The Top 10 Reasons to Visit Snowflake Lane

Travel & Selling Tips / The Top 10 Reasons to Visit Snowflake Lane

15th-annual nightly parade featuring snow fall, beautiful lights and dazzling performers

Santa comes around once a year, except in Bellevue, Washington where the jolly old man, and many other holiday favorites, visit The Bellevue Collection’s Snowflake Lane every night. Complete with a professionally choreographed parade and spectacularly produced light show, Snowflake Lane is like no other holiday celebration.

Starting the day after Thanksgiving and running through Christmas Eve, the much-anticipated parade brings the joy of the season along Bellevue Way between NE 4th Street and NE 8th Street in downtown Bellevue, just eight miles east of Seattle.

Here are the top reasons families should visit Snowflake Lane this holiday season:

1. Let it snow!

The Northwest doesn't see snow often, except in Bellevue each night at 7 p.m. during late November and December, when snow magically falls throughout the Snowflake Lane performance.

2. It's a joyous celebration that everyone can enjoy

Starting at 7 p.m. each night, the 20-minute outdoor parade is free to the public, drawing thousands of spectators to the streets between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square of The Bellevue Collection, and to the Pacific Northwest's largest shopping, dining and entertainment district.

3. Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Each night, Santa visits Bellevue to greet children both young and old to wish them "Happy Holidays," and check his list twice.

4. Twinkling lights and sweet treats

The child in everyone enjoys the peppermint lollipops as they marvel in the spirit of the season found at Snowflake Lane's lightshow.

5. O Christmas Tree!

Don't miss out on the grand tree lighting on November 29 where Santa will light the 30-foot holiday tree at Bellevue Place Wintergarden. While watching the tree aglow with sparkling lights, take a picture with Santa and Snowflake Lane characters, enjoy holiday music, and snack on cocoa, cookies and other tasty holiday treats.

6. Walking in Bellevue's wonderland

As Bellevue's downtown is transformed into a Northwest winter wonderland, visitors delight in holiday cheer at this one-of-a-kind festive holiday parade.

7. Christmas caroling

Sing along to favorite carols while enjoying colorful lights and vibrant floats, performances by Toy Drummers, Jingle Belle dancers, Snow Princesses and more!

8. Keep the community spirit of giving alive

In a decade and a half, Snowflake Lane has grown from thousands to hundreds-of-thousands of visitors each year and has become a holiday tradition for many families. It was a vision of The Bellevue Collection's own Kemper Freeman, after visiting New York City's Fifth Avenue to create a one-of-a-kind celebration for the local and regional community. Kemper and his family personally support this priceless gift to the community each year.

9. Supporting a proud, local tradition

Greg Thompson Productions (GTP) produces Snowflake Lane for The Bellevue Collection. Snowflake Lane includes a cast of nearly 300 performers and technicians, more than 5,000 costume pieces and props and more than 100,000 lights all of which is produced locally in the Northwest by GTP.

10. 15 years strong

This year marks the 15th anniversary of The Bellevue Collection's enchanting Snowflake Lane, which wouldn't be possible without the support of the hundreds-of-thousands of Pacific Northwest families who come to experience the holiday spectacular each and every winter.

And if that’s not reason enough to visit Snowflake Lane this holiday season, here’s more fun facts about this one-of-a-kind production:

• More than 600 individuals audition each year to be one of the show’s cast members
• Each show includes 16 floats, 7 Snow Princesses, more than 50 Toy Drummers, 90 Snow Flurry color guard, 45 holiday themed costume characters, 7 Snowstorm characters, 50 Jingle Belle dancers, 18 stilt walkers and Santa Claus
• Nightly falling snow made by more than 50 snow machines
• More than 400 ColorBlast building lights along the show path
• More than 125,000 peppermint lollipops handed out during the run of the show
• Each year more than 250 drumsticks are used by the performers