The Summit at Snoqualmie hasn't named an opening date for winter. Its hours page, last updated Sept. 27, 2026, still lists winter opening day as "to be determined." The marquee on North Bend Way has dates. Starting Sunday, Nov. 8, North Bend Theatre runs five weeks of ski and mountain films. That run covers the weeks when the lifts usually start turning. Partway through, the downtown holiday calendar shows up, and the two land on the same Saturday.
The Summit's own season FAQ says winter operations usually begin in early December and run through late April, depending on snow and weather. So the films come first, then the mountain, and downtown's lights go up in between. The calendar below puts all of it in order, from now through mid-December.
The mountain calendar runs Sundays at the theatre
Four of the five mountain programs at North Bend Theatre play on Sundays. The fifth, the Banff Mountain Film Festival, takes over the room for four nights.
| Date | Program | Time | Ticket price listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 8 | 5Point Film Fest, hosted by ProSki and Mountain Service | 5 p.m., doors 4 p.m. | $22 |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | TGR Presents: Actually, It Is Rocket Science | 3 p.m. | Not listed |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Matchstick Productions: The Way Out | 3 p.m. | Not listed |
| Thu.–Sun., Dec. 3–6 | Banff Mountain Film Festival | See below | Not listed |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | Warren Miller's Days Off | 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. | $25 |
The 5Point night is the festival's On The Road program, a curated set of outdoor-adventure shorts. Days Off closes the run. It's billed as Warren Miller's 77th film, hosted by Katie Burrell, with stops in Alaska, Chamonix, Hokkaido, Banff, Deer Valley, Revelstoke, Whistler, and Pemberton. If The Summit opens on its usual early-December timing, Dec. 13 may be the only screening in the series that falls after the lifts are running.
Banff has the most involved schedule. The North Bend run, listed by LIVE TO PLAY, splits into two programs with no films in common, and each one plays twice:
- Program A: Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.
- Program B: Friday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m.
- Doors: one hour before evening shows, and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee.
The film titles for both programs are still listed as coming soon. Banff in North Bend is a long-running fixture. A 2014 City of North Bend calendar already said the theatre would "again host" it.
What changed at the pass this year
For anyone who plans to head up after the credits roll, The Summit made a couple of changes for 2026–27 that will affect how weekends there feel. Ikon passholders no longer need reservations at The Summit or Alpental and can ski any open day, though Ikon Base and Session blackout dates still apply. POWDER reported in August that the resort is keeping capacity caps on lift tickets and expects tickets to sell out earlier and more often.
Parking fees start before the snow is guaranteed. The Summit's 2026–27 parking guide lists paid parking Fridays through Sundays from Nov. 20 through April 30. It's daily from Dec. 18, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, at $15 for five hours or $25 for the day. Carpools of four or more may qualify for free parking in designated lots, first come, first served, until the lot fills or 10 a.m. Eligible Summit season passholders park free once their vehicle is registered.
Downtown's season starts in the shop windows
While the theatre runs ski films, the North Bend Downtown Foundation decorates downtown. Its third annual Holly Days Window Fest is Friday, Nov. 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. at storefronts around downtown. It's free, and the Foundation supplies snowflake window clings. The 2026 list of participating shops hasn't been posted yet.
The next day, Saturday, Nov. 14, the SnoValley Regional Chamber holds its Valley-Wide Holiday Open House from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at businesses in North Bend, Snoqualmie, and Fall City, the official start of holiday shopping. The City of North Bend's listing points to the Chamber's Facebook page for updates.
Thanksgiving weekend is when the two calendars start to overlap. The Northwest Railway Museum's Santa trains run the four weekends after Thanksgiving, starting Nov. 28–29. On Sunday, Nov. 29, North Bend Art and Industry's Artists Sunday brings more than 100 artists, food, music, and Santa to the Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel ballroom at 37500 SE North Bend Way. The City calendar lists hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. That's the same afternoon The Way Out plays at the theatre at 3 p.m.
The museum runs two trains, and they leave from different towns. The North Pole Limited departs the North Bend Depot at 205 E. McClellan St., behind the Shell station off North Bend Way. Tickets are $39 for everyone age 2 and up. It's a roughly two-hour trip with a stop at the decorated museum campus, refreshments, seasonal crafts, and Santa, with departures every hour on the hour starting at 9 a.m. The Yuletide Express leaves Snoqualmie Depot at 38625 SE King St. on Fridays, Dec. 4, 11, and 18, for a shorter ride with Santa aboard. The museum's main events page lists North Pole Limited weekends as Nov. 28–29, Dec. 5–6, 12–13, and 19–20. Its Santa page lists Dec. 5–7 for the second weekend, so check the date when you book.
Saturday, Dec. 5, is where the two calendars meet
On Dec. 5, every thread above runs through downtown North Bend on the same day. Here's how it falls in order:
- 9 a.m. Si View Metro Parks' annual Holiday Bazaar opens at the Si View Community Center. Vendors sell locally made, handcrafted goods until 3 p.m. North Pole Limited departures from the North Bend Depot begin at the same hour.
- 3 p.m. The bazaar closes.
- 5 p.m. The Holly Days Winter Festival and Tree Lighting begins at North Bend Way and Main Avenue. Mayor Miller leads the lighting, and the Downtown Foundation lists fireside s'mores, local live entertainment, and free Santa photos until 8 p.m.
- 6 p.m. Doors open at North Bend Theatre for Banff Program A.
- 7 p.m. Banff Program A starts, while the tree lighting festival still has an hour to go.
That 7 p.m. overlap is the hardest choice of the season, because the two events run at the same time instead of back to back. Program A also plays Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. If you want both the tree lighting and the full festival on Saturday, you could see Banff on Thursday and give Holly Days the whole evening. The Downtown Foundation's own Holly Days page still says "save the date" and promises more details, so the evening program may grow before December.
Banff's other two shows, Friday evening and the Sunday matinee, round out the weekend. On Sunday, Dec. 6, Program B's 3 p.m. matinee and the second day of North Pole Limited trains both fall on the same afternoon, a short walk apart in the same downtown.
After the tree is lit
The mountain calendar runs a week past the downtown one. Warren Miller's two Dec. 13 screenings close the theatre's run. North Pole Limited keeps running Dec. 12–13 and 19–20, and the Yuletide Express makes its last Friday trip Dec. 18. Daily paid parking at The Summit starts Dec. 18, the same weekend the Santa trains wrap up. If you want more of the town's calendar, the summer version of this guide covers North Bend from July into August, and the North Bend neighborhood page has the wider picture.
If you're thinking about a home in the Valley, or wondering how your North Bend street fits into the rest of the year, Andrew M. Wenzl is glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.
