The 43 Best Places to See Holiday Lights in Seattle in 2019 – TheStranger.com

Winter is cold and dark, it's true, but who needs sunlight when you can bask in the glow of holiday light displays? This year promises plenty of great options, whether you want to take part in a long-held local tradition at West Seattle's Hometown Holidays Night Market and Tree Lighting, celebrate the first night of Hanukkah at Volunteer Park's Grand Menorah Lighting, or skate through a mischievous elf-filled winter wonderland at Enchant Christmas. Find them all below and on our holiday lights calendar. NOVEMBER 22-DECEMBER 29

Enchant ChristmasFollowing a successful first year, Enchant Christmas will transform T-Mobile Park into a winter wonderland complete with an impressive light maze, light sculptures, a market curated by Urban Craft Uprising, and more. This year's theme is "Mischievous," so expect to see sly little elves roaming about. Sodo

Fantasy LightsSpanaway Park will be illuminated with dazzling light displays and scattered with food trucks for your strolling pleasure. Spanaway

Downtown Holiday Tree-Lighting and Macys Star-Lighting CelebrationIf you love holiday traditions and don't mind crowds, downtown is the place to be the day after Thanksgiving. Following the Macy's Holiday Parade, the longstanding department store will light up its gigantic star and fireworks will light up the sky after dark (weather permitting). In Westlake Park, where you'll likely be watching the show, there will also be a tree lighting and the reintroduction of the holiday carousel. Downtown

Christmas at the MansionPer holiday tradition, visitors can marvel at Puyallup's historic Meeker Mansion decked out inVictorian-style Christmas decorations (with 21st-century LED lights).Puyallup

Christmas Ship FestivalThe Puget Sound is filled with lights throughout the holiday season, but no vessel can compete with Argosy Cruises'Christmas Ship, which docks in 65 waterfront communities to serenade people onshore and onboard with its resident choir. Those who choose to board the ship will enjoy photos with Santa, a reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," and kids' activities. For a less family-oriented option, you can trail behind in a 21+ boat with rotating themes each week. It's also free to watch from the shore. Various locations

Snowflake LaneEvery year, downtown Bellevue turns into a winter wonderland not just for one night but for a whole dang month, with (fake) falling snow, jolly live music, and a nightly parade filled with dancers and toy drummers.Bellevue

The Lights of Christmas FestivalMeet Santa, have some snacks, hear stories and music, pay a visit to Baby J at the Nativity, shop, and pet friendly animals at "the largest holiday festival in the Northwest."Stanwood

WildLightsThe zoo will light up with thousands upon thousands of (energy-efficient) LED lights that recreate wild scenes and creatures. You can also throw fake snowballs at your friends, get up close with certain animal residents, and sip hot chocolate. Phinney

ZoolightsHoliday traditions don't get more classic than strolling through the zoo when it's transformed into a luminous wonderland of 3-D animal light installations. Displays from previous years have included hammerhead sharks and sea turtles, a majestic polar bear family, and a giant Pacific octopus. Tacoma

LumazeThis year, Santa is enlisting the help of young princes and princesses in helping him find six hidden presents. In addition to the prize-bearing hunt, this kid-oriented indoor festival will also have a gift market (complete with fresh produce and seasonal treats) and a light display. Interbay

24th Annual Magic in the MarketFor the 24th year, Magic in the Market brings a tree lighting, seasonal snacks and drinks, choirs, and photos with Santa to the already-magical Pike Place Market. You can even pick out a tree of your own to take home.Downtown

74th Annual Holiday Tree LightingThis annual traditionwhich has been going strong since World War IIkicks off the holiday season with carols, photos with Santa, and the lighting of a giant holiday tree in downtown Tacoma. Tacoma

Annual Bridge Lighting CeremonyEnjoy complimentary cookies, hot apple cider, and photos with Santa before marveling at areindeer and fireworks show and the annual lighting of the bridge. Sumner

The Bravern Winter Illumination Holiday Lighting CeremonySeahawks dancers and Santa Claus will make special appearances at the Shops at the Bravern's holiday lighting ceremony. Bellevue

Pyramid Brewing Keg Tree Lighting and Donation CelebrationAt this second annual family-friendly event, watch Pyramid illuminate their towering, 20-foot-tall keg tree made with 236 kegsthe tallest keg tree on the West Coastand be the first to try their Snow Cap and Gingerbread Ale beers on draft. Hot cocoa and apple cider will be available for kids.Sodo

Barn and Tree Lighting/Holiday Sing-A-LongThis popular down-home holiday tradition invites you to make s'mores by a bonfire, sip hot drinks, and sing carols withCharity Osborn as the barn's Christmas tree comes aglow. Duvall

Garden dLightsWhimsical flora and fauna, birds, animals, and cascading waterfalls get the holiday light treatment at Bellevue Botanical Garden's annual display. (To be clear, actual birds and animals will not be strung with lights.) Wander the grounds and take photos among the "half a million" bulbs. Bellevue

Holiday MonkeysCheck out over 200 LED-lit monkeys (Phinney's definitive mascot) atWildLightsand around neighborhood businesses throughout the holiday season. On opening night, enjoy free refreshments and a performance fromOK Chorale at the Phinney Neighborhood Association. Phinney

Bothells Tree Lighting Festival and Holiday MarketImagine an old-timey community Christmas gathering, but replace goose vendors with local food trucksthat's what you can expect at this Bothell family affair, which also promises a visit from Santa, a tree lighting, and a holiday market. Bothell

