Have you checked out watts happening up in Ravenna? Candy Cane Lane is aglow once again.
The annual event is a neighborhood-wide holiday lights + decoration extravaganza that would make Clark Griswold weep with joy.
From now through Jan. 1, you can check out the Tudor-style residences along Park Road that are decked out with strings of twinkling bulbs, various lawn ornaments, and even a rotating carousel with a Nutcracker theme.
Just where did all this Hallmark-like seasonal spirit come from?
Staying in their lane
Candy Cane Lane’s roots go back 70+ years when the Seattle Times ran a contest challenging locals to create a display with the most Christmas cheer. One group of homes near Ravenna Park blew the competition away — and the enclave has been going hard during the holidays ever since.
Seriously, there’s no phoning it in on Park Road. Folks often start prepping in September and host summer garage sales to help pay for the high electricity bills.
While residents aren’t obligated to participate, Candy Cane Lane comes with community appeal — many of the decorations even get passed down from homeowner to homeowner. Some of the candy cane-shaped creations are made of hardware store-bought stovepipe from the 1940s.
Have a jolly good time
You can drive through the blocks to check out the display, but visitors can also stroll through the neighborhood on foot. In fact, the next three Thursdays are for pedestrians only.
The UW marching band pays a visit on Thursday, Dec. 7 in front of the Grinch decoration and there will be a jazz performance on Thursday, Dec. 14.
Candy Cane Lane is free and open to the public. Food donations for the U-District food bank are encouraged. Hours:
- Sunday-Thursday: 4:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
- Friday + Saturday: 4:00 p.m.-11:00p.m.
