Must-See Christmas Displays and Winter Events in Seattle (2026)

On Friday, November 27, three of the biggest winter events in Seattle start on the same night. Seattle Center turns on its Winterfest train village, Bellevue’s Snowflake Lane begins its 7 p.m. parade, and the Christmas Ship Festival sets sail from Pier 55. That is the opening weekend of a season that runs through New Year’s Day.

This list is sorted by when each event starts, so you can plan around the calendar. It mixes events with 2026 dates already announced and events that follow a steady annual pattern. The table below marks which is which. For more of the season, see our fall and winter guide to Seattle.

Event	2026 dates	Cost	Dates status
Seattle Center Winterfest	Nov 27–Dec 31	Free (train takes donations)	Confirmed
Snowflake Lane, Bellevue	Nov 27–Dec 24, nightly 7 p.m.	Free	Confirmed
Christmas Ship Festival (from shore)	Nov 27–Dec 23	Free from shore	Confirmed
Westlake tree lighting	Expected Nov 27	Free	Expected
Teddy Bear Suite	Nov 28–Dec 24	Free (donations welcome)	Fairmont page
Gingerbread Village	Expected late Nov–Jan 1	Free	Expected
Seattle Art Museum First Thursday	Dec 3	Free	Confirmed
Candy Cane Lane	Expected early Dec–Jan 1	Free (food drive)	Expected
Green Lake Pathway of Lights	Expected Sat, Dec 12	Free	Expected
Olympic Manor lights	December	Free	No official dates
Garden d’Lights	Nov 28–Jan 3	$10 ($5 on select nights)	Confirmed
WildLanterns	Nov 13–Jan 17	Ticketed	Confirmed

Downtown and Seattle Center

Seattle Center Winterfest

The anchor is the Train & Village in the Armory Food & Event Hall, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., November 27 through December 31. Kids can operate the train from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and a scavenger hunt is included.

Outside, ice carvers Chan Kitburi and James Royal work at the Mural Amphitheatre on Saturdays starting at noon: November 28, and December 5, 12, 19 and 26. After dark, the trees across the campus twinkle.

• Address: 305 Harrison St., Seattle
• Cost: no general admission price is listed; the train accepts donations. Movie Nights and the New Year’s Eve Celebration are also free.

Caveat: The train is popular on weekends, so go on a weekday morning if you want shorter lines.

Westlake Center Tree Lighting

The downtown season opens with the lighting of a 45-foot tree and the Holiday Star, followed immediately by a fireworks show. In 2025 it was held on the Friday after Thanksgiving, with afternoon activities and the main event at 5 p.m. The 2026 date hasn’t been published, so expect Friday, November 27, and confirm with the Downtown Seattle Association.

Nearby, Pine Street’s light installations run through the season, and the Dec. 13–21 window from 2025 suggests an Occidental Square rink again in mid-December (see entry 5).

• Address: Westlake Center, 400 Pine St.
• Cost: free

Highlight: Friday, November 27 is the season’s busiest night: Winterfest opens, Snowflake Lane begins, the Christmas Ships sail, and the tree lighting is expected. Pick one or two, not all four.

Teddy Bear Suite at the Fairmont Olympic

About 100 bears, each in a new design every year, fill a suite on the second floor of the hotel. It is open to all ages, and donations are optional. The proceeds support Seattle Children’s Autism Center and uncompensated care.

• Address: Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St., floor 2
• Hours: daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., November 28 through December 24
• Cost: free

Caveat: Daylight hours only, so pair it with a morning or afternoon downtown walk, not an evening one.

Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton

The hotel puts a gingerbread village display on view for the whole season. The 2025 run was November 20 through January 1, free and open to all ages, with donations welcome for type 1 diabetes research. Expect a similar run in 2026.

• Address: Sheraton Grand Seattle, 1400 6th Ave.
• Cost: free

Caveat: Listed hours are inconsistent across sources, so call the hotel before making a special trip.

