Christmas Cheer in Gig Harbor and Near
With Christmas just around the corner you’ll want to mark your calendar with local Christmas events to bring the holiday cheer! From Gig Harbor all the way to The North Pole (of Washington) there are plenty of Christmas themed concerts, lights, shopping, shows and more to help you countdown the days until Christmas!
Let’s start with the near and dear Christmas events and traditions in
Gig Harbor:
December 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024
There are several gnomes hidden in businesses around Gig Harbor. If you find at least 15 gnomes by December 31st you can enter for a chance to win a family-fun gift basket or your very own gnome. Download your scavenger hunt passport and map for this free event that your family will love!
Noel on the Bay
Friday, December 6, 2024
The Chapel on Echo Bay’s Christmas concert will be featuring Only Yesterday. Tickets can be purchased online.
GLOW Kids: Jingle Jam
Saturday, December 7, 2024
4:00 pm
Jingle and jam at this Christmas concert experience with GLOW Kids. Perfect for families with young children, their Jingle Jam includes interactive sing-along carols, zany hosts they'll love, and loads of laughs. Please note this is not a drop-off event; parents and guardians are invited to experience the magic alongside their kids. GLOW Kids is free, but please reserve tickets here and select GLOW Kids.
GLOW: Christmas Through the Ages
Saturday, December 7, 2024
7:00 pm
More than a concert, Glow features high-energy musical performances and stunning visuals through an immersive Christmas journey through the ages. Geared towards tweens, teens and adults, this exciting concert experience is the best way to kick off the Christmas season! GLOW is free, but please reserve tickets here and select GLOW.
Cookies & Cocoa at the City Tree Lighting
Saturday, December 7, 2024
4:30pm – 8:30pm
You can count on this annual city tree lighting the first weekend of every December! Head to Skansie Brothers Park for an extra festive celebration including live music, festivities, a Santa appearance and complimentary cookies & cocoa provided by your very own Team Schults & Co.
Gingerbread House Workshop
Saturday, December 7, 2024
This free event, sponsored by Team Schulte & Co. is something the whole family can enjoy. It is complete with cocoa for the kids and Locust Cider drinks available to purchase for the adults. There will be four time slots offered, so choose yours and sign up before they’re all full: 10am - 11am, 11am - 12pm, 12pm - 1pm, and 1pm - 2pm (each person in your group must have a reservation).
Tidefest Fine Arts & Crafts Festival
Saturday, December 7 & Sunday, December 8, 2024
This annual festival features artists throughout the Northwest and represents a variety of art forms, including glass art, pottery, painting, jewelry, clothing, and wood and leather creations. If you want to get a head start on your shopping, take a look at the list of vendors. Admission is only $5 and purchases help support Gig Harbor High School’s various programs and activities.
Light Up the Night- St. Lucia Festival
Saturday, December 7, 2024
6pm – 8pm
Harbor History Museum will celebrate Gig Harbor’s Scandinavian heritage with crafts, games, storytelling, music and a St. Lucia procession. This family friendly event is $5 per person (3+) and free for members.
Saturday, December 7- Sunday, December 8, 2024
5pm-8pm
Discovery Bible Church’s annual living Nativity draws in a large crowd from all over! Dress warm to experience this authentic nativity scene in the forested church setting. This event is free, but donations are encouraged.
The Polar Express-Galaxy Theatre
Saturday, December 7 & Sunday, December 8, 2024 Tickets are just $5, and if you bring a contribution for the Toys for Tots gift drive, hot chocolate is free!
