This year (2026) the SVFC will coordinate two events with Santa. Photos with Santa is back, and Operation Santa will follow that.
ONE WEEKEND ONLY
Saturday, December 5th & Sunday, December 6th, 9am to 6pm
Reserve your slot here.
If all appointments are full we accept walk-in customers! We cannot guarantee you will have 10 minutes with Santa, however, we know you will have plenty of quality time with Santa. We ask that you please be patient with us, as we expect Photos With Santa will be very busy this year.
With your $30 donation, your family will enjoy a 10-minute private sitting with Santa and one 5″ x 7″ print. Additional prints are available for $5 each, or your entire set of digital images will be available to purchase on-site. You will be able to take your family portraits home with you so you can make your own prints, order holiday greeting cards from your favorite place or just share them with family and friends.
For the safety of Santa, our volunteers, and our other customers, please DO NOT come to the fire station if anyone in your party is experiencing any cold or flu like symptoms. You will be asked to leave if anyone is exhibiting symptoms. Thank you for your understanding.
Santa’s address is: 46700 Middlefield Drive (Fire Station 18), in Cascades. Please stay off the front ramp, and park in back of the fire station. Enter through the door to the right of the back bay doors (look for the signs). Please be very careful while walking across the driveway and ramp, as emergency vehicles frequently drive through that area.
Please choose the day and time that best suits your schedule. And remember to bring Fido! Yes, dogs (Sorry, no cats) are encouraged to come visit Santa too!
Operation Santa 2026 tentative dates:
(Click for Route Name for each map)
Tue, Dec 8: Sterling East
Wed, Dec 9: Sterling North
Thur, Dec 10: Sterling South
Fri, Dec 11: One Loudoun
Sat, Dec 12: Countryside
Sun, Dec 13: Cascades
Mon, Dec 14: Sugarland
Tue, Dec 15: Great Falls
Wed, Dec 16: Mall Santa
Thur, Dec 17: (Make-up)
Unscheduled: (Make-up)
We will make every attempt to follow the schedule and published routes, however, we may have to make last minute unannounced deviations to the scheduled routes based on time, accessibility, etc.
A map of the general coverage zones:
Maps of planned routes are available HERE.
The link for tracking Santa during each event will be glympse.com/!SterlingSanta
You do not need to install the Glympse app to follow Santa, just open this link in a web browser.
Each night we will depart from the North Pole at 6pm and plan to complete the route by 9pm.
Follow us on Facebook to get updates. Consider clicking “Interested” or “Going” for your event so you can get notified of any changes, and be sure to invite your friends and neighbors!
Interested in helping your neighbors (and participating in fun events like Photos with Santa or Operation Santa)? Maybe it’s time to joinsterlingfire.org