November 21, 2018
Seattle, Washington’s 2018 Winterfest Events: Fun for the Whole Family!
In our previous blog we discussed how one can find unique gifts for the upcoming holidays via Seattle’s famous arts and crafts shows. But as we all know, the holidays aren’t just about gift giving; they’re about family as well! Seattle, Washington is one of the best places to visit during this festive season, and here at Shafer Baillie Mansion we want to share it with you!
Seattle’s annual Winterfest event is the perfect opportunity to come and visit with your family, as there will be much celebration, eye-catching light displays, free activities, and much more! In addition, all Winterfest events are within 15 minutes of us at Shafer Baillie Mansion! Here we will provide an overview of exciting things to come:
Ongoing Events -
Winterfest Ice Rink -
Winterfest 2018 officially begins November 23, 2018 and runs until January 6, 2019, and the famous Fisher Pavilion ice rink is open throughout the entire period. Ice skating is a fun and wallet-friendly activity that the whole family can enjoy this winter!
Dates: November 23, 2018 - January 6, 2019
Hours:
Sunday - Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Special Hours:
December 24, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
December 25, CLOSED
December 31, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Location: 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
Admission (including skate rental):
$8 for adults
$6 for children ages 6 – 12
$2 for children ages 5 and under
Ice Sculpting -
Watch award-winning artists sculpt breathtaking displays of ice every Saturday from November 24 to December 29, 2018. It’s artsy, family-friendly, and completely free! What’s not to love?
Dates: Every Saturday (Nov 24, Dec 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29)
Times: 12 noon – 2pm
Location: 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
Admission: Free
Winterfest Train and Village -
The Winterfest Train and Village is a spectacular display of miniature winter scenery, complete with a working model train! This display is a family favorite, and the kids just love being able to control the train themselves during special hours. This merry little village will be open from November 23 to December 31, so there is plenty of time to take a peek while you’re here!
Hours: Monday - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Special Hours:
December 24, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
December 25, CLOSED
Location: Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
Admission: Free ($2 suggested donation for controlling the train)
In addition to all these exciting ongoing events, there will be plenty of festive performances by talented students throughout Winterfest! Stay tuned to the official website for upcoming information.
November Events-
Besides all the wonderful ongoing events and activities, November will be filled to the brim with exciting performances, music and dancing shows, and more! Look forward to such musical performances as Our Big Neighborhood by Northwest Folklife, unique Christmas music by XMAS Maximus, Mexican folklore dance by Bailadores De Bronce, and a cappella caroling by Holiday Harmony. There will also be a talented jump rope program by Hot Dog USA and hilarious prop comedy by Alex Zerbe!
December Events-
December Winterfest boasts a wide variety of merry performances and shows that will be sure to catch your interest. A plethora of musical performances include choral shows by the Northwest Boychoir, Seattle Girls Choir, Klezkids, and the Federal Way Chorale. Others include shows by the holiday surf band Dancer and Prancer, the Garfield Jazz Band, and the Greater Seattle Tubachristmas by the Harvey Phillips Foundation.
There will be other enthralling shows to look forward to such as the puppet show Jingle Bell Rock, the Sanca Cirrus Circus, The Most Awesome Variety Show Ever, an Unexpected Productions Improv, and Acrobaticalist Ninja Theatre by Nanda. The shows are all free and are sure to be fun for the whole family!
Winterfest Center Ice Spectacle -
In addition to fascinating displays of ice sculptures every weekend, Sunday, December 16 will blow you away even more when artists pull out the flames! It will be a day full of music, one-of-a-kind photo opportunities, and magical displays of fire and ice.
Date: Sunday, December 16
Hours: noon - 6 p.m.
Location: 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
Admission: Free
New Year’s Celebration -
To finish off 2018, the cover band SWAY will rock during the New year’s celebration with 
Date: December 31, 2018
Hours: 8pm – 11:45pm
Location: Armory Stage, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
Admission: Free
Seattle, Washington is going to be a lively place to be this winter, and these Winterfest events are not something you’ll want to miss! We offer cozy lodging during your stay in Seattle here at Shafer Baillie Mansion on Capitol Hill. We can’t wait to celebrate this joyous time of year with you, so book your stay now and come visit us!