Seattle events calendar for December 2014. Festivals, fun things to do, Christmas events, Christmas lights, Christmas ships, New Year’s Eve parties, Seattle, WA.

Christmas tree festival

December 1 - 3, 2014 (begins Nov. 22)

0.5 mile south

View 21 designer trees in the lobby and driveway of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel during the annual Festival of Trees charity event. See schedule for gala, family celebration, and teddy bear suite. Free entry.

Twilight Zone theater

December 1 - 20, 2014 (begins Nov. 21)

0.5 mile east

Watch three episodes of Rod Serling’s sci-fi TV show live onstage when Theater Schmeater presents The Twilight Zone: Live on Capitol Hill.

Bellevue holiday show

December 1 - 24, 2014 (begins Nov. 28)

10 miles east

Yes, it’s designed to attract shoppers, but you’ll enjoy the 20-minute show of lights, music, snow, and enthusiastic young drummers in uniform nightly along Snowflake Lane (Bellevue Way). Free.

Christmas play

December 1 - 28, 2014 (begins Nov. 28)

0.3 miles east

ACT Theatre performs Charles Dickens’ holiday classic A Christmas Carol about the miraculous transformation of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge.

Nutcracker ballet

December 1 - 28, 2014 (begins Nov. 28)

1 mile NW

This is the last year for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker, a holiday tradition for Seattle families and ballet lovers, with a live orchestra, magnificent sets and costumes, and a huge cast of professional dancers and students in McCaw Hall at Seattle Center.

Christmas lights - Seattle zoo

Dec. 1 - 31, 2014 (Nov. 28 - Jan. 3)

5 miles north

WildLights features 500,000 lights in animal shapes, real reindeer, night creatures, a carousel, indoor play, and carolers at Woodland Park Zoo. Closed Dec. 24 and 25.

Christmas lights - Bellevue

Dec. 1 - 31, 2014 (Nov. 29 - Jan. 3)

11 miles east

Enjoy zillions of colorful lights and displays at Garden d’Lights in Bellevue Botanical Garden. Some nights are free but more crowded.

Christmas lights - Tacoma zoo

Dec. 1 - 31, 2014 (Nov. 28 - Jan. 4, 2015)

40 miles south

Bundle up to admire half a million holiday lights and displays at Zoolights. Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo.

Victorian Christmas

December 3 - 7, 2014

37 miles south

A Victorian Country Christmas has 560 booths with vendors dressed in Victorian costumes selling art, jewelry, decorations, clothing, and toys at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center.

Christmas ships parade

December 3 - 23, 2014 (begins Nov. 28)

Lake Washington & Puget Sound

Ride onboard with the choir or listen from shore at a bonfire during Christmas Ship Festival. See schedule.

Christmas concerts

December 4, 6, 7, 12, 2014

Seattle and Tacoma

A PLU Christmas features the choir, chorale, and orchestra of Pacific Lutheran University at Benaroya Hall the first day, and at PLU in Tacoma after that.

Christmas plays

Dec. 4 - 24, 2014 (see schedule)

5 miles north

Unruly kids take over the church pageant every year in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a family play-within-a-play. Christmastown: A Holiday Noir is a new play for adults. See both at Bathhouse Theater.

Caroling at Westlake

December 5, 2014

0 miles

Hear 40 caroling teams sing outside Westlake Center, and then vote for your favorite at Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition.

Winter BeerFest

December 5 - 6, 2014

7 miles NE

Try winter seasonal beers from 30 Washington breweries and enjoy pub cuisine at Winter Beer Festival at Hangar 30 in Magnuson Park, then vote for your favorites.

Tour artists’ studios

December 5 - 7, 2014

Seattle locations

Shop from two-dozen artists in their studios making clothing, jewelry, glass, ceramics, prints, and more on the free Seattle Sampling Artists’ Studio Tour.

Bavarian Christmas

December 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 2014

117 miles east

Enjoy Christmas lights twinkling on snow, roasted chestnuts, sleigh rides, and caroling at the annual Leavenworth Christmas Lighting.

Art for $100

December 6, 2014

7 miles south

Find affordable art from 50 artists, free crafts, DJ music, and food trucks at Art Under $100 at South Park Community Center.

Jule festival

December 6, 2014

22 miles NW via Bainbridge ferry

Jule Fest is a free Scandinavian bazaar of arts and crafts, folk dancing, Vikings, Christmas tree lighting, a bonfire, a Lucia bride, and Santa Claus in Poulsbo.

Crafts show

December 6 - 7, 2014

1 mile NW

Shop for hand-crafted clothing, jewelry, toys, stationery, art, candles, housewares, and food at Urban Craft Uprising Winter Show in the Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center. Repeats in July.

Phinney winter festival

December 6 - 7, 2014

5 miles north

The Winter Festival & Crafts Fair has 100 arts and crafts vendors, musicians and dancers, and lunch and baked goods at Phinney Center.

Santa Train

Dec. 6 - 20, 2014 (dates below)

36 miles east

The Northwest Railway Museum runs a popular 20-minute Santa Train from North Bend to the Snoqualmie Depot for cookies and a visit with Santa Claus. Runs Nov. 29, 30 & Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20.

