From late November to New Year's Eve, Seattle fills up with lights, markets, boats and shows. This is the short list I'd give a friend visiting for the holidays, or a guest staying at a rental here. Dates come from the organizers' own sites as I checked them on November 6, 2026. Plans change, so check the event's site before you go.
Downtown: the tree, the carousel and the windows
- Tree Lighting Celebration, Westlake Park. Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving. It's the unofficial start of the season downtown.
- Holiday Carousel, Westlake Park. November 27 to January 3.
- Holiday Train window display, Pacific Place. November 27 to January 3, and Pacific Place's Snow Globe runs November 27 to December 24.
- Holiday ice rink, Occidental Square. December 12 to 20, noon to 6 p.m., with a holiday bazaar on December 12.
The full downtown lineup is on the Downtown Seattle Association's holiday page.
Pike Place Market
- Magic in the Market: November 28.
- Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition: December 5.
- Holiday Night Market with Santa: December 10.
Seattle Center
- Seattle Christmas Market, Fisher Pavilion. November 20 to December 26, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. It's ticketed. Hours and tickets are on the Seattle Center event page.
- Winterfest. November 27 to December 31, with a model train village in the Armory, free Friday movie nights and free performances.
Lights worth the drive
- WildLanterns, Woodland Park Zoo. November 13 to January 17, 4 to 9 p.m., closed some nights. Ticketed; the closed dates are on the zoo's WildLanterns page.
- Snowflake Lane, Bellevue. November 27 to December 24 along Bellevue Way, at Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square.
- Pathway of Lights, Green Lake. December 12. Free.
- Gingerbread Village, Sheraton Grand Seattle. November 19 to January 1, by donation.
- Seattle Festival of Trees, Fairmont Olympic Hotel. November 16 to December 1. Free.
On the water: the Christmas Ship Festival
Argosy's Christmas Ship sails November 27 to December 23 with choirs on board, stopping at waterfront parks where you can listen from shore for free. A few public stops:
- Alki Beach: Friday, November 27, evening.
- Edmonds Fishing Pier: Sunday, December 6, late afternoon.
- Juanita Beach Park, Kirkland: Saturday, December 12, evening.
- Kirkland Marina Park: Friday, December 18, evening.
Exact times, and the cruises if you'd rather be on board, are on Argosy's schedule.
Shows and music
- The Nutcracker, Pacific Northwest Ballet at McCaw Hall: November 27 to December 27.
- A Christmas Carol, Union Arts Center: November 27 to December 27.
- Handel's Messiah, Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall: December 17, 19 and 20.
- Black Nativity, Broadway Performance Hall: December 10 to 27.
Culture and markets
- Julefest, National Nordic Museum in Ballard: November 20 to 22.
- Winter Native Art Market, Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center: November 21 to 22 and December 19 to 20.
- New Year's Eve at the Space Needle: December 31.
Visit Seattle keeps a longer list in its 2026 holiday roundup.
A day trip to the mountains
Leavenworth turns into a Bavarian Christmas village, about two and a half hours east over Stevens Pass. In past seasons its lights have stayed on from Thanksgiving through February. Check leavenworth.org for this year's dates and parking, and the pass conditions before you drive.
For hosts: get the listing ready for holiday guests
Holiday travelers book early and look hard at photos. If your Airbnb or cabin still has summer pictures, or none of the fireplace, the hot tub or the view at dusk, a refresh before the busy weeks pays for itself. I photograph rentals across Seattle, the Eastside and Snohomish County, and cabins out to Sky Valley, Leavenworth, Snoqualmie Pass and the islands. See Airbnb photography or cabin and vacation rental photography, and the host prep checklist for getting the place ready.
Listing a home this winter? Lights on and a fire going make a December listing glow. Here's why twilight timing sells.
