Connect to a world of sparkling lights, amusements and spirited entertainment at Seattle Center Winterfest. Throughout the five weeks of Winterfest, those in search of uplifting seasonal spirit or delightful diversion will find seasonal decor, our Winter Train & Village, weekend entertainment on the Armory Stage, and a New Year's Eve Celebration. 

Seattle Christmas Market

From November 21 to December 23 the Fisher Pavilion and South Fountain Lawn at Seattle Center will be transformed into a European-inspired outdoor Christmas village and community marketplace. A true feast for the senses with festive decorations, daily live entertainment, sweet and savory treats, hot chocolate and Glühwein (hot mulled wine), and beautifully handcrafted gifts at over 60 local and international vendors, the Seattle Christmas Market is the perfect place to celebrate the magic of the holiday season.

Winter Train and Village

Delight in viewing a late 19th-century model train and village display, installed inside the Armory Food & Event Hall. This annual tradition has been on display for over 40 years! The public is invited to take a turn operating the train, or interact by participating in our Scavenger Hunt. Pick up your entry sheet at the Train Station, and see how many clues you can spot. The train operates 10am to 6pm daily from November 29th through December 31st. Donations accepted to keep the train operating. Audio description and accessible transcripts for the display also available from the Yard Boss at the Train Station.

Winterfest World Bazaar

Shop for your holiday gifts at this special World Bazaar, offering goods created by our Festál community partners. Browse a rotating roster of vendors on weekends, Noon to 6pm between November 29th and December 22nd.

Symetra Ice Spectacle

Our Winterfest Opening Day celebration kicks off at noon at International Fountain with a special Ice Spectacle. Listen to roving carolers while you watch talented artists create original works of art in ice.

Winterfest Campus Lighting

We are keeping the annual tradition of decking out our campus alive with twinkling lights in the trees and other specialty light features across the grounds. Pop by Seattle Center after dark and delight in the wonderland of light! Sponsored by Climate Pledge Arena.

New Year's Eve Celebration

Our free New Year's Eve Celebration offers entertainment and festivities throughout our grounds. Pop by the Armory between 8pm and midnight and hear the soulful sounds of premier Northwest band The Blue Wave. At 10pm, head out to International Fountain for a Fountain of Light show, with DJ Baby VanBeezley. Just before midnight, find your spot outside to view New Year’s at the Needle, the Space Needle’s celebratory extravaganza. Plus, food merchants and other vendors. This is the city's place-to-be on New Year's Eve!

Armory Stage Entertainment

Each weekend from November 29-December 29, we'll feature live performances on the Armory Stage, providing visitors with fun, seasonal entertainment while they check out our Winterfest Train & Village or grab a bite to eat at an Armory food merchant.

Schedule Of Events:

November 29, 2024
12:30 p.m. - Zaniac Comedy Show

Alex, a two-time Guinness World Record holder, was voted Seattle’s Funniest Prop Comic. He has appeared on prime-time television in three countries including the hit NBC TV shows, “America’s Got Talent!” and “Last Comic Standing.” Alex is a Hacky Sack World Champion, half of the award-winning comedy act Brothers from Different Mothers, and, as if that wasn't amazing enough, he was ranked Seattle’s 3rd Best Air Guitarist! Audiences everywhere freak out in a good way when they see Alex perform. When Jamie Lee Curtis saw his one-man show she said, “Boy are you talented.
Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

2:00 p.m. - Tlalokan
Tlalokan is a cultural group dedicated to sharing the beauty of Anáhuac history, philosophy and living Indigenous peoples through danza and music with traditional instruments. Their goal is to inspire deeper connections to our ancestral pasts, and to our spirits in the present.

Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

3:00 p.m. - The Starlight Carolers

The Starlight Carolers are composed of stay-at-home moms, data analysts, attorneys, working musicians, composers, arrangers, instructors, performers and the occasional dental hygienist or med student thrown in for good measure. They pride themselves in being a company of consummate soloists who happen to be singing together in a locked vocal blend.

Share in their heartfelt allegiance to truly beautiful vocal sound and an abiding love of high-quality music. The varied influences and expertise of the performers culminate in performances that have been described with words like “wow,” “beautiful,” and “moving.”

Part of our Symetra Ice Spectacle, the Carolers will be roving the International Fountain between 3pm and 5pm.

Location: International Fountain Mall Pavers

November 30, 2024

12:30 p.m. - SANCA Youth Performance Companies
The School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA) Youth Companies create and perform original acts in aerial arts, juggling, tightwire, clowning, unicycle and acrobatics. Come see these talented kids delight audiences on the Armory stage that is sure to elicit oohs and aahs.
Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

2:00 p.m. - The Dickens Carolers
A quartet of Victorian costumed carolers sing your favorite seasonal-themed music on the Armory Stage. Since 1978, The Dickens Carolers have offered traditional and contemporary holiday favorites, sung in beautiful four-part harmony.

Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

December 01, 2024
12:30 p.m. - Xmas Maximus
Xmas Maximus stuffs your stocking and gives good cheer. Xmas Maximus is Seattle’s oldest Christmas band (since 2011), gifting you familiar and unfamiliar holiday tunes so sugarplum-sweet you’ll forego Farmer Gray’s pumpkin pie. Immaculately conceived and delivered amidst dung and straw, the band features the many talents of Anthony Aue, James Drage, Robert Henson, Stuart McLeod, Arthur Roberts, Barbara Trentalange, and Alex Vollmer.

Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

2:00 p.m. - Holiday Harmony
Holiday Harmony POP Carolers delight audiences with a wide variety of holiday songs in perfect 4-part harmony. Dressed in bright, contemporary costuming, they are a premier group of professional a cappella carolers who perform festive music to make your holiday exciting, fun, and memorable!

Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

December 07, 2024

12:30 p.m. - Northwest Boychoir Apprentices
Welcome to the Northwest Choirs, home to the Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint! Seattle. Annually, 200 young singers enroll in their premier music education programs. These students — boys ages 6 to 18, and girls 12 to 18 — come from all corners of the Puget Sound region representing 115 diverse public and private elementary, middle and high schools. These children and young adults become skilled musicians and singers with a passion for the musical arts, and the unique ability to perform great choral literature and contemporary works at the highest professional levels. Considered one of the premier children’s choirs in the nation, the Northwest Choirs is an integral part of the region’s cultural life. Northwest Choirs members perform regularly with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, as well as other high-profile performing arts groups in the area.

Location: Armory Stage/Dance Floor

December 08, 2024

12:30 p.m - Garfield Jazz Band

Garfield High School is a public high school in Seattle, WA, with students from a variety of cultural and economic backgrounds. Garfield’s jazz culture is so strong that it maintains multiple levels of jazz bands in its curriculum for over 75 students. Garfield continues to bring to young people the jazz traditions of such big bands as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Woody Herman. Garfield is a frequent participant in the Essentially Ellington National Jazz Band Competition and Festival at Lincoln Center in New York City. Since 1999, Garfield has been selected as one of the 15 Essentially Ellington finalists twelve times, including an unprecedented four first-place trophies (in 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2010), as well as second place finishes in 2002 and 2008 and third place in 2006. Graduates of the Garfield Jazz program have gone on to study at leading music schools throughout the country, such as the Berklee College of Music, The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, The New England Conservatory of Music, USC Thornton School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Cornish College of the Arts.

December 13, 2024

6:00 p.m. - Greater Seattle TubaChristmas

Over 50 tuba players descend upon the Armory stage to play holiday music in what has become an annual tradition. Presented with permission from the Harvey Phillips Foundation Inc. Tubachristmas was conceived in 1974 by Harvey Phillips as a tribute to his teacher and mentor William J. Bell, born on Christmas Day, 1902.

December 14, 2024

12:30 p.m. - DaNell Daymon & Greater Works

Greater Works Is an electrifying award-winning choir. Their love for music is demonstrated through dynamic performance and powerful singing. Led by DaNell Daymon, the singers are sure to bring joy and excitement and harmony to your family and friends.

December 15, 2024

12:00 p.m. - Rodney Tristan & Band
Rodney Tristan is a Filipino-American artist based out of Seattle Washington. Rodney's music takes inspiration from a plethora of different influences such as R&b, Pop, Jazz, and Acoustic Youtube Covers such as Jeremy Passion and Gabe Bondoc. Leyla Demia from Written On Neptune describes Rodney's music to be "as sweet and silky as a spoon of warm honey." Rodney Tristan is currently working on his second EP called "Highway" and is continuing to perform live around the Seattle area.

1:00 p.m. - Beatbox Panda
The Beatbox Panda is a Nationally top-ranked beatboxer that resides in Seattle, Washington. He began his beatbox journey in 2001 and since then has won beatbox competitions around the nation. Beatbox Panda holds championship titles in Los Angeles, and recently became Seattle’s 2019 Beatbox Champion. He travels around the USA performing at various schools and colleges, while spreading a positive message about beatboxing. He has performed at historic venues such as: The Roxy, The Coliseum, The Bourbon Room, The Redcat Theater, The Broad, The Whiskey, Troubadour, Greystone Manor, and others. He collaborated with America’s Best Dance Crew’s The Beat Freaks at The World of Dance Awards hosted by Paul Mitchell in Los Angeles, private events with Pretty Little Thing, Insignia, Amazon, Cisco Systems, SEMA Las Vegas, Long Beach Toyota Grand Prix, Long Beach Formula-e, Netflix, Amazon Spheres, Tesla, Seattle WNDR Museum, and more. The Beatbox Panda has also performed with celebrity artists such as: Snoop Dogg, Pentatonix, Matisyahu, Ma$e, Marshmello, Childish Gambino, Diplo, Big Sean, Sublime with Rome, XZIBIT, Beatbox pioneer- Rahzel, and legendary hip hop artist, KRS-one. From Rock and Roll to EDM and from Jazz to trap music, you will hear familiar songs personalized by his own style- all done with just his voice!

