Harrington Park will stay behind protective fencing through the holidays. The City expects the refresh at 753 Laurel Street to be finished in early 2027. The 700 block of Laurel was closed to cars permanently, and that hasn't changed. So the two biggest downtown events between now and early December fall on the same stretch where crews are building a plaza, a restroom building and a rain garden.
In its written answers after the October 8 merchants' meeting, the City said it will evaluate ways to support downtown businesses during construction. Most of the steps it has listed so far are about bringing people downtown. This season, Diwali Downtown and Night of Holiday Lights are part of that support.
What the fence covers, and what stays open
The City's Downtown Revitalization page, last updated in October 2026, says Laurel Street storefronts stay accessible for the whole project. Construction vehicles mostly use the alley behind Laurel, coming and going from Cherry and Olive Streets. Four public parking spaces behind the park are being turned into a drop-off and loading zone. Crews work weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Off-hours work can happen for utility connections such as PG&E, and the City gives notice first.
Weeknight dinners and weekend events happen after the crews leave. On a Friday evening in December, the fence is still there, but nobody is working behind it.
The City has also added things around the edges. In August it put more Adirondack chairs along Laurel. During the week of September 28 it installed two project information boards on the 700 block. A digital information board is planned near Laurel and San Carlos Avenue to replace the static sign there. The new board is meant to list the businesses that are actually downtown now.
Why the City keeps scheduling events on Laurel
According to the City's answers from the October 8 meeting, downtown sales tax revenue fell during the pandemic and was back to pre-pandemic levels by fiscal year 2021–22. Since then it has been "relatively flat." About 48 business owners, property owners and active residents came to that meeting. The issues on record include parking, the 700 block closure, how much direct support businesses get, and landlords having trouble filling empty storefronts.
Life on Laurel is the City's main answer so far. The pop-up series started with the Downtown Wine Walk on February 13. Since then it has included cornhole and Jenga on Laurel across from Harrington Park, a Silent Disco at the Wheeler Parking Plaza, and an October 1 obstacle course with KO Fitness. The largest turnout came in June, when about 500 people gathered at Wheeler Plaza for the City's World Cup watch party for USA's opening match. People were encouraged to bring takeout from downtown restaurants. The City's blog says more Life on Laurel events are planned for fall and winter.
The farmers' market got a similar change in May. Booths moved back from the curbs, vendors spread into the Wheeler Plaza parking lot, Cherry Street reopened to traffic and parking, and seating, umbrellas and games were added. The City said those changes responded to business feedback about visibility.
The dates between now and December 6
Here is the rest of the season from the San Carlos Life events calendar, with where each event happens and who runs it.
| Date | Event | Where | Run by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 13, from 4 p.m. | Friday the 13th Witch Market | Devil's Canyon Brewing | Devil's Canyon Brewing |
| Sat., Nov. 14, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Diwali Downtown | 700 block of Laurel Street | San Carlos Parks & Recreation |
| Tue., Nov. 17 | Holiday Boutique + Craft Fair | Domenico Winery | Domenico Winery |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Poinsettia in Pastels and Red Roses in Pastels | ART BIAS | Led by pastel artist Deb Shea |
| Fri., Dec. 4, 5–8:30 p.m. | 16th annual Night of Holiday Lights | Laurel, San Carlos Ave. to Cherry St. | Parks & Recreation with the Parks and Recreation Foundation of San Carlos |
| Sun., Dec. 6, 3–5 p.m. | Royal Court Brass holiday family concert | Trinity Presbyterian Church | Royal Court Brass |
Diwali Downtown takes place on the 700 block, right next to the fence. The City's Diwali event page lists performances by students from Kathakaars School of Dance, San Carlos Sitaras, Twisha's Twirlers and The Koothadis. Swati Shah will do henna, author Sonali Patodia will lead storytime, and local chefs will serve food. Muditā is thanked as a supporter. The event runs at midday on a Saturday, so families can come for lunch and stay for the performances on the block where foot traffic has been hardest to get.
The main stage for Night of Holiday Lights is on Cherry Street. The event is free and covers Laurel from San Carlos Avenue to Cherry. Emcees Lori & RJ open at 5 p.m. and Wild Child plays from 6:30 to 8:30. In between are The Tide Note Singers led by Emily Bender, Broadway Babies & Kids, San Carlos Children's Theater, Peninsula Lively Arts, the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees and A Tribute to Stevie Wonder. Santa Claus and the Snow Queen are also scheduled to appear. The City lists kids' activities, arts and crafts, hot chocolate, beer and wine sales, and snow. The event page also links to an information letter, which is worth reading before December 4.
The storefronts closest to the fence
Two businesses are closer to the construction than any others. Before work started, the San Mateo Daily Journal reported that Mama Coco and Faith & Spirits would be the businesses most affected by the Harrington Park upgrades. City staff met with both sets of owners early in the project, and the City emailed both before the park's temporary closure in early April. The Adult Community Center's Lunch Bunch went to Mama Coco's during construction. The City's blog used that visit to encourage people to keep supporting shops and restaurants near the work.
Faith & Spirits holds evening programs too. San Carlos Life listed its Laughter & Spirits stand-up night as returning on Sunday, November 8. 3P Wine Co on Laurel had a wine and food tasting on the calendar for the same Sunday.
Any long-term change in how the street looks depends on what the Council decides next. When the plaza is finished, the Downtown Specific Plan gives restaurants and retailers the 10 feet of City right-of-way directly in front of their storefronts. Staff plan to ask the Council in early 2027 what to do with the parklets that went in during the pandemic. The timing for construction on the 700 block of Laurel itself is still unknown until the project is fully funded.
Where to park for an evening downtown
Parking was the top concern in the merchant meetings. The City's main fix happens to work well for event nights. Spaces 99 through 197 in the Caltrain lot at 599 El Camino Real are free to the public Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. The City isn't designating those spaces as event parking. But Night of Holiday Lights starts at 5 p.m. on a Friday, which is just before the weekday window opens, and Diwali Downtown falls on a Saturday, when the spaces are open all day.
Some spaces are set aside for downtown workers. The City started a free parking permit pilot for downtown employees, good on the second floor of the Wheeler Plaza Garage or the top floor of the SamTrans Garage. SamTrans has moved out of its San Carlos Avenue building, and the City is negotiating to move its spaces to the garage's ground floor. The lot at Bianchini's is a mix of public and private parking. The City can only enforce posted time limits there. Time limits on downtown streets may also change. A streamlined process for requesting changes went to the Planning and Transportation Commission on November 2 and is scheduled for the City Council in early 2027.
The newer stops off Laurel
Some of this fall's openings are a short drive from downtown. The Almanac reported that Zac's Bar & Grill opened September 1 at 1748 El Camino Real, in the space The Office had for 14 years. Husband and wife Zaki Massis and Btool Nazerial own it. Boot Barn is open at 1119 Industrial Road. It held a grand-opening weekend in late October after a soft opening, according to the Daily Journal.
Both are good to know for holiday errands. They also show where some of San Carlos's new business has been going: El Camino and the industrial area. Those are the streets the City's events don't cover.
If you own a home near downtown and are wondering how the Harrington Park work and the Laurel Street plans could affect your own timeline, I'm glad to talk it through. With Lynn North, you can schedule a free consultation and home valuation, and we'll work through the downtown changes on your schedule.