The brick parapets on top of the White Bear Lake Armory's headhouse are new. In the spring and summer of 2025, crews with Langer Construction removed them, cleaned the century-old brick and rebuilt them with fresh mortar "to last another century." According to the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society's March 2026 update, the job finished on time and slightly under budget.
This holiday season, that building at 2228 4th St. sits at the middle of downtown's calendar. The gazebo lighting, the Holiday Open House and Winterfest are each booked on a night or a Saturday when the Armory's doors are already open. Most of these traditions are also new. The Rotary calls the 2026 gazebo lighting its third year, and the Historical Society's Festival of Trees is in its fourth.
A gym that became an exhibit hall
The Historical Society bought the Armory from the City of White Bear Lake in 2022. It replaced the aging elevator in 2023 and finished the headhouse masonry in 2025. Partway through the masonry work, the crew found that the western parapet was in better shape than expected. They also found water getting in over the main doors on the north side, so money budgeted for the west side went to fixing that leak.
The inside changed too. Staff offices moved to the main level. The old gym became the Exhibit Hall, a multi-use room that holds the semi-permanent exhibit X Marks the Spot, a gift shop with local items, and space for traveling exhibits and presentations. From November 19 to December 19, the Festival of Trees will fill that room with trees decorated by local businesses and nonprofits. Admission is free, and visitors can pick which tree they think is best.
The festival's hours explain the rest of the calendar.
| Day | Festival of Trees public hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Thursday | 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Friday | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Sunday | Closed |
Thursday is the only evening the Armory is open each week. The two weeks below show which downtown events land on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.
November 18 and 19: two nights, one block
The gazebo lighting is next Wednesday, November 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 4th and Washington Square. Holiday Open House is the following night.
Here is how those two days run:
- Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1 p.m. The Rotary Club of White Bear Lake opens its Jingle Bear Auction, a club fundraiser that closes Saturday, November 21, at 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 18, 5 to 7 p.m. The gazebo lighting takes place at 4th and Washington Square.
- Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6 to 8 p.m. The Armory opens early for Historical Society members and Festival of Trees participants, "in conjunction with the Downtown WBL Gazebo lighting." Light holiday bites will be served, and no reservation is needed.
- Thursday, Nov. 19, 2 to 8 p.m. The Festival of Trees opens to the public on its Thursday late schedule.
- Thursday, Nov. 19, 5 to 8 p.m. The Downtown WBL Holiday Open House runs, with each store and restaurant offering its own specials, sips, snacks and giveaways.
Items four and five overlap. The Armory's public opening day is a Thursday, so its doors close at 8 p.m., the same time as the shop-small evening on the other blocks. Anyone at the Open House can step in to see the trees while the downtown stores are still open.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving, and the workshops in between
Downtown White Bear Lake's calendar lists Small Business Saturday on November 28. The Armory is open that Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on its regular hours.
The weekdays between those dates have a lot of hands-on events. Floristry North, which the downtown directory lists at 4901 Long Avenue, has posted a holiday run of evening workshops on its registration page:
- Friday, Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m.: Guided Floral Design Workshop, $35 studio fee plus the flowers you pick during the session
- Monday, Nov. 23, 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.: Thanksgiving Centerpiece Workshop, $75
- Tuesday, Dec. 1 and Tuesday, Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m.: Doorstep Gnome Class, $55; bring gloves and a hand pruner
- Thursday, Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m.: Charlie Brown Tree Workshop
- Daily, while supplies last: Mini Pumpkin Succulent Make & Take, walk-in, $15.99
The shop also has a Candle Blending Workshop tonight, Thursday, November 12, at 6:30 p.m. for $25. Three of the dated workshops fall on Monday and Tuesday evenings, when the Armory is closed.
December 5: Winterfest starts on 4th Street
Winterfest is promoted by Downtown White Bear Lake. Its event listing gives a schedule for Saturday, December 5.
Santa will be at 4 Deuces Saloon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the listing says to bring cameras. The downtown directory places 4 Deuces at 2222 4th St., right next to the Armory at 2228. Horse-drawn trolleys board at 4th and Cook during the same hours. Rides are free, and organizers collect cash or food donations for the White Bear Area Food Shelf. The listing also mentions ice sculptures and ends with "Warm up at the WBLAHS Festival of Trees in the Armory!"
The Historical Society holds a Winterfest open house at the Armory that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with cocoa, holiday treats, activities and "a possible sighting of Santa himself." Admission is free. The Armory opens at the same time as Santa and the trolleys and stays open until 3 p.m., an hour after they finish.
The week after, and the second Saturday
Winterfest is a week-long event. The Elf Hunt runs from December 5 through December 12, sponsored by downtown shops and businesses and Main Street, Inc., and its hours depend on each business. You pick up a passport at a participating business, find elves hidden in 20 or more stores, and turn in the passport for a chance at a prize. According to Family Fun Twin Cities, completed passports go to Oldies & Goodies for the prize and a grand-prize drawing.
Thursday, December 10 falls in the middle of the hunt, which makes it the one weeknight that week when you can search shops for elves and still reach the Armory before 8 p.m. The hunt ends Saturday, December 12, which is also the date of the Historical Society's second Winterfest open house at the Armory. After that, the Festival of Trees has one more week on its regular schedule and closes Saturday, December 19.
Including the members' preview, the 2026 schedule has five holiday dates downtown:
| Date | Downtown | At the Armory |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 18 | Gazebo lighting, 5 to 7 p.m. | Members' preview, 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Holiday Open House, 5 to 8 p.m. | Festival opens, 2 to 8 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Winterfest: Santa and trolleys 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Elf Hunt begins | Winterfest open house, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Elf Hunt ends | Winterfest open house |
On every one of those dates, the Armory is open during the downtown event. That is new, because the Historical Society only bought the building in 2022 and finished restoring it in 2025.
White Bear Lake Realty has its office in White Bear Lake, and our team keeps a close eye on how downtown blocks like 4th Street change from year to year. If you own a home near downtown and want to know what it's worth going into 2027, request a free home valuation. We'll send you a clear, numbers-first report and answer any questions.