Holiday Village at Donkey Creek Park
December 7, 2024 - December 28, 2024
During park hours
This is the perfect place to take your holiday photos! There are 6 holiday themed photo displays available that would be perfect for your next family Christmas card. Santa will be stopping by the following weekends for free photos with Santa:
December 14th-15th
December 21st-22nd
12-2pm
Cookies & Cocoa with Mr. and Mrs. Clause
Saturday, December 14, 10am-2pm
Watch your children light up with joy as they write letters to Santa, get photos and have cookies and cocoa with the Mr. & Mrs. of Christmas. This family event is held at PenMet Park with a suggested $10 family donation.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
5pm
Grab your hot cocoa or prepare your dinner reservations, and head to the waterfront for this lighted annual tradition. Or, if you have a boat of any kind, light it up and join other boaters in a couple circuits around the harbor. The best places to see these lit up boats on parade are locations like Skansie Brothers Park, Jerisich Dock, Ancich Waterfront Park, and the Bogue Viewing Platform.
Saturday, December 14, 2024, 10am -5pm
Sunday, December 15, 2024, 11am - 3pm
The Museum's first annual Holiday Market has a wide range of unique and thoughtfully curated vendor booths. You can take a break from shopping to take plenty of family photos throughout the museum! Admission is $5 for non-members and free for members.
Lighted Car Parade & Santa’s Village
Saturday, December 21, 2024
4pm – 7pm
Join in the fun by decorating your vehicle and participating in the parade (registration is free). If you’re a spectator, you will be able to see all the decorated cars on display at the Uptown parking lot (near Fondi Pizzeria). While you’re there, check out Santa’s Village, which will feature local vendors and Santa Claus. There will be drop off locations for donated food, personal items or new unwrapped toys that goes toward the GH FISH Food Bank.
Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One Santa Runs
Monday, December 2 - Friday, December 6, 2024
Santa and the fire department will be visiting various neighborhoods in the Gig Harbor area, so check their facebook page for the planned route by date. While they are driving around, they will also be collecting food donations for local charities.
Events Beyond Gig Harbor
Holiday on the Bay – Port Orchard
December 7, 2024
3pm-8pm
This annual holiday tradition is held in Downtown Port Orchard. There is fun for the whole family all day. This event includes Santa photos, musical performances, a pet parade, holiday markets, a tree lighting and many family activities!
Ice Rink - Bellevue
Friday, November 15, 2024 - Monday, January 12, 2025
Featuring over 9,000 square feet of real ice, this is the largest seasonal ice rink in the region! They make the season fun with special events, and even offer free lessons with a professional skating coach (select evenings). Go online to purchase your tickets.
Tree Lighting - Tacoma
Saturday, November 30, 2024
5:00 pm
As you wait for the official countdown to the tree lighting, enjoy live music, refreshments, and more. If you arrive early you will also be able to hear the Tacoma Concert Band perform (tickets are required if you are over 18). They begin performing at 3pm.
Fort Nisqually’s Christmas Regale – Tacoma
December 7, 2024
11am – 4pm
Travel back in time to be part of this Christmas scene straight out of a storybook. Experience old-fashioned holiday festivities like making ornaments and Christmas crackers, roasting coffee beans, bring in the Yule log, playing games and taking a picture with Father Christmas. Get your tickets online.
Symphony Tacoma
Holiday Favorites: Sunday, December 8, 2024
Handel’s Messiah: Friday, December 13, 2024
Support the local arts! The symphony will be offering their annual seasonal concerts, Holiday Favorites and Handel’s Messiah, both of which are sure to delight all music lovers.
Tacoma City Ballet’s The Nutcracker
Saturday, December 14 - Saturday, December 20, 2024 (select dates)
No holiday season is complete without experiencing this Christmas classic! Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster.
Ice Arena - Tacoma
Friday, November 29 - Saturday, January 4, 2024
Experience a winter wonderland with the arena’s Ice Lights program, featuring lights and animated displays including a Christmas tree that sings, falling snow, and more! They also have ice bumper cars and a party room you can rent during Ice Lights skating times.
November 29, 2024 - January 5, 2025
4:30pm – 10pm
This is a beautiful time to head to Point Defiance Zoo as they magically transformed over a million lights. From tunnels of lights to walk through to animal displays and goat in coats, it’s likely to become a family favorite.
