11.30.2023

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Today’s Forecast

❄️ Welcome to winter

Winter events happening in and around Seattle

A woman dressed in bright red holding a striped umbrella joins Bellevue's holiday parade with snow falling all around.

Snowflake Lane in Bellevue is always a big draw. | Photo via the Bellevue Collective

Get your fuzzy socks and hot cocoa ready, Seattle. From light displays to holiday performances and festive parties, winter is where the Emerald City thrives.

Gather the family and friends and celebrate what makes the holiday season special with this guide featuring winter events happening between December and January.

Festivals

People dressed up in Santa outfits drink at Pike Taproom in Pike Place Market — SantaCon has gotten a bit mellower in recent years, but is still a party and a half.
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Photo by SEAtoday staff

Holiday parties and events

Holiday markets

Light displays

Ballet dancers on stage in white dresses for "The Nutcracker" — Visions of sugar plum fairies will dance in your head.
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Photo by Angela Sterling

Holiday performances

George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” | Now-Wednesday, Dec. 27 | Various times | McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle | $27-$206 | Winter magic comes alive as the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s sugar plums, candy canes, and flowers dance across the stage.

“A Very Die Hard Christmas” | Now-Friday, Dec. 23 | Various times | Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Green Lake Dr. N., Seattle | $29-$38 | Yippee-ki-yay — everyone’s fave holiday-themed action movie gets a hilarious stage parody.

15+ more events

Asked

The most wonderful time of year to get out and explore the city is…

A. Spring
B. Summer
C. Winter
D. Fall
E. All of them

Let us know

Events

Thursday, Nov. 29

Harry Potter: Magic at Play | Thursday, Nov. 30-Sunday, Jan. 21 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | The Shops at the Bravern, 11111 NE Eighth St., Bellevue | $29 | Wave your wands at an interactive Potter-themed pop-up that includes games, exploration, sensory experiences, and more for kids + adults alike.
Cozy Corner | Thursday, Nov. 30-Thursday, Feb. 1 | 12-2 p.m. | Freeway Park, 600 Seneca St., Seattle | Free | Take a break from your work day by warming up next to a fire pit with free coffee, tea, and live music.

Friday, Nov. 30

Issaquah Reindeer Festival | Friday, Dec. 1-Saturday, Dec. 23 | 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Cougar Mountain Zoo, 19525 SE 54th St., Seattle | $13-$16 | Yes, Rudolph and the whole gang will be there.

Saturday, Dec. 1

CPR/AED and First Aid Class | Saturday, Dec. 2 | 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Station 42, 10726 Beardslee Blvd., Bothell | $51-$62 | You can never be too prepared — learn how to do CPR, use a defibrillator, and perform other first-aid procedures.
An Experiential Understanding of Forgiveness for Psychology and Everyday Life | Saturday, Dec. 2 | 1-4 p.m. | Seattle University, 901 12th Ave., Seattle | $10-$60 | Learn a little bit about the cultural and personal significance of forgiveness from Seattle U professor emeritus Steen Halling.

Sunday, Dec. 2

Run or Wine 5K and 10K | Sunday, Dec. 3 | 12-1 p.m. | Sammamish River Trail - Northshore Athletic Fields, 14735 NE 145th St., Woodinville | $35-$65 | Get some exercise in before wandering over to the local wineries for some sippin’.
Brunch and Banter - Winter Warmth Edition | Sunday, Dec. 3 | 12:30-3 p.m. | Hotel 1000, 1000 First Ave., Seattle | $40 | Enjoy a networking event that feels less like a business meeting and more like hanging with a group of friends over a meal.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Shop

🚲 ~~Black~~ Bike Friday: Score $1,200 off an e-bike for the cyclist on your list

Every Upway e-bike is eligible for a 14-day return and backed by a one-year warranty. | Photos by Upway

Have an active loved one on your shopping list? We’ve got you.

Upway delivers rigorously inspected, certified, and 99% pre-assembled e-bikes from top brands (think: Specialized, Aventon, and Super73) directly to your doorstep — so your favorite person can get rolling right after unwrapping.

