Last updated: November 11, 2024
Find your holiday cheer in West Lake Sammamish with our essential guide. From West Lake Sammamish aficionados to curious travelers, our guide showcases both traditional and unique holiday experiences.
Popular events during this festive season include the beloved Holiday Pops, where classic holiday music fills the air, creating a warm, celebratory atmosphere. The Pacific Northwest Ballet's The Nutcracker offers a magical journey through a winter wonderland, featuring stunning choreography and enchanting sets. And the Burlesque Nutcracker is something you definitely don't want to miss, combining playful performances with a twist on this timeless tale. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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West Lake Sammamish Holiday Markets and Shopping
A Victorian Country Christmas
- What to Expect
- Interactive vendor list with local businesses selling holiday decor, apparel, and specialty foods.
- Description
- A Victorian Country Christmas is a holiday event featuring unique shopping, live entertainment, and festive attractions. Attendees can explore hundreds of vendors offering handmade crafts, holiday decor, and specialty foods. The event also includes a Santa Area where children can meet Santa Claus and take a photo.
- Where
- Puyallup | More Info : A Victorian Country Christmas
Holiday Markets at Seattle Center
- What to Expect
- Traditional European crafts and festive food in a bustling outdoor village.
- Description
- The Seattle Christmas Market at Seattle Center features 80+ artisan vendors, a 50-foot walk-through Christmas tree, and traditional European crafts and food, creating an immersive holiday atmosphere.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Holiday Markets at Seattle Center
Giving Marketplace
- What to Expect
- Unique gifts supporting diverse causes with live performances and family-friendly activities.
- Description
- The Giving Marketplace at the Gates Discovery Center offers unique gifts from dozens of vendors supporting various causes, including immigrants and refugees, women and girls, global health, education, and the environment. Enjoy family-friendly holiday activities and live performances while discovering ways to take action on issues you care about.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Giving Marketplace
Graham Winter Solstice Celebration
- What to Expect
- Celebrates Winter Solstice with artisan crafts and luminary trail.
- Description
- The Graham Winter Solstice Celebration at Frontier Park features a Night Market with unique, handmade artisan crafts, a candle-lit Luminary Trail, live performances, and local food trucks. Activities include lantern and wildlife-friendly ornament making, and the event celebrates the rich traditions of the Winter Solstice.
- Where
- Graham | More Info : Graham Winter Solstice Celebration
West Lake Sammamish Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Holiday Pops
- What to Expect
- Classic holiday music performed by the Seattle Symphony.
- Description
- The Seattle Symphony presents Holiday Pops, a festive concert featuring beloved holiday classics performed by the symphony's talented musicians.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Holiday Pops
Pacific Northwest Ballet's The Nutcracker
- What to Expect
- World-class ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes.
- Description
- Pacific Northwest Ballet's The Nutcracker is a timeless ballet featuring Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's classic score, stunning costumes, and impressive performances. The event includes a picture-perfect lobby and elaborate scenery, making it a highlight of the holiday season.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Pacific Northwest Ballet's The Nutcracker
Burlesque Nutcracker
- What to Expect
- Jazz-infused burlesque performance with elaborate costumes and acts.
- Description
- Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker is a holiday spectacle blending jazz, ballet, and striptease, featuring Lily Verlaine's Baroness of Bon-Bons, Babette La Fave's light-juggling magic, and the swinginest band in the Land, The Nutcracker Nonette.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Burlesque Nutcracker
Can Can Culinary Cabaret’s Wonderland
- What to Expect
- Holiday-themed cabaret dinner theatre with professional performers and local Market-fresh ingredients.
- Description
- Can Can Culinary Cabaret’s Wonderland is an original show featuring Kevin’s journey to rediscover his lost cheer with the help of his dream-found friends, the Holiday Spirits. This production celebrates 11 years of sold-out shows, bringing back the spirit of quintessential holiday classics.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Can Can Culinary Cabaret’s Wonderland
Black Nativity
- What to Expect
- Soulful retelling of the Christmas story with gospel renditions and audience participation.