Free First Thursday at the Seattle Art Museum

On Thursday, December 3, admission is free from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daytime tours of the collection run at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. From 5 to 8 p.m., a drop-in Build-a-Beast printmaking activity runs in the Brotman Forum, and an artist talk is at 5:30 p.m.

• Address: 1300 First Ave.
• Cost: free; tickets are available onsite and online

If you drive downtown, where to park free or cheap near downtown Seattle covers the lots.

Local Tip: The Occidental Square ice rink in 2025 ran Dec 13–21, noon–6 p.m., with free skate rental, alongside a Dec 13 holiday bazaar. Expect a similar mid-December window and confirm at downtownseattle.org.

On the Water and in the Neighborhoods

Christmas Ship Festival, From Shore

The festival has sailed since 1949 and runs November 27 to December 23, 2026. Boarding costs money, but on many sailings the ship stops near a public park or beach for a 20-minute choir performance that carries to shore. Seattle Parks lights bonfires at selected stops.

Two free official viewing parties are listed: the Parade of Boats on December 11 (8:20–9 p.m., Evanston Plaza in Fremont) and the Grand Finale on December 23 (9:10–9:30 p.m., Gas Works Park, with a public lighting and bonfire).

• Cost: free from shore; check the festival schedule for stops
• Bring: a thermos, warm layers, and an umbrella

Caveat: Seattle Parks hadn’t posted its 2026 bonfire schedule at the time of writing. The 2025 stops included Seward Park, Golden Gardens, Madrona Beach, Alki Beach and Magnuson Park, so those are good bets.

Trivia: The Christmas Ship Festival has been running since 1949, making it older than the Space Needle by 13 years.

Candy Cane Lane

Residents decorate a block of Park Road NE in Ravenna, just off NE Ravenna Blvd, in line with 21st Ave NE. In 2025 it opened Saturday, December 6 at 4 p.m. and ran nightly through January 1. The first night was pedestrian-only.

Bring canned goods: bins at the end of the street collect donations for the University Food Bank. Walk rather than drive, if you can.

• Cost: free
• Dates: expect an early-December start; confirm on the lane’s Facebook page

Olympic Manor Neighborhood Lights

Dozens of residents in Olympic Manor, near Crown Hill and Ballard, decorate their homes with displays that go well beyond strings of lights. Enter from NW 85th St. at 22nd or 21st Ave NW, or from NW 90th St. at 24th Ave NW.

A local report suggests visiting at dusk rather than in full darkness, since you capture more color and detail.

• Cost: free
• Dates: December; no official schedule

Caveat: The source for entry points dates to 2019, so confirm that displays are still going up this year. Streets get crowded, so walk rather than drive.

Green Lake Pathway of Lights

The Green Lake circuit, its paths and docks are lit with thousands of twinkling candles, with live music from local schools and community groups, free refreshments, and hot air balloons if weather allows. The 2025 event ran Saturday, December 13, 4:30–7:30 p.m. If it keeps its second-Saturday pattern, 2026 would be December 12.

• Cost: free; food donations go to FamilyWorks
• Getting there: parking is very limited and fills early. Seattle Parks recommends bus, bike, or on foot.

Caveat: Expect a crowd, especially around sunset.

The Eastside Winter Events

Snowflake Lane

A nightly 7 p.m. parade runs along Bellevue Way between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square, from November 27 through December 24. Toy drummers and dancers are joined by festive music and holiday floats.

• Cost: free
• Getting there: park in any of the free garages at The Bellevue Collection, then choose a spot along the route

Caveat: The official page lists the dates without a year, so confirm before you go.

Worth the Splurge

Garden d’Lights at Bellevue Botanical Garden

More than half a million lights shape plants, animals and scenes across the garden’s grounds, November 28 through January 3 (closed Dec. 25). Tickets are $10 for ages 11 and up and free for ages 10 and under. Special $5 nights run November 30–December 3 and December 7–10, with a last entry at 8 p.m.

Tickets are timed to a 30-minute window and go on sale Thursday, October 15.

