Free Winterfest activities at Seattle Center

Seattle Center is the scene for Winterfest–five weeks of free and affordable family activities and holiday-inspired fun. The festivities begin the day after Thanksgiving and go until New Year’s Eve.

The Seattle Center grounds are open 365 days a year. The Armory, Fisher Plaza and other buildings are closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

In 2020, prepare to connect to a world of sparkling lights, amusements and spirited entertainment at Seattle Center Winterfest, Nov. 27 – Dec. 31, 200. These festivities include those happening virtually as well as on the Seattle Center grounds.
Throughout the five weeks of Winterfest, those in search of uplifting seasonal spirit or delightful diversion will find virtual performances, videos highlighting holiday traditions, some kid-centric activities, and our annual campus lighting display.

Most activities are open 10am-6pm, though some have shorter or longer hours. Many of the activities take place indoors at the Armory Main Level and Fisher Pavilion. There are also some outdoor activities on the plaza in front of Fisher Pavilion and around the International Fountain.

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Holiday lights photo by MrHamster – Depositphotos.com

Seattle Center Winterfest activities

Virtual Festál series

Celebrate the diversity with the Festál community partners. You’ll find performances, cooking and craft demonstrations and other holiday traditions presented in video form. Enjoy learning about seasonal traditions from around the globe! In partnership with Northwest Folklife, we kick things off November 27th with Our Big Neighborhood at Seattle Center Winterfest. New content will be added every Saturday in December, so come back frequently for more.

Virtual Student Showcases

Seattle Center offers Student Showcases in order to provide entertainment as part of seasonal events, and to give public and private schools and youth performance groups the opportunity to share their artistic accomplishments with family, friends and the public. We invite you to participate in this Virtual Student Showcase platform, featuring video content from schools and youth arts training programs. Content available starting November 27th.

Campus Luminata

Pop by Seattle Center after dark and delight in the wonderland of light! Keeping the annual tradition of decking out the campus with twinkling lights, find lights in the trees and other specialty light features across the grounds. Don’t miss the special winter light display at Cornish Playhouse.

Digital “Centerville News”

Each season, Seattle Center creates The Centerville News, a mock newspaper that accompanies the Winter Train & Village–a model train display installed inside the Armory. While we are unable to offer the Train this year, you can still find out what’s happening in the mythical town of Centerville by downloading this special digital version of the newspaper. A fun read for adults and kids alike!

Online PTSA Reflections Student Gallery

The Reflections Program is a National PTA and Washington State PTA cultural arts competition. The purpose of this program is to provide opportunities for students to use their creative talents by expressing themselves through their original art works. Each Winterfest, the Center hosts the PTSA Reflections exhibit inside the Armory. This year, they’ve gone virtual! View an online gallery featuring original student artwork.

Winterfest coloring contest

Download any of three special coloring pages and enter a contest to win prizes! Seattle Center décor designer Jeffery Cook has created these fun images, suitable for artists of all ages. Submit your entry Full contest details available on the Winterfest coloring contest page.

More info about Winterfest activities: http://www.seattlecenter.com/events/featured-events/winterfest