With Special Guest: Millie Melodies

2:00 p.m. - Lexi Nguyen
Lexi Nguyen is a Pop, RnB, and Soul singer-songwriter based in Seattle. She started singing at the age of four and grew up influenced by artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys. Lexi's performances feature a mix of her original songs and covers, often showcasing her powerful vocals reminiscent of Ariana Grande, Ashanti, and Brandy. Her lyrics focus on themes of overcoming obstacles, self-love, and following one's dreams.

Join Lexi Nguyen for a captivating 40-minute Christmas performance that blends soulful, bright pop vocals with a festive energy that will have everyone in the crowd moving. From timeless classics like "Winter Wonderland" and "Frosty the Snowman" to modern holiday hits like "Santa Tell Me" by Ariana Grande, Lexi’s set list is designed to bring the spirit of the season alive. With her original Christmas song making its debut, Lexi promises a magical show full of joy, nostalgia, and holiday cheer.

December 21, 2024

12:30 p.m. - School of Rock Seattle

School of Rock Seattle’s House Band is a group of talented young musicians that perform regularly all over the greater Seattle area and beyond. These students are not only among the most proficient musicians at the school, more importantly they’re leaders and mentors to their peers and ambassadors for School of Rock. They’ve had the opportunity to perform at notable events and festivals such as Capitol Hill Block Party, Summerfest, Bumbershoot, Live on KEXP, Live at Climate Pledge Arena for Seattle Kraken games, Ballard Seafood Fest, and NW Folklife Festival, to name a few. This high caliber, family-friendly cover band is sure to entertain and impress any audience!

2:00 p.m. - Bailadores de Bronce
Bailadores de Bronce portrays the positive aspects of the Mexican culture in the broader community, breaking down cultural barriers and building bridges within the community. Bailadores de Bronce's main activity is teaching and performing Mexican folkloric dances in and around Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The dancer’s dedication is seen in their intricate footwork and refined choreography. The richness of the culture can be seen in the beautiful costumes from various regions of Mexico. The high energy and enthusiasm of the dancers transcends the stage and is felt by the audience at each performance.

December 22, 2024

12:30 p.m. - Rainbow City Jazz Band

Rainbow City Jazz Band plays classic swing tunes you know and love mixed with a variety of jazz and other genres including blues, funk, and latin by diverse artists going back through the decades. Their skilled musicians come from all walks of life and with a wide range of identities and experience, coming together as a family to hone techniques for lively jams with passionate solos and walls of sound.
More than making music, though, the ensemble brings people to their feet and onto the dance floor. Whether you are a Lindy Hopper or a couples struggling to stay off each others' toes, this band is best enjoyed when caught up in the joy of dancing.

December 28, 2024

12:30 p.m. - Arami Walker

Arami is a musician, author, and activist focused on uplifting the notion of community in our culture. Her music is a fusion of jazz, RNB, soul, and alternative songwriting, combining spoken word and rhythm to create music for the mind, body, and soul. As a woman of color, she is proud to continue the legacy of using music to advance our cultural narrative and educate the future. She graduated from UCLA in 2015 as a Distinguished Scholar and a Gates Millennium Scholar. As a musician and poet, Arami has performed at Langston Hughes Performance Art Institute, Seattle Art Museum, Northwest Folklife Festival, Waco Theatre in North Hollywood, and more. In 2022, she created a public art installation of poetry and visual art in collaboration with Seattle Restored.She’s served on two panels for Seattle Arts and Culture, as well as performing music as a City Artist and with Artists at the Center. As the Recipient of the City Artist Grant, Arami will be recording and performing music in 2024 with the support of Seattle Arts and Culture.

2:00 p.m. - Dancer and Prancer

Dancer and Prancer are a team of accomplished musicians whose wild combination of Christmas music and surf instros has delighted stomp-happy teens & ho-dads alike since 1963! Their reverb-drenched renditions of Christmas classics like "Frosty the Snowman" and "O Christmas Tree" are the sounds that whomp the dance floors every December and won them the "Battle of the Bands" at the famous Mistletoe Ballroom in the North Pole ten years running.

December 29, 2024

12:30 p.m. - Klez Kidz

KlezKidz brings to life an interactive concert of Jewish music and mirth from around the world, including Jewish folk songs, Chassidic rock, Israeli, Yiddish swing, and works by contemporary Jewish composers. At a KlezKidz concert, you’ll hear the wail of the clarinet and the rousing sound of Israeli music, see bottles being balanced on the heads of dancers, and maybe even learn some new dance steps! What started out in 1995 with only a few kids augmented by musical parents, has grown into a 40-piece ensemble with regular rehearsals and a dozen yearly concerts. Performing alongside it is KidsChorus, a group of youthful singers, who often step into the audience to teach easy dances.

Date: November 29 – December 31, 2024

Location: Seattle Center, 509 Harrison Street,Seattle, WA 98109

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