• Address: 12001 Main St., Bellevue
• Parking: $5 in the garden lot, or free at Wilburton Hill Park about a quarter mile away
• Shuttle: BellHop, a free on-demand electric shuttle, via the Ride Circuit app

Caveat: Tickets are non-refundable unless the event is canceled.

WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo

The zoo becomes a lantern walk from November 13 through January 17, 2027, nightly from 4 to 9 p.m., with last entry at 8:30 p.m. Members get 20 percent off, and general admission is 10 percent off if purchased by October 31.

It is closed on select dates, including November 16–18, 23, 26 and 30, and December 7, 14, 24 and 25. Check the zoo’s page for January closures and ticket prices.

• Address: Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle
• Cost: ticketed; prices weren’t listed on the page I checked

Caveat: Night Owls (21+) evenings need separate tickets.

Getting Around

Most downtown events are within a few blocks of Westlake Center, and the Monorail links it to Seattle Center. Snowflake Lane and Garden d’Lights are the two events worth driving for.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many of these are actually free?
Ten of the twelve. Garden d’Lights and WildLanterns are ticketed.

Which dates are confirmed for 2026?
Winterfest, Snowflake Lane, the Christmas Ship Festival, the SAM First Thursday, Garden d’Lights and WildLanterns. Tree lighting, Candy Cane Lane, Pathway of Lights and the Gingerbread Village follow past patterns, so confirm each.

Which free stops pair well for one night out?
Downtown: Teddy Bear Suite, the Gingerbread Village and the tree-lit blocks around Westlake are within a few blocks of each other.

Is Garden d’Lights worth paying for if most of this list is free?
It’s a different kind of display, and the $5 nights cut the price in half. Book early, since tickets are timed.

Do I need a car?
Not downtown. Bellevue, Ravenna and Olympic Manor are easier with one.

Conclusion

Start with the cluster closest to you. Seattle Center and downtown cover several stops in one walk, and add Garden d’Lights or WildLanterns if you want one splurge night. For the rest of the season, see the fall and winter guide.

References

• Seattle Center Winterfest 2026: https://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest
• Snowflake Lane, The Bellevue Collection: https://bellevuecollection.com/SnowflakeLane/
• Christmas Ship Festival, Argosy Cruises: https://www.argosycruises.com/experience-christmas-ship-festival/
• Christmas Ships and bonfires at the parks (2025 schedule), Seattle Parks: https://parkways.seattle.gov/2025/12/04/christmas-ships-and-bonfires-at-the-parks-2025-schedule/
• Pathway of Lights at Green Lake (2025), Seattle Parks: https://parkways.seattle.gov/2025/11/26/seattle-shines-with-the-annual-2025-pathway-of-lights-at-green-lake-park/
• Tree Lighting Celebration, Downtown Seattle Association: https://downtownseattle.org/about/sponsorship/holidays/tree-lighting/
• DSA holiday programming (2025): https://downtownseattle.org/2025/10/dsa-mid-to-celebrate-the-holidays-with-festive-programming/
• The Teddy Bear Suite, Fairmont Olympic Hotel: https://www.fairmont.com/en/hotels/seattle/fairmont-olympic-hotel/special-events/the-teddy-bear-suite.html
• Gingerbread Village Display at the Sheraton, Seattle’s Child: https://www.seattleschild.com/events/gingerbread-village-display-at-the-sheraton-2/
• Free First Thursday, Seattle Art Museum (Dec 3, 2026): https://seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/free-first-thursday-seattle-art-museum-dec-3-26
• Candy Cane Lane in December 2025, Wedgwood in Seattle History: https://wedgwoodinseattlehistory.com/2025/11/16/candy-cane-lane-in-december-2025
• Olympic Manor lights, West Seattle Herald: https://www.westsideseattle.com/node/55401
• Garden d’Lights, Bellevue Botanical Garden: https://bellevuebotanical.org/garden-dlights/
• WildLanterns, Woodland Park Zoo: https://www.zoo.org/wildlanterns