TOP MUST-DO FREE (OR CLOSE TO IT!) HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS IN AND AROUND GREATER SEATTLE TO ENJOY DURING WINTER BREAK 2014/2015!

Every year we try to make sure we hit these numerous different fun events as a holiday tradition for our family. You can have lots of fun spending the winter break with your family without breaking the bank! Make sure to check dates and times as a couple end soon! 

(Click on the blue links for more info. on each event.)

 Holiday Carousel in Westlake  in Seattle

 Runs until January 1st with special hours on New Year's Day.

$3 suggested donation per rider.

Ice Skating - Bellevue

Free opportunity Mondays until January 6th at Downtown Bellevue Park if you have a Bank of America card or Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card to the staff at the ice arena and you will receive two free skate admissions plus skate rentals on Mondays. There is a limit of two admissions per person and they are limited to skate availability too.

Please Note: expect long lines on school winter break Mondays possibly up to 2 hours. Other Mondays recommended for free skate. 

" Free Skate Mondays – Compliments of Bank of America and Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card. Show your Bank of America debit or credit card or Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card to receive two free skate admissions for skating on Mondays. "

Winter Train and Village

Free to view anytime from 10am-6pm until December 31st 2014 and $2 cash only suggested donation to drive remote control train at 10:30am-12pm, 1pm-2:30pm and 3:30-5:30pm daily.

Gingerbread Village

Through January 5th 2014 in Seattle

Free, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Foundation

Garden d'Lights

Runs nightly in Bellevue through January 3rd 2015 

$5 per person (10 and under FREE)

Image courtesy of Binary Christmas

A light show with music near you!

This one is called Binary Christmas and is in Bothell. It runs nightly until New Year's and I believe they hand out candy canes too!

Free, but accepts canned food donations for Hopelink.

All images courtesy of The Bellevue Collection

Snowflake Lane/Celebration Lane

Runs through New Year's - Free - plus lots of lollipops or horns given out!

Children's Film Festival

with animated (1pm)  and live-action shorts (2:30pm)!

Happens Saturday, December 27th 2014 at the Seattle Public Library's Central location at various times depending on ages of children.

Free!

Ice Sculpting

Last one happens on Saturday, December 27th 2014 from 12-2pm at Fisher Pavilion - Free

Happy Holidays everyone with love from FreePlay Kids! 

Enjoy your winter break!

GARDEN D'LIGHTS FEATURING 1/2 MILLION LIGHTS IN BELLEVUE - EVENT RUNS NIGHTLY THROUGH JANUARY 3RD 2015 FROM 4:30-9:30 PM (NEW TIME) WITH FREE NIGHTS ON MONDAY-THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST-4TH AND MONDAY-THURS, DECEMBER 8TH-11TH 2014!

 

This is a do not miss holiday event! Take the kids and enjoy this beautifully lit wonderland!

" The enormously popular Garden d’Lights festival features over ½ million lights which transform the Bellevue Botanical Garden into a blossoming winter wonderland. Over 150,000 people enjoy this dazzling display each December! "

EVENT FREE NIGHTS: December 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8, 9, 10, 11!

All other nights tickets are $5 per person; children 10 and under are free and do not need a ticket. 

For more info. go here.

Garden D'Lights featuring 1/2 Million Lights in Bellevue - Event runs nightly through January 4th 2014 from 5-10pm with FREE NIGHTS on Monday-Thursday, December 2nd-5th and Monday-Thurs, December 9th-12th 2013!

This is a do not miss holiday event! Take the kids and enjoy this beautifully lit wonderland!

" The enormously popular Garden d’Lights festival features over ½ million lights which transform the Bellevue Botanical Garden into a blossoming winter wonderland. Over 150,000 people enjoy this dazzling display each December! "

EVENT FREE NIGHTS: December 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9, 10, 11, 12

All other nights tickets are $5 per person; children 10 and under are free and do not need a ticket.

 For more info. go here.

Free Garden D'Lights in Bellevue - Monday-Thurs, November 26th-29th and Monday-Thursday, December 3rd-6th 2012 - from 5-10pm - Event runs through December 31st 2012

This is a do not miss holiday event! Take the kids and enjoy this beautifully lit wonderland!

" The enormously popular Garden d’Lights festival features over ½ million lights which transform the Bellevue Botanical Garden into a blossoming winter wonderland. Over 150,000 people enjoy this dazzling display each December! "

EVENT FREE NIGHTS: November 26, 27, 28, 29 and December 3, 4, 5,6

All other nights tickets are $5 per person; children 10 and under are free and do not need a ticket.

                   
                              For more info. go here.

                             

Reminder! Last 3 days for free admission to the Garden d'Lights event in Bellevue - Today through Wednesday!

Reminder:  Last three days for free admission to Garden d'Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Garden - today through Wednesday.

The garden/display is open every night from 5-10pm including holidays with the last entry being at 9:30pm.


For more info. see this post or go here.

Garden d'Lites at the Bellevue Botanical Garden - Free Nights in November and December or $5 "Less than a Latte" on other nights!

Another not to miss event! Make sure you make your way over to the Garden d'Lights display event this holiday season. This is a family favorite of ours and we try to go every year. And as beautiful as the photos are they don't even come close to doing it justice. You must see it in person!  FYI - they use over 500,000 lights in this annual display.






You can tour the beautifully lit gardens on several free nights that are listed below and if those dates don't work for you for "Less than a Latte" at $5 per person for ages 11 and up you can view the display any other time. It is completely worth it!!






The garden/display is open every night from 5-10pm including holidays with the last entry being at 9:30pm.




Here is the schedule for the Free Nights at Garden d'Lights 2011:


November 28, 29 & 30                                                                  December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 & 14






Free nights are first come, first served as space is available and DO NOT require tickets, although donations are appreciated.

 

I can't wait!


 

For more info. go here.