December events and entertainment (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Our December events calendar features a wide variety of entertainment in the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan region. As always, we focus on events with a regular adult admission price of $15 or less, or virtual admission of $30.

For more expensive events, we look for popular events with available ticket discounts that can help bring the price down. Occasionally there are higher priced events we feel might be worth a splurge, especially music, film, and arts events that support local entertainers.

We’ll continue to update this calendar throughout the month as organizers announce new events and online content.

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Lighted tree with "believe" in scrabble tiles

Image via Depositphotos_51063813

December Holidays & Special Events

Pearl Harbor Day (always December 7)
Hanukkah aka Chanukah (Dec 7-15, 2023)
Winter solstice (December 21, 2023)
Christmas (always December 25)
Kwanzaa (always December 26-Jan 1)
New Year’s Eve (always December 31)

December 2023 events and entertainment

Featured Events are list first each day, highlighted by a photo. Featured events are unique or annual events that we or our advertisers don’t want you to overlook.

Friday, December 1, 2023

Teddy bear suite at Fairmont Olympic in Seattle

FREE | Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University Street, Seattle WA

2018 Festival of Christmas Tree Fairmont Hotel Seattle photo by Carole Cancler

2023 Free Christmas Tree display at Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle

FREE | Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University Street, Seattle WA

ACT Theatre annual production of Dicken's Christmas Carol

$49.00-94.00 | ACT A Contemporary Theatre, 700 Union Street, Seattle, WA 98101

2023/2024 Holiday Ice Skate Rink in Bellevue

$15.00-20.00 | Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink, NE 1st Street and 100th Ave NE (1 block south of Bellevue Square)

2023 Holiday Magic (selected nights) at Washington State Fairgrounds

$25.00 | Washington State Fairgrounds

Santa Claus with gift photo by ridofranz - DepositPhotos.com

Tree of Giving for local seniors at Everett Mall

11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA 98208

WildLanterns holiday light festival at Woodland Park Zoo

4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $29.95-34.95 | Woodland Park Zoo (south entrance), 750 N. 50th Street, Seattle, WA 98103

Where to see Christmas lights around the Puget Sound region

5:00 pm | FREE | Multiple locations

Banner for Unexpected Productions A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol

A(n Improvised Christmas Carol) Returns at Market Theater

7:30 pm | FREE | Market Theater/Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley Seattle, WA 98101

Craft distillery tours on Seattle Waterfront

$20.00 | Copperworks Distilling Co, 1250 Alaskan Way Seattle, WA 98101

FREE drop-in play weekdays for children + adults in Pierce County

FREE | Multiple locations

Live Radio Play: It’s a Wonderful Life in North Bend

$20.00 | Sallal Grange & Community Hall, 1060 Stilson Ave SE, North Bend, WA 98045

New Seattle theater tradition "Snowed In" at ArtsWest

$40.00-45.00 | ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Willy Wonka, The Musical in North Seattle

$15.00-20.00 | Magnuson Park Theatre, 7120 62nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

Holiday Savings for Target Circle members

Discounted | Multiple locations

Artist Studio Tours on Bainbridge Island (summer & winter)

FREE | Multiple locations

Join SIFF to celebrate Dec 14 opening of SIFF Downtown (formerly The Cinerama)

$60.00 | Online registration

Tuition-free art classes for King Co. military vets at Pratt in Seattle

FREE | Online registration

Victorian Country Christmas Festival in Puyallup

$12.00 | Washington State Fairgrounds

Christmas Market at Seattle Center

$20.00 | Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion

Family-friendly holiday Pacific Ice pop-up ice skating rink at Port of Everett

$15.00 | Waterfront Place, 1028 13th St, Everett, WA 98201

McDonald’s FREE medium fries every Friday with purchase via Mobile

Discounted | Multiple locations

Ivar's Seafood Bars Blue Fridays Specials

Discounted | Multiple locations

Christmas Tree Lighting Events this weekend

FREE | Multiple locations

Free Santa Photos at Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s (reservation required)

FREE | Multiple locations

Where to see salmon spawning in Seattle Parks

FREE | Multiple locations

U-cut, fresh cut Christmas trees around the Sound

Multiple locations

Santa Photos at Everett Mall

$42.00-75.00 | Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA 98208

Santa Photo Experience at Tacoma Mall

Tacoma Mall, 4502 S Steele St, Tacoma, WA 98409

Mall Santa photo packages with a free phone call or free visits

$39.99-49.99 | Multiple locations

Where to get pictures with Santa Claus in the Puget Sound region

$0-350.00 | Multiple locations

Vote for Gingerbread structures in Auburn

8:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Auburn City Hall, 25 W Main St, Auburn, WA 98001

