The first-ever Seattle Christmas Market is opening in November, 2023!
The market will be operating daily between Black Friday and Christmas Eve at Seattle Center. It will bring holiday cheer to Seattleites at full force, thanks to a carousel, a 50-foot tree, and over 60 local and European artisans—just to name a few of the attractions. The market is inspired by traditional European Christmas markets, so you can also expect festive food and drinks such as schnitzel and German beer.
Most of the market’s activities are free but there will be an admission fee to visit the market. Tickets with limited-time early bird pricing are now available. Starting on October 18 for a limited time, the cost for a general admission ticket is $14 and the cost for a season pass is $30. Then they will go up to $20 and $36, respectively. Kids age six and under have free admission.
Read on for more details!
Location and parking
The Seattle Christmas Market will be held in the heart of the city on Seattle Center grounds. More specifically, you’ll find it at the South Center Lawn and Fisher Pavilion between Climate Pledge Arena and the Armory.
The best way to get to Seattle Center is by using public transportation such as the bus or the Monorail which links Seattle Center with downtown. If you drive, there are two paid parking garages at Seattle Center: the 5th Ave N garage and the Mercer Street garage.
Dates and hours
The market opens for 2023 on the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 24 and runs until December 24. The hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. between November 24 and 26, and 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. between November 27 and 30. You can see December’s hours here.
Tickets and admission
You have to purchase a ticket to be granted admission to the market. Tickets are on sale now.
You can choose between a general admission ticket or a season pass. For general admission, you book your time slot ahead of time and then stay as long as you like for that one visit. The season pass is a better deal if you plan to go more than twice. You can visit the market as many times as you like and don’t have to book a time slot in advance if you have a season pass.
Ticket prices are starting at $14-$30 and will go up to $20-$36. Children age 6 and under are free.
Activities
Here are all the activities that you can enjoy at the Seattle Christmas Market:
- A Christmas carousel: ages two and up are invited to ride this festive carousel for free!
- Christmas shopping: there will be over 60 local and European artisans at the market selling unique gifts as well as holiday drinks and food.
- A walk-through Christmas tree: the market will have a 50-foot tall tree decorated with 50,000 lights, and you can step right inside of it!
- Festive food and drinks: the market will be serving German beer, mulled wine, hot chocolate, soft pretzels, raclette cheese, roasted nuts, crepes, fudge, and more.
- Lovers’ Lane: bring your beau with you to the market for the perfect holiday photo opp. The two of you can stroll down the “glittering” Lovers’ Lane and share a kiss under the mistletoe.
- Holiday karaoke: prepare to sing your heart out at the market’s Christmas Karaoke Show. It’s free to participate (or just watch). We’ll update this post with the dates and times!
- Christmas trivia: teams of up to six people can compete for free at Christmas trivia at the market while enjoying mulled wine and German beer. Winners will get special holiday prizes. We’ll update this post with the dates and times!
- Live entertainment
- Free photos with St. Nick
- A love lock installation
- Augmented reality animations that tell Christmas stories
If you’d like even more info on what to expect at the market, you can check out the vendors list that showcases some of the amazing food, drink, and handcrafted gifts that will be available for purchase.
Get tickets and more info on the market’s main website.
Seattle Christmas Market
Where: Seattle Center
When: November 24 through December 24, 2023
Cost: $14-$36