Charles Dickens festival

December 12 - 13, 2014

35 miles south

Dickens Festival at Stadium has a lantern parade and entertainment Friday evening, and a Saturday festival with street vendors, carriage rides, entertainers, and a dinner/dance in Tacoma’s Stadium District.

Arts and crafts fair

December 13 - 14, 2014

46 miles NW via Bainbridge ferry

Chimacum Arts & Craft Fair is a small-town event with handmade gold and silver gifts, leather and wood items, textiles, candles, birdhouses, and clothing.

Winter solstice celebration

December 13, 14, 16, 17, 2014

34 miles south

The Christmas Revels is a family oriented celebration of the winter solstice. Expect music, dance, theater, song, and story telling at Rialto Theater in Tacoma.

Jingle Bell run/walk

December 14 or 24, 2014

Seattle and Tacoma

• Dec. 14 - Wear a costume or tie on bells for Jingle Bell Run/Walk at Westlake Center, Seattle.
• Dec. 24 - Run or walk 3 miles at the Jingle Bell Run at Wright Park, Tacoma. Costume optional.

Handel’s Messiah

December 19 - 21, 2014

0.5 mile south

Handel’s Messiah is a holiday tradition performed by the Seattle Symphony & Chorale at Benaroya Hall. Non-subscriber ticket sales start Aug. 2 at 10 a.m.

Model train festival

Dec. 21, 2014 – Jan. 1, 2015

33 miles south

See model train displays on all floors, and get a photo with Santa until Dec. 23 at the Model Train Festival at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma.

New Year’s street show

December 26 - 31, 2014 (7 p.m.)

10 miles east

Celebration Lane is a 20-minute exuberant display of bright lights, rocking music, and young drummers dancing with costumed characters on Bellevue Way. Free.

New Year’s Eve restaurants

December 31, 2014

Seattle locations

Find a list of restaurants that offer special menus and celebrations for New Year’s Eve at OpenTable.

New Year’s Eve symphony

December 31, 2014

0.5 mile south

New Year’s Eve: Concert, Countdown & Celebration begins with classical music performed by the Seattle Symphony, followed by a countdown with a live band, dancing, and a toast, at Benaroya Hall. Tickets for non-subscribers go on sale Aug. 2 at 10 a.m.

New Year’s Eve at the Needle

December 31, 2014

1 mile NW

Put on a winter coat and head to Seattle Center for the West Coast’s best New Year’s Eve fireworks. The Space Needle is the tallest structure in the world that launches fireworks. Parties upstairs sell out early, but you can watch from the ground for free.

New Year’s Eve at Chihuly

December 31, 2014

1 mile NW

New Year’s Eve pARTy includes appetizers & dessert, live music and dancing, a tour of the exhibits, and a champagne toast with a view of the Space Needle’s fireworks through the Glasshouse ceiling at Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center. Free parking.

New Year's Eve science

December 31, 2014

1 mile NW

SPECTRA 2015: New Year's Eve Under the Arches features aerial acts, fire sculptures, laser shows, dancing, appetizers, champagne, and a view of the Space Needle fireworks at the Pacific Science Center.

New Year’s Eve bash

December 31, 2014

1 mile NW

Indulgence is billed as Seattle’s biggest New Year’s Eve bash, with 3,000 guests, 3 performance stages, comedy, and dancing to live music at Experience Music Project, with museum access. Sells out.

New Year’s Eve party

December 31, 2014

1.5 miles south

Resolution is a massive celebration with 6,000 balloons, 500 pounds of confetti, aerial acrobatics, spectacular lighting effects, music, dancing, bars, at WaMu Theater. White and gold attire recommended.

New Year’s Eve gala

December 31, 2014

4 miles north

Bonza Bash New Year’s Eve promises a night of glitz, glamour, celebration, and fun at Fremont Studios.

New Year’s Eve in Tacoma

December 31, 2014

33 miles south

First Night Tacoma fills the last day of the year with family friendly entertainment, including a short parade, fun run, music and dance shows, puppets, and a fiery midnight spectacle in downtown Tacoma.

Rock concert

December 2014 (undated)

1 mile NW

Deck the Hall Ball is an annual marathon concert that features popular bands at Key Arena, run by Seattle radio station KNDD 107.7 FM or “The End.”

Drawing day

December 2014 (undated)

2 miles NE

Get creative with drawing materials, open studios, live models, live music, and food trucks at family-friendly Drawing Jam at Gage Academy of Art.

Contemporary dance

December 2014 (undated)

1.2 miles east

Next Fest NW Performances is a contemporary dance series at Velocity Dance Center.

Dance films

December 2014 (undated)

1.2 miles east

Next Dance Cinema features local and international dance on screen at Northwest Film Forum.

Reindeer & model trains

December 2014 (undated)

7 miles NW

Visit live reindeer and watch model trains wind their way through a winter landscape during the Reindeer Festival at Swanson’s Nursery. Free.

Holiday burlesque

December 2014 (undated)

5 miles SE

The Best Burlesque Pageant Ever is an over-the-top adult comedy at Columbia City Theater.

Santa at the Smith Tower

December 2014 (undated)

1 mile south

A ticket to Santa Visits the Smith Tower includes views from the top-floor observation deck, cocoa and treats in the Chinese room, and a photo with Santa.