Drop-in recreational pickleball at Kent Commons

9:00 am to 12:00 pm | $3.00 | Kent Commons, 525 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98032

Free family-friendly Winterfest activities at Seattle Center

10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Seattle Center

Winter Glass pop-up market in Tacoma

10:00 am to 6:00 pm | Waterfront Market in Ruston, 5101 Yacht Club Rd, Tacoma, WA 98407

Free $20 gift card with $100 purchase in Redmond

10:00 am to 7:00 pm | Discounted | Redmond Town Center, 164th Avenue NE & NE 74th Street, Redmond, WA 98052

Community Toy Chest Donation Station at Everett Mall

11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA 98208

Annual Festival of Christmas Trees in Auburn

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | White River Valley Museum, 918 H Street SE, Auburn, WA 98002

Annual Luminary Walk lights up Log Boom Park in Kenmore

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Log Boom Park, 17415 61st Ave NE, Kenmore, WA 98028

Winter Night Market on Bainbridge

4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, 550 Winslow Way E. Bainbridge Island, WA

Twinkle Twinkle holiday festivities at Freeway Park

4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE | Seneca Plaza, 600 Seneca Street, Seattle, WA 98101

10% student discount on groceries Fridays at Uwajimaya Asian Grocery

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Discounted | Uwajimay Asian Grocery Stores

First Friday Taizé Contemplative Prayer & Music

6:15 pm | FREE | St. James Cathedral

Comedy Open Mic weekends in north Seattle

7:00 pm | FREE | Shanghai Room, 8580 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Free Snowflake Lane Christmas parade in Bellevue

7:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Bellevue

Saturday, December 2, 2023

Teddy bear suite at Fairmont Olympic in Seattle

FREE | Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University Street, Seattle WA

ACT Theatre annual production of Dicken's Christmas Carol

$49.00-94.00 | ACT A Contemporary Theatre, 700 Union Street, Seattle, WA 98101

2023/2024 Holiday Ice Skate Rink in Bellevue

$15.00-20.00 | Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink, NE 1st Street and 100th Ave NE (1 block south of Bellevue Square)

2023 Holiday Magic (selected nights) at Washington State Fairgrounds

$25.00 | Washington State Fairgrounds

Urban Craft Uprising indie-made Winter Show in Seattle

10:00 am | FREE | Seattle Center Exhibition Hall

Artist studio tours on Vashon Island

10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Multiple locations

Depositphotos_220516794_l-2015 Christmas gnomes photo by magann

Scandinavian Bazaar and Julefest in Poulsbo

10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Poulsbo, WA

Tree of Giving for local seniors at Everett Mall

11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA 98208

Family-friendly Salmon Fest in Kent

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Mary Olson Farm, 28728 Green River Rd SE, Kent, WA 98030

Do it yourself and home renovation tools

Home Maintenance 101: First Saturday Workshop in Tacoma

3:00 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | Moore Branch Library, 215 S 56th St, Tacoma, WA 98408

WildLanterns holiday light festival at Woodland Park Zoo

4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $29.95-34.95 | Woodland Park Zoo (south entrance), 750 N. 50th Street, Seattle, WA 98103

Where to see Christmas lights around the Puget Sound region

5:00 pm | FREE | Multiple locations

A(n Improvised Christmas Carol) Returns at Market Theater

7:30 pm | FREE | Market Theater/Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley Seattle, WA 98101

Center for Wooden Boats museum on South Lake Union in Seattle - DepositPhotos.com

Saturday Toy Boat Building on Camano Island

10:00 pm to 2:00 pm | $0-15.00 | Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach

Craft distillery tours on Seattle Waterfront

$20.00 | Copperworks Distilling Co, 1250 Alaskan Way Seattle, WA 98101

Local Makers Market in north Seattle

FREE | Big Whale Consignment, 10001 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133

Live Radio Play: It’s a Wonderful Life in North Bend

$20.00 | Sallal Grange & Community Hall, 1060 Stilson Ave SE, North Bend, WA 98045

New Seattle theater tradition "Snowed In" at ArtsWest

$40.00-45.00 | ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Winter Market weekends at the Hangar in Kenmore

FREE | Downtown Kenmore, WA

Willy Wonka, The Musical in North Seattle

$15.00-20.00 | Magnuson Park Theatre, 7120 62nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

Holiday Savings for Target Circle members

Discounted | Multiple locations

Artist Studio Tours on Bainbridge Island (summer & winter)

FREE | Multiple locations

Join SIFF to celebrate Dec 14 opening of SIFF Downtown (formerly The Cinerama)

$60.00 | Online registration

Tuition-free art classes for King Co. military vets at Pratt in Seattle

FREE | Online registration