The calendar is full of family fun holiday festivities this December in Downtown Yakima.
On Friday, December 5th Yakima’s Community Christmas tree will serve as the centerpiece during a free Light Up the Plaza celebration at Millennium Plaza. The event will start at 5:00 pm with free tours of Downtown Yakima aboard horse drawn carriages, which will be available until 9:00 pm. Performances by Tim Snider (6:00 pm – 6:40 pm) and Mikey & Matty (6:50 pm – 7:30 pm) will also be part of the event. At 6:40 pm, Santa will help Yakima’s Community Christmas Tree spring to life during a special lighting ceremony. Free photos with Santa will also be available inside Ron’s Coin and Collectibles (6th N. 3rd Street) from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Friday evening will also feature multiple First Friday activities at a variety of Downtown Yakima businesses and a performance by the Wailin’ Jennys at the Capitol Theatre at 8:00 pm.
Free horse drawn carriage rides will also be available on December 12th and 19th from
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on December 6th, 13th, and 20th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and will board at both the Millennium Plaza and the Train Depot on North Front Street.
The merchants in the Historic North Front Street District will host a holiday open house event on Saturday, December 6th from noon to 5:00 pm. The Seasons Performance Hall (101 N. Naches Avenue) stage will welcome the Seattle Rock Orchestra for a rousing show at 7:30 pm.
The activities on Sunday, December 7th will begin with a Pottery Ornament Workshop at Yakima Maker Space (16 South 1st Street) from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The Yakima Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Pops Spectacular at the Capitol Theatre will start at 4:00 pm that day. The festivities on December 7th will culminate with the 15th Annual Yakima Holiday Light Parade at 6:00 pm, which will follow a route from 6th Avenue to the Millennium Plaza. An awards ceremony will take place after the parade near the 2014 Community Christmas Tree in Millennium Plaza.
The Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform its holiday Magical Sensations program at the Capitol Theatre on Sunday, December 14th at 3:00 pm. Moscow Ballet’s acclaimed Great Russian Nutcracker will take to the Capitol Theatre stage on Sunday, December 16th for a
5:00 pm performance. Through Stained Glass, a telling of the Christmas story with classical music and stained glass imagery will be at the Seasons on Friday, December 19th at 6:00 pm. And, on Saturday, December 20th, Seattle’s Vaudeville Etiquette will perform at the Seasons with The Common Deer and The Banner Days at 7:00 pm.
On Monday, December 22nd, Yakima Craft Brewing’s Taproom on the Ave will host a holiday dinner with drink specials beginning at 7:00 pm.
A complete list of Downtown Yakima holiday festivities can be found on the Downtown Yakima website at www.downtownyakima.com.