Light up the NightLight up your own body like a living, breathing holiday tree by wrapping yourself in battery-operated LED lights, twinkling ugly sweaters, and so on. You'll be an integral lumen of this annual parade on the beach. Issaquah

Salish Lodge & Spa Holiday Tree Lighting EventThe elegant Twin Peaks landmark's holiday tree lighting ceremony will include hot drinks and cookies, photos with Santa, carolers, and Country Store discounts.Snoqualmie

Evergreen Lights 2019Over half a million lights will dance around to live music every night of December. Watch the show from a heated viewing area and keep extra warm with cocoa and cookies. Bothell

Seattle's Best Holiday Lights Tour!A festively decorated mini-bus will cart you across the most twinkly-lit neighborhoods in town. Bring your own (non-alcoholic) beverages and sing along to holiday tunes.Downtown

Maple Leaf LightsTake some time to appreciate the lengths to which people have gone to illuminate their houses with impressive Christmas light displays. Maple Leaf

SAM LightsFight the gloom of night in the illuminated sculpture park, featuring luminarias, art-making activities, hot drinks and sweet treats for sale, and more.Downtown

Destination Des Moines Holiday Tree LightingKick off the holiday season with hot cocoa, cookies, face painting, holiday music, and Santa photos at this annual community celebration.Des Moines

Twinkle TwinkleForget the chestnutsinstead, roast some marshmallows on an open fire to make s'mores and sip on a cup of hot cocoa, while enjoying the beautifully illuminated Freeway Park and the sweet sounds of the Dickens Carolers. Downtown

Christmas Lighting FestivalHoliday cheer abounds in Washington's own Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth, which celebrates the season with live Christmas music, visits from both St. Nickolaus and Santa Claus, sledding, and moreall culminating in glorious lighting ceremonies every Saturday and Sunday.Leavenworth

Clam LightsEvery night, Ivar's powers up the park with thousands of Christmas lights depicting various clammy characters. Is this where clams go to heaven after you eat them at Ivar's?Renton

Snow Day SLUDenny Park's winter light display will provide a magical, twinkly respite with a light display, food trucks, a beer garden, live entertainment, and a winter market. Check out theGrand Opening Partyfor some extra fun. South Lake Union

Celebrate Woodinville Winterfest Tree Lighting 2019Run or walk a 5 or 10K course before settling atDeYoung Park for holiday wreath-making, hot cocoa-sipping, cookie-decorating, and other festive activities culminating in a Santa procession and tree lighting. Woodinville

Hometown Holidays Night Market and Tree LightingKick off West Seattle's Hometown Holidays with a tree lighting ceremony. You can also look forward to Santa pictures, ornament-making, and an artisan night market. West Seattle

Lighted Santa ParadeSanta will make his grand entrance on one of Puyallup's oldest fire engines at this annual parade, which also features a holiday market and tree lighting. Puyallup

Lakewood Parade of LightsStand on the sidelines as all manner of luminous holiday floats go by in a cheery procession. The parade will culminate in a Christmas tree lighting. Lakewood

Snoqualmie Winter LightsSanta will pay a visit to his favorite logging town, Snoqualmie, to welcome the holiday season with a tree lighting in the park. Attendees can also enjoy cocoa and cider, horse-drawn wagon rides, and an heirloom winter market. Snoqualmie

Redmond LightsGet in the holiday spirit at Redmond City Hall with a tree lighting, crafts, and live entertainment. Then, keep the merriment going with a light-filled stroll down theRedmond Central Connector to theRedmond Town Center, where you'll be met with a live ice sculptor, a carousel, and more live performances.Redmond

Candy Cane Lane Holiday Lights Festival1920s-era Tudor homes in Ravenna have been boasting impressive light displays every holiday season since 1949. Stroll along Northeast Park Road taking in Nutcracker-themed havens complete with sleighs, reindeer, sugar plum fairies, and blow-up candy canes galore. Ravenna

Google LightsThe Google Kirkland campus will turn on their 25,000-light display for a holiday light show synchronized to music. There will also be free hot chocolate and cookies for the first 2,000 people. Kirkland

Green Lake Pathway of LightsEvery year, the Green Lake Park circuit illuminates its pathway with thousands of candles. You can walk through it, hear holiday music, and warm up with treats.Green Lake

Giant Menorah lighting & Gelt Drop in BallardThe first night of Hanukkah will be met with a menorah lighting, traditional treats like latkes, jelly doughnuts, and chocolate coins (which will rain down from an extended fire ladder in a "Great Gelt Drop"), and kids' activities.Ballard

Grand Menorah Lighting at Kirkland Marina ParkA human dreidel on stilts will shower you with Gelt on the first night of Hanukkahcan't get more festive than that. Also on the docket: a giant menorah lighting and live music.Kirkland

Grand Menorah Lighting at Volunteer ParkJoin Chabad of Capitol Hill for a menorah lighting on the first night of Hanukkah.Capitol Hill

Light up the Night - Burger FestSpend the night before Hanukkah witnessing Westlake Park's giant menorah lighting, eating gourmet burgers, latkes, and doughnuts, sipping hot beverages, and learning about Judaism from a Mitzvah tank.Downtown

Holiday Parade of Lights Dinner CruiseStay warm with hot cider and winter cocktails aboard a ship adorned with holiday lights. The cruise liner will be one of many decked-out vessels on the water.Fremont

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The 43 Best Places to See Holiday Lights in Seattle in 2019 - TheStranger.com