahead to the diner's 100th anniversary in 2032.
La Fiesta Mexican Kitchen, across the street at the corner of Main and 8th, opened its Vancouver location in early February 2024 after about 15 years in West Linn. It now has new outdoor seating from the redevelopment. Co-owner Jose Garay told OPB the restaurant has a new menu made specifically for its Vancouver location.
Love Potion Magickal Perfumerie & Marketplace, at Main and 11th, sells perfumes, jewelry and gift items and has been at that address since 2020. Front-of-store manager Mercy Crowe told OPB she has seen people "spending the day just walking up and down the street and checking out all of the stores."
Two blocks north of the Kiggins block at 1011 Main, the corner of Main Street and West 13th Street holds a time capsule the city placed on Feb. 20, 2026. It contains a Vancouver flag, letters to future residents, and a 1928 copy of The Columbian. During construction, crews also found remnants of the streetcar line that ran on Main from 1908 to 1926, along with brick fire cisterns from the 1870s and 1880s. Those finds are now documented in the city's archaeological record.
One new opening is close by. The Columbian reports that Mango Mango Dessert is coming to 406 W. Eighth St., on the same street as the tree lighting, and describes it as coming soon.
If you're thinking about how a finished Main Street fits into life downtown, whether you're staying near the Kiggins or considering a move closer to Esther Short Park, David Merrick Real Estate would be glad to walk those blocks with you and talk through what's changing on each one. Let's Connect.