Castro Valley's Light Parade Runs Past a Block That's Changed Since Last November

Knudsen's Ice Creamery ran out of ice cream at about 3 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2026. That was its last scoop, and as The Spectator put it, the line "that once stretched down Castro Valley Boulevard gradually faded away."

On Saturday, Nov. 14, crowds come back to that same stretch of the boulevard, also starting at 3 p.m., for the Castro Valley Light Parade. The street will be just as full as it was in past years. What's different is the row of storefronts behind the crowd. Since last year's parade, the block around Castro Valley Marketplace has gained a matcha cafe and a tap room, and the old ice cream shop is waiting on a burger restaurant. For many people, this will be the first time they see the new block with a full holiday crowd on it.

The Chamber's pricing shows where the parade is centered

The Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce runs the parade. This year's theme is "Holiday Sweet Street Spectacular," and the event runs from 3 to 9 p.m. The Chamber split the route into three vendor zones and priced each one by how close it is to the Marketplace at 3295 Castro Valley Blvd.

A non-member booth in front of the Marketplace costs about two and a half times what the same booth costs at the far west end. All 2026 vendor spots are sold out. The Chamber's parade page keeps its advice simple: "Join us early to get a great spot and enjoy the bands, food, and kids activities!" The early spots it means are on the stretch it priced highest.

What's on that block now

The storefronts behind Zone 1 have changed a lot this year. Here's where things stand going into parade weekend.

Berkeleyside's Nosh reported in June that Urban Matcha's Castro Valley shop was its first cafe in Northern California. The brand started in Las Vegas and also has a San Diego location. Its menu includes hojicha alongside matcha, and the ice cream, sponge cakes, waffle cones and adzuki bean toppings are all made in-house. So the block still has housemade ice cream this November, just from a different shop.

At 3315, Pour House held a preview mixer with Castro Valley Rotary on Aug. 18, 2026, ahead of a grand opening planned for later that month. Main Street Property Services, which leases space at the Marketplace Shops, originally announced a June debut. It described Pour House as a self-service tap room with more than 30 rotating taps, a full bar, and California comfort food. The Pour House website now advertises a full bar, 30 beer taps, and American-style comfort food. Calling ahead before parade night is a good idea for anyone planning to eat there, since a tap room on the parade's busiest block will be in demand.

Cordial Cellar + Lounge sits on the Marketplace's basement level, posts a weekly events calendar, and is the venue for Castro Valley Rotary's November Mixer, covered below.

The corner that's still in between

The Knudsen's storefront is the one spot on the block that hasn't reopened yet. It has a long history. Dave and Kathy Knudsen took over the ice creamery in 2004, after the previous business had been closed for more than a year, and reopened that spring. The shop first served Fenton's ice cream and later began making its own in-house. Before that, the family spent years in the Bay Area candy business, starting with The Candy Factory at Southland Mall.

When the shop closed, granddaughter Shay Knudsen gave a farewell statement to the Castro Valley Forum, which The Spectator later quoted:

"Our hopes are to see someone else provide the same. We will leave you with this, and always: 'Our Best is For You.'"

The next tenant has been named. In its October press update, Main Street Property Services announced that Campus Burgers is "opening soon" in the former Knudsen's space, serving burgers, fries made fresh to order and a house sauce. No opening date has been announced. On parade night, the building may still be between tenants, with one of the town's best-known storefronts sitting in the middle of the Chamber's top-priced zone.

The same kind of turnover is happening farther along the boulevard. Berkeleyside's Nosh reported in mid-October that Bodi's Java, a 10-year-old coffee shop at 3803 E. Castro Valley Blvd, would close at the end of the month. Next to the Marketplace, the new tenants opened quickly. Farther east, the boulevard lost a long-running regular this fall.

Getting there on Nov. 14

The Chamber's closure notice is short, so here are the details that matter:

1. Closed stretch: Castro Valley Blvd from Lake Chabot Road to Redwood Road.
2. Detours: Norbridge or Somerset.
3. Event hours: 3 to 9 p.m., with bands, food and kids' activities before dark.
4. Transit: The Marketplace says it is about two blocks from Castro Valley BART.
5. Parking: The Marketplace normally offers free parking in its west and south lots plus street parking. Expect those spaces to fill early on a day the Chamber is telling everyone to arrive early.

If you're coming by car from the Lake Chabot side or from Redwood Road, plan your route around Norbridge or Somerset before you leave. Those are the streets the Chamber is sending traffic to.

Parade day starts in the morning, too. The Urban Village Farmers' Market runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Castro Valley BART parking lot at Redwood Road and Norbridge Avenue, year-round, rain or shine. It wraps up two hours before the parade begins. You can shop the market in the morning and walk to the boulevard in the afternoon.

The weeks around it, on the same block

The parade is the biggest night of the month, but the Marketplace block is busy for several weeks before and after. Here's the calendar:

• Friday, Nov. 6, 5 to 8 p.m.: First Fridays Community Night at Castro Valley Marketplace. It's free and family-friendly, with local makers, live music or DJs, food tasting and craft activities.
• Saturday, Nov. 14, 3 to 9 p.m.: The Light Parade, with the boulevard closed from Lake Chabot Road to Redwood Road.
• Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Castro Valley Rotary's November Mixer at Cordial Cellar + Lounge, inside the Marketplace. It costs $20 for members and guests.
• Friday, Dec. 4, 5 to 8 p.m.: December First Fridays Community Night at the Marketplace.
• Saturday, Dec. 5, 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Family Tree Lighting Event hosted by Castro Valley First Baptist Church.

First Fridays falls the day after this post goes up, eight days before the parade. It's an easy way to try Urban Matcha or check out Pour House on a quieter night, before the boulevard closes and the vendor booths go up.

For daytime plans in the hills before the parade, Lake Chabot Regional Park at 17600 Lake Chabot Road switches to November and December gate hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. At Anthony Chabot, the family campground is closed through Nov. 30 for restroom improvements and hazardous-tree work. Campsites 1 through 12 and 34 through 61 reopen Dec. 1.

The Light Parade happens on the same boulevard every year. What's new in 2026 is that the businesses behind the Zone 1 crowd include a matcha cafe that was soft-opening by late June, a tap room previewed in August, and an ice cream counter that's waiting for its next tenant.

If watching the boulevard change has you wondering what that change means for your own street, Evolve Real Estate would be glad to talk it over. We live and work around this block, and we're happy to walk you through how downtown Castro Valley's new businesses connect to your home's value. Reach out to Get Your Quote whenever you're ready.