Christmas season is upon us, and I’m enjoying every magical minute. Drinking hot cocoa by the fire and decorating our tree. Baking my Grandmothers favorite spritz Christmas cookies with sprinkles. Shopping for all my favorite people. Cuddling up under a blanket and watching Hallmark Christmas movies. Wrapping presents with bows and ribbons. Singing Christmas carols. This is truly my favorite holiday! You can never have too much Christmas magic. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is visiting Leavenworth for the Christmas Lighting Festival.
If you aren’t in the Pacific Northwest, you might not have heard about this hidden gem, but today I’m going to share all the Christmas magic.
Christmas Magic At The Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival
Leavenworth is a Bavarian-style village in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains. It’s a cute place to visit year-round, and has festivals for Maifest and Oktoberfest that are a lot of fun, but Leavenworth really shines at Christmas. It is a must see!
Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival
Each weekend in December, the town of Leavenworth turns into a Christmas fantasy. On Friday, they kick off the festival with a visit by St. Nickolaus at the Gazebo, where we welcomes visitors with the story of his legacy.
On Saturday and Sunday, you will enjoy live performances by bands, choirs, solo artists, hand bell choirs, orchestras, and more. Carolers also stroll through town, and you will see costumed Christmas characters; Santa and Mrs. Claus and Father Christmas. If you have kids, they will love collecting free cookies by following the Cookie Crawl Map and you will enjoy roasted chestnuts and hot spiced wine and cider from the traditional Gluhwein tent.
Moreover, at 4:30 in the afternoon, as the sun goes down, it’s time to gather in the town square for the lighting ceremony. The entire town comes to life with a synchronized display of more than half a million lights set to live music. It’s true Christmas magic.
More Fun In Leavenworth
In addition to the Christmas Lighting Festival, there is a lot of fun to be found in and around Leavenworth. Throughout the month of December, they have bake sales, craft fairs, and shows. You can find a list of these extra events and the full festival schedule on ChristmasLightingFestival.com.
As a matter of of fact, Leavenworth is a great spot for sledding, tubing, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, skiing, and snowboarding. They even have snowshoe tours! The surrounding Cascade mountains are beautiful.
Several Christmas-themed shops, including a whole story dedicated to nutcrackers, are a great place to find a little bit of Christmas magic to bring home with you. And if you enjoy a great pint of beer, you should stop by the Icicle Brewing Company’s tasting room. Leavenworth has several cute restaurants and cafes you will enjoy with dishes ranging from classic German to Pacific Northwest farm to table fare.
Have you ever visited Leavenworth? Leave your tips for Leavenworth Christmas fun in the comments!
XOXO,
BLENDstyles