E-bikes are typically more expensive than bicycles, but you can score yours for up to $1,200 off.

(Order before Wednesday, Dec. 20 and use code TREE for free express shipping.)

Shop Upway e-bikes

News Notes

Environment

Seattle City Council’s Committee on Climate Action is considering legislation to make 4,000+ of Seattle’s biggest buildings reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The new reduction targets would apply to buildings with 20,000 or more square feet. (Capitol Hill Seattle)

Biz

Seattle-based pet care company Rover has agreed to be acquired by Blackstone in a $2.3 billion deal. Rover said the investment will allow it to expand its global footprint. No changes to its workforce were mentioned in the announcement.

Featured

Looking for some good eating? Fremont Turkish restaurant Hamdi made Esquire magazine’s list of “The Best New Restaurants in America, 2023.” The article praises the hot spot for items like lamb belly kebabs and flatbreads. (Esquire)

Travel

Chugga-chugga-choo-choo — Amtrak will be adding two more round trips between Seattle and Portland beginning Monday, Dec. 11. One more train will leave each morning (5:52 a.m. from Seattle, 6:40 a.m. from Portland) and one each evening (7:50 p.m. from Seattle, 5:55 p.m. from Portland). (Seattle Times)

Feel Good

This past Apple Cup wasn’t just a big deal for UW football — it was also the last game for the university’s marching band director Brad McDavid. McDavid will retire after 30 years in his role, the longest tenure in the band’s 94-year history. (Seattle Times)

Eat

Waffles on a stick? Sign us up. Yummy new pop-up Loli Waffle is now open in Bellevue Square’s Chamei Matcha shop. Its menu features a variety of freshly made waffles in flavors like taro, apple + ube Oreo, and chocolate raspberry. It’s open seven days a week with varying hours. (Downtown Bellevue Network)

Read

Archaeology never seemed so steamy. Seattleite Jo Segura has released her debut novel, “Raiders of the Lost Heart,” a romantic tale that takes a spin on the Indiana Jones story. Segura will host a book launch event Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Lake Forest Park’s Third Place Books. (Seattle Times)

Gallery

Get ready to ooh and ahh. The Seattle Times recently shared a collection of 30 pics snapped by their photographers documenting Seattle’s marvelous fall colors. And uh, Seattle, might we say — you’re looking pretty good. (Seattle Times)

Featured Deal

Last call for this exclusive deal: Score 50% off everything online at Harlestons — the Golf Digest/Golfweek/Golf Channel-featured premium men’s apparel brand — with code BF50. (We especially love their performance polos.) Bonus: Free shipping on $125+ and easy returns, always.*

City

🌸 Spring in the works

City of Seattle plants new cherry blossom trees downtown

278355918_760179525366885_4966608223323389585_n (1).jpg

The famed cherry trees will be replaced by brand new ones. | Photo by @steven.t.luong

The City of Seattle has turned over a new leaf on Pike Street’s foliage — eight new cherry trees have been planted between First and Second Avenue.

The new cherry trees — of the Prunus First Blush variety — replaced the eight trees that were removed earlier this year during construction. The city will also plant 16 more trees at locations that include the new Waterfront Park and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington.

Near the Pike Street plantings, there will be a plaque highlighting the cherry trees’ significance to Japanese culture and Japanese Americans living in Seattle.

The public is invited to attend the plaque unveiling on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 10 a.m. at the corner of First Avenue and Pike Street. Mayor Bruce Harrell and Consul-General of Japan in Seattle Iyori Makoto will be there to commemorate the occasion.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Alina

From the editor

Anndddd it’s time to play “How many Nutcracker performances will Alina go to this year?”

If you’re new to this game, this is something I play every year as a lot of my friends are dancers and I always end up at their shows. Plus, I just generally love ballet and other live shows, so I always go see the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s version and the Land of the Sweets (it’s a real treat).

My record is five shows in one year, but I think this year will land me at two Nutcrackers. Let me know if there’s another one I shouldn’t miss.

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