Hundreds Gather in Old Town Eureka for Tree Lighting and Local Boost
The third annual Christmas tree lighting at the Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate factory drew an estimated turnout of hundreds to First Street on December 4, bringing music, food trucks, and seasonal sales to Old Town Eureka. The waterfront factory event highlights a growing community tradition that supports local vendors and showcases how small manufacturers are adapting to supply challenges during the holiday season.
On the evening of December 4, hundreds of residents and visitors filled First Street in Old Town Eureka for the third annual Christmas tree lighting at the Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate factory. The city closed the block to vehicle traffic so attendees could gather for hot beverages, food trucks, and performances by the Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir. Co owners Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor addressed the crowd and led the countdown that illuminated the tree at the waterfront factory.
The event has expanded each year, evolving from a modest gathering into a community staple that now draws consistent foot traffic to the historic factory district. Blocking First Street signaled city support and helped create a festival atmosphere that encouraged attendees to linger, visit local shops, and purchase from on site vendors. Organizers estimated turnout in the hundreds, a scale large enough to provide meaningful sales opportunities for food truck operators and holiday market sellers in a concentrated evening.
For Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate, the lighting served dual purposes. It reinforced the company brand in a community setting and offered a direct retail channel during the critical holiday period. The business has navigated supply challenges in the chocolate industry this year, and in person events such as the tree lighting can help offset inventory constraints by concentrating demand and driving immediate sales rather than relying solely on online orders or wider wholesale cycles.
The economic effects extend beyond a single night. Events that cluster consumers into Old Town generate spillover activity for nearby restaurants, galleries, and parking services. They also reinforce a longer term trend toward experiential shopping, where local manufacturers convert production spaces into public venues to build loyalty and capture tourist dollars. For Humboldt County, repeated success of this event points to a potential model for small business resilience, combining community engagement with seasonal sales to soften the impact of broader market pressures.
As the holiday season proceeds, the Dick Taylor lighting adds a visible sign of Old Town Eureka's revival as a waterfront destination and a reminder that locally produced goods and place based celebrations remain important contributors to the county economy.