November 29, 2024- January 5, 2025
5:30pm – 9pm
If you would like to stay warm and dry while enjoying dreamy Christmas light displays, pack your vehicle with your favorite people and head to Spanaway Park. You can tune your radio to AM 1700 and listen to holiday music while seeing over 300 displays and digital animations. Tickets are available online and must be purchased in advance.
Oly On Ice - Olympia
Friday, November 22, 2024 - Monday, January 20, 2025
Purchase tickets at the rink, or pay for and reserve your skating session online ahead of time (recommended). Rates and hours vary depending on the day.
A Victorian Country Christmas - Puyallup
Thursday, December 5 - Sunday, December 9, 2024
10am – 6pm
Find unique gifts, food, and handcrafted items as you make your way through over 400 displays set up like Victorian shops at the Washington State Fair. There will also be a singing Nativity and two stages with a variety of entertainment. Go online for tickets and other information.
Holiday Magic - Puyallup
Friday, December 6 - Monday, December 23, 2024 (select dates)
Make fun family memories with ice skating, light displays, a holiday market, Santa’s Village, train rides, a merry-go-round, and so much more! Several ticket packages are available for purchase.
North Pole at the Fair - Puyallup
November 15, 2024 – December 23, 2024
Times vary
Instead of dressing up to wait in a line for picture with Santa, you can reserve your time slot and allow your child(ren) to play in their dreamy, fully immersive North Pole display. They can become little elves in Rudolph’s Diner, The Blitzen Arcade, Dasher’s Theatre and enjoy many more North Pole wonders.
Holiday Favorites Concert - Poulsbo
Saturday, December 14, 2024
3pm
Join the Poulsbo Community Orchestra for a festive musical afternoon featuring Handel’s Messiah and other Christmas pop classics. Check back here for updated information and get your free tickets!
Winterfest - Seattle
Friday, November 29 - Sunday, December 21, 2024
Enjoy light shows, a model train and village, artistic performances, and more as part of Seattle’s Winterfest. Read here about all that will be happening.
November 22 - December 29, 2024
Times vary
The world’s largest Christmas light maze is returning to T-Mobile Park. This winter wonderland is filled with twinkling lights, large sculptures, an ice-skating trail, live music, visits with Santa and plenty of photo opportunities. Check out their calendar for special events and theme nights.
Holiday Lights & Delights - Seattle
Friday, November 29, 2029 - Saturday, December 21, 2024 (select dates)
The holiday season kicks off with the tree lighting at Seattle’s Westlake Park, with face painting, crafts, live music and fireworks at Westlake Park. The pop-up ice skating rink will return in December along with more family-friendly fun. All events are free, but check the schedule as most things will be taking place only on the weekends.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker – Seattle
November 29 – December 28, 2024
One of the Northwest’s favorite festive traditions is back. From the picture-perfect lobby, Tchaikovsky’s classic score, beautiful costumes, scenery and performances, it will be a magical night to remember.
November 29 – December 27, 2024
Charles Dickens’ timeless tale returns to Allen Theatre for its 49th year. This is a great opportunity to gather with loved ones to watch this tale of holiday hope and redemption.
Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience - Seattle
November 30 – December 24, 2024
Join Mr. Kringle and his elves as they invent toys in his top-secret laboratory. From the moment you arrive you will experience magic, mystery and adventure as you use engineering to create a toy to present to Mr. Kringle. Get your tickets to this unforgettable Christmas STEM experience!
November 9 – December 22, 2024
It’s a bit of a drive for this North Pole experience but it’s a holiday favorite amongst those who have experienced it. If your family loves hot cocoa, 75-minute train rides while enjoying live song and dance and listening to The Polar Express story this is one to add to your holiday calendar. Tickets are selling fast, so if you can’t make it this year you can plan now for next year. While you’re planning for next year, you can also check out this Polar Express in Mt. Rainier. It is already sold out for 2024, but you can mark your calendar for next year’s ticket sales.
The Polar Express – Mount Hood
November 22 – January 4, 2024
If you didn’t book in time and don’t mind the drive to Northern Oregon, The Mount Hood Polar Express is another wonderful experience with plenty tickets available.
