From classical glimmer to an illuminated velociraptor. By Carli Ricker Updated 12/4/2020 at 9:36am
IMAGE: COURTESY PIKE PLACE MARKET
SEATTLE
Pike Place Market
DOWNTOWN
As one of Seattle’s most famous photo backdrops, it seems fitting that Pike Place will dress up for the holidays. Throughout December, the market’s nine acres will glow with holiday lights and decorations.
Downtown Holiday Lights and Delights
DOWNTOWN
A socially distanced holiday celebration means a livestreamed tree lighting and augmented-reality winter wonderlands. Light sculptures can still be viewed in-person at Westlake Park.
15 Seconds of Stardom
DOWNTOWN
The huge star remains on the building that used to hold Macy’s downtown. Now, you can program it with a custom light show for 15 seconds (or more) for $15 (or more). Some of the proceeds go to Mary’s Place, which works to help women and families out of homelessness.
Campus Luminata
LOWER QUEEN ANNE
The sun setting at 4:30pm isn’t exactly ideal, but it does give more time to roam the Seattle Center’s grounds to view glimmering trees and a winter light display at Cornish Playhouse.
Wildlanterns at Woodland Park Zoo
PHINNEY RIDGE
In a year full of adapting and reinventing, Woodland Park Zoo has created a new holiday light experience: Wildlanterns. Instead of the usual thousands of twinkling lights, guests will see some of the zoo’s beloved animals, like a bear or tiger, as illuminated lanterns scattered throughout the property.
Wildlanters at Woodland Park Zoo. IMAGE: JANE SHERMAN
Candy Cane Lane
RAVENNA
While huge, flashy displays are fun, there’s something quintessentially Christmas-like about seeing holiday lights in a neighborhood. The residents of Ravenna’s Candy Cane Lane might even match the level of holiday spirit of the neighbors from Christmas with the Kranks.
Starlight Lane
SODO
While fans of the Seahawks and Sounders haven’t been able to visit the rebranded Lumen Field (the stadium formerly known as CenturyLink) to see their favorite stars play, Lumen is opening its garage for a drive-through lights and lasers display—with synchronized music, of course.
ELSEWHERE
Evergreen Christmas Lights
ONLINE
For those who still want to see holiday lights but would rather not brave a Washington winter night, Evergreen Church has constructed a completely virtual light show. This might be the comfiest option for holiday light viewing.
Snowflake Lane
BELLEVUE
Whether you want to step out and walk or just roll through in the shelter of a car, the Bellevue Collection’s Snowflake Lane will still be open to help create some holiday magic. This year won’t have the nightly parade and performers, but there will still be lights, music, and a nightly dusting of “snow.”
IMAGE: COURTESY POINT DEFIANCE ZOO
Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
TACOMA
With more than 700,000 lights, Zoolights has created a giant tiger face, a tunnel of lights, and a mini-replica of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Timed tickets help make sure all these creations can be viewed fully and while six feet from others.
Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park
The sparkling spectacle of Fantasy Lights stretches across a two-mile drive. There will be the usual displays of Santa and reindeers flying over cars, but new this year is a velociraptor. Because why not have a Christmas dinosaur?
Burien Town Square Park Holiday Lights
BURIEN
Town Square Park may be on the smaller side but its holiday lights can still provide a heavy dose of cheer.