SPOKANE, Wash. — Christmas is right around the corner and there is a wide variety of festive events for people to enjoy around the Inland Northwest. Everything from light displays to art festivals to concerts, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Here is a list of a few holiday events happening in the Spokane and North Idaho areas.
Christmas Lights and Displays
In Spokane, the Manito Holiday Lights are an annual tradition put on by volunteers and Parks and Recreation crews at Duncan Garden. The walk-through display of dazzling lights opens Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. and people can enjoy the lights every evening from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. until Sunday, Dec. 22.
In Liberty Lake, Orchard Park is hosting its Winter Glow Spectacular. This free light display is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until Jan. 1.
In downtown Spokane, local businesses will take part in a Holiday Window Display Contest starting Friday, Dec. 13. Fifteen participating locations will decorate their windows for the holidays and you can vote for your favorite. The business with the most votes on Dec. 22 by 8 p.m. will win a prize and five lucky voters will also win a $50 gift card to River Park Square.
Events
In Spokane, the Northwest Winterfest is at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center until Dec. 31 offering people a tour of dozens of bright lantern displays. The festival is an indoor walk-through experience and seeks to highlight several global holiday traditions.
Tickets to the Northwest Winterfest range from $12 to $47. Kids under the age of 10 can attend the event for free with a ticketed adult.
In the heart of downtown Spokane, the Spokane Symphony Associates is hosting its annual Christmas Tree Elegance at the Davenport Hotel and River Park Square. The event features over a dozen decorated trees that people can enter in raffles to win. The final day to view all the trees and enter the raffle for your favorite is Sunday, Dec. 15.
Also in Spokane is the annual Winter BrrrZaar put on by Terrain. Brrrzaar is Spokane's largest, all-local winter art market that takes place on all three floors of River Park Square. Local artists will have all kinds of handmade goods for sale, making the market a great one-stop shop for last-minute Christmas gifts.
Brrrzaar takes place on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will also feature live music from local bands.
The Medical Lake Winter Festival invites people to enjoy a day of holiday festivities including a creative learning academy for kids, the Stocking Stuffer 5K, a reindeer exhibit, a Christmas parade and the evening tree-lighting ceremony.
Festivities will take place starting at 12 p.m. through 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14. Events will be held in various places. Festival-goers can visit Re*Imagine Medical Lake to find specific locations and times for each event and the required waiver to attend.
Concerts and Shows
At Spokane's First Interstate Center for the Arts the Kyiv Grand Ballet will perform its show, "Snow Queen" on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $90.
In Sandpoint, the Pend Oreille Chorale and Chamber Orchestra will play 2 free holiday concerts at First Lutheran Church. The first concert is on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. and the second is on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m.
Coeur d'Alene's Salvation Army Kroc Center will host 8 showings of "Need a Little Christmas." The show is a Radio City Music Hall-inspired show that features a kickline, Santa's workshop, a USO Show salute, a live nativity scene and more.
Performances take place on Friday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 22 and tickets range from $24 to $37.