- Description
- Langston Hughes' Gospel Song-Play, Black Nativity, returns to Intiman Theatre with a soulful retelling of the Christmas story featuring over 30 actors, dancers, and a city-wide gospel choir.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Black Nativity
Next Fest NW
- What to Expect
- Experimental dance performances exploring themes of chaos and order.
- Description
- Next Fest NW is an experimental new works festival celebrating contemporary dance and movement-based artists innovating in the Pacific Northwest. The festival features new works by Stasia Coup, Symone Sanz, Hannah Krafcik, and Emily Jones, each responding to the theme of Total Chaos. The performances explore cacophony, grief, order, and purpose through innovative structures and sensory experiences.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Next Fest NW
Celtic Yuletide
- What to Expect
- Multi-generational family performance with diverse musical and dance elements.
- Description
- The Boulding Family's musical celebration of the holiday season features Celtic harps, hammered dulcimers, whistles, strings, percussion, and harp-like instruments from around the world. Guests add Irish step dancing, drumming, and storytelling for a memorable performance.
- Where
- Kent | More Info : Celtic Yuletide
Sammamish Symphony Holidays
- What to Expect
- Traditional and innovative holiday music performances.
- Description
- The Sammamish Symphony presents a distinctive blend of traditional festive music, symphonic repertoire, and new holiday discoveries, featuring a mix of classical favorites and surprises.
- Where
- Sammamish | More Info : Sammamish Symphony Holidays
The Nutcracker Ballet
- What to Expect
- World-class ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes
- Description
- The Nutcracker Ballet captivates audiences with its timeless story and stunning choreography. Set to Tchaikovsky's beautiful score, this classic production transports spectators into a world of dreams, featuring exquisite dancers, elaborate costumes, and imaginative sets. The performance is a celebration of holiday spirit through the lens of a child's imagination, making it a cherished seasonal tradition.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : The Nutcracker Ballet
West Lake Sammamish Other Holiday Activities
Jingle Bell Run
- What to Expect
- Celebrating 40 years of fundraising for arthritis research.
- Description
- The Jingle Bell Run is a festive charity event where participants wear holiday gear and run to raise funds for arthritis research and support life-changing resources. This 40-year-old event celebrates its anniversary with various race options, including a 12K timed run, 5K timed and untimed runs, a 1-mile walk, and a kids' fun run.
- Where
- Seattle | More Info : Jingle Bell Run
K9 Candy Cane 5K Fun Run and Walk
- What to Expect
- Annual pet food drive and scenic Cedar River Trail run.
- Description
- The K9 Candy Cane 5K Fun Run and Walk is an annual event held at the Renton Community Center Campus. Participants run or walk along the beautiful Cedar River Trail before looping back to the Community Center. Competitive runners, fun runners, walkers, and families with or without dogs are invited. Accurate chip timing is provided by Bell Lap Productions, and participants who register before November 22 will receive a hooded sweatshirt. The event also includes an Annual Pet Food Drive to support local animals in need.
- Where
- Renton | More Info : K9 Candy Cane 5K Fun Run and Walk
Polar Plunge at Lake Sammamish State Park
- What to Expect
- Unique New Year's Day plunge event with costume contest and souvenirs.
- Description
- The Polar Plunge at Lake Sammamish State Park is a New Year's Day event featuring registration, music, and merriment on the shores of Sunset Beach. Participants will take a plunge at noon, and the first 300 registered participants will receive souvenirs. The event includes a costume contest with three categories and complimentary clam chowder from Ivar's. First Day Hikes and other activities are also part of the celebration.
- Where
- Issaquah | More Info : Polar Plunge at Lake Sammamish State Park
Walk n Wag
- What to Expect
- Largest dog party on the Eastside with a 3K walk and various dog-friendly activities.
- Description
- Join us at Lake Sammamish State Park for the 8th annual Walk n Wag, a fun event for the whole family featuring a 3K walk, Doggie Village with vendors and activities, performances by Seattle Fly Dogs and Rainier Agility, and more.
- Where
- Issaquah | More Info : Walk n Wag