Home for the Holidays comes back to Historic Downtown McKinney over Thanksgiving weekend, November 27 through 29, centered on the square at 111 N. Tennessee St. It's free and you don't need a ticket. Two free shuttles serve the festival, and the McKinney Main Street event page shows only the one leaving City Hall on East Virginia Street running all three days.
That shuttle starts on the east side, which has filled in over the past year. A coffee shop opened inside the McKinney Flour Mill. An escape-room cocktail lounge opened on South Chestnut Street. A short line of new shops opened along the edge of the square. If you come in from the east, you pass most of 2026's openings before you even reach the tree.
One shuttle runs Sunday
The festival lists two free shuttle services. The first runs from First McKinney Baptist Church at 1615 W. Louisiana St., near Highway 75, into downtown. The second runs round trips between City Hall at 401 E. Virginia St. and Chestnut Street. Both come about every 15 minutes.
Here's the posted shuttle schedule:
- Friday, Nov. 27: both shuttles, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 28: both shuttles, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 29: City Hall shuttle only, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The festival itself runs 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The shuttles start running before the booths open and keep going after they close. On Sunday, the City Hall shuttle starts an hour before the festival and runs an hour past it. Streets inside the festival area close to traffic, and the page directs drivers to public lots around downtown. So if you leave the car on the east side, you can use the same plan all three days. If you plan around the west-side lot, you'll need a different plan for Sunday.
Shuttle times can change before a big weekend, so check the official page again the week of the event.
What's around the City Hall end of the route
City Hall at 401 E. Virginia St. opened for walk-in services on January 7, 2025, according to The Dallas Morning News. The same report says MCDC funding paid for a plaza and landscaping meant to give the building a park setting. That plaza is where your weekend starts if you take the east-side shuttle.
A short walk away, Cafe LaFaye opened this summer inside the McKinney Flour Mill at 407 E. Louisiana St. It serves coffee, tea and pastries, including beignets, muffins and banana bread, Community Impact reported. On Sunday the shuttle starts at 11 a.m. and the booths open at noon. That leaves an hour for a coffee and beignet before you head in.
Next to the Flour Mill and City Hall is the East McKinney Learning Garden. Community Impact described it as having raised beds, potting benches and a harvest wash area. It's a quiet stop for kids who need a break from crowds.
The shuttle's other stop is on Chestnut Street. The Cipher Lounge opened August 12 at 101 S. Chestnut St., with two escape rooms and a cocktail lounge. Its signature drinks include the Rose of Margo, made with vodka, passion fruit and raspberry, according to Community Impact's September roundup. On Friday and Saturday the shuttle runs until 10 p.m., an hour after the festival closes. You can book a late escape room and still have a ride back to your car.
Between City Hall and the square, the McKinney Chamber of Commerce opened Gather on the Square, an event venue at 207 E. Virginia St., in late March. It hosts private events, so it's not a place to drop in. Still, it shows how the blocks east of the square keep filling in.
A first Small Business Saturday for several shops
The festival's Saturday falls on Small Business Saturday. McKinney Main Street counts more than 180 locally owned shops and restaurants downtown. For several of them, this is their first holiday season on the square. Each of these opened or reopened in 2026, according to Community Impact:
| Business | Address | Opened | What it offers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happymix Creperie | 113 S. Tennessee St. | Jan. 22 | Japanese-style handheld crepes, sweet and savory, plus drinks |
| Habitat Plants + Coffee | 214 N. Kentucky St., Ste. A | Reopened Jan. 31 in a larger space | Plants and coffee |
| Shorty's | 109 N. Kentucky St. | March 16 | Hot dogs, smash burgers, sandwiches and cocktails |
| XO GiGi | 216 N. Tennessee St. | Aug. 26 | Art supplies, books, cards, gifts and classes |
| Sam's Rug Corner | 213 N. Kentucky St. | Late August | Imported antique rugs |
| Grace+Emma | 101 E. Louisiana St., Ste. 100 | Sept. 1 | Clothing boutique |
Three of these sit close together on North Kentucky Street: Shorty's at 109, Sam's Rug Corner at 213 and Habitat at 214. You can visit all three in one lap of the square. Grace+Emma, on East Louisiana, is on the east side of the square, so it's an easy first stop if you walk in from City Hall. Shorty's co-owner Bryan McVay told Community Impact he had been collecting early photographs and video of the downtown square to show in the restaurant. On a weekend about downtown history, it's a fitting place to stop.
If you'd rather give a gift than pick one out, the event page links to Downtown Dollars gift cards, the Downtown Shoppers Guide and a Dine Around Downtown directory.
Planning each day around the shuttle
Friday starts the weekend. The Community Christmas Tree lights at 6:15 p.m. in the heart of downtown, and the page tells people to arrive early to get a spot. Community donations pay for the tree, its lights and the ceremony through the Community Christmas Tree campaign. Booths close at 9 p.m. and the shuttles run until 10. That leaves time for a drink on Chestnut Street after the lighting.
Saturday is for shopping. The festival and both shuttles run the same hours as Friday. You might start at Cafe LaFaye and walk west past Gather on the Square to Grace+Emma. Then loop up North Kentucky and over to XO GiGi on North Tennessee.
Sunday is the shortest day, noon to 5 p.m., and only the City Hall shuttle runs. It suits families with young kids. The kids' area has a Snow Hill, carousel, train rides, model train displays, a petting zoo and arts and crafts. Santa and costumed characters appear throughout the weekend. The rides and some attractions cost extra. Everything else is free.
House rules to know before you go
A few posted rules affect how you plan the day:
- Drinks, per the festival page. The event page says downtown sits inside the Downtown Cultural District, so a drink bought from a licensed downtown restaurant, winery or authorized festival vendor can go with you while you walk, shop or sit. The page also says alcohol isn't allowed in city-owned parking garages, some parks or certain city facilities. Follow the posted signs and event staff.
- Leave these at home: coolers, outside alcohol, weapons, drones, skateboards and scooters.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash in outdoor areas. Strollers and wagons are allowed everywhere.
- Bring a card. Most vendors take cards, some take cash, and ATMs are in select bars and restaurants.
- It's rain or shine. Some activities may be delayed or canceled if conditions turn unsafe.
- Lost and found and the Found Children area are at the event information point. The Main Street team answers questions at 972-547-2660.
McKinney Main Street plans to post a downloadable map of stages, activity zones and shuttle stops, along with the food and marketplace vendor lists, on the event page. Download it before Friday.
Our team at Pickard Real Estate Group loves seeing downtown McKinney fill up over Thanksgiving weekend. If a weekend between City Hall and the square has you wondering what your own place nearby is worth, request your free home value. We'll put together a clear, local estimate on your timeline.
