This year, Redmond Lights Winter Festival will be held Saturday, Dec. 4 from 4-8 p.m. at various locations around the city.
At Redmond City Hall, the celebration begins at 4 p.m. with food, music and lots of fun children’s activities, continuing until 6 p.m. Musical entertainment includes Bollywood Christmas from 4-6 p.m. in the Redmond Public Safety Building and Russian folk dancers and holiday songs from the Revelation Youth Choir on the main stage.
Children of all ages can partake in a new event, a candy cane hunt, beginning at 4 p.m. near the front steps of City Hall. Santa will arrive just before 5 p.m. to help with the tree lighting. Participants can warm up by sampling chili from the Chili Cook-off between Redmond Police, Fire and City Council.
Music and entertainment for the walk along the Luminary Trail plays from 5-6:45 p.m. Bonfires and entertainment at Luke McRedmond Park along with a balloon glow (weather permitting) in the Bear Creek Meadow next to Redmond Town Center will also be part of the fun. Entertainment along the trail includes barber shop harmonies, Croatian singers and traditional holiday carols.
At Redmond Town Center, the festivities begin at 5 p.m. continuing until 8 p.m. Enjoy complimentary tastes of food representing the diversity of the community. Entertainment includes the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra and Joyas Mestizas. Kid’s Row offers free arts and crafts hosted by faith communities from the Redmond area.
Sleigh Bells will ring as Santa arrives at Redmond Town Center. Just like last year, leading up to and during Redmond Lights (as supplies last), participating merchants will give away silver bells for a community chorus of bells. Everyone will gather at Center Plaza at 7 p.m. to ring their bells and join the choir in singing Winter Wonderland.
Parking is available at either Redmond Town Center or in the City Hall parking garage. Free shuttle service is available outside of Ruby’s Diner in the south parking lot of Redmond Town Center and at the Redmond Senior Center. Shuttles will run every 30 minutes between 3:30 and 8:30 p.m. For all the information about Redmond Lights, visit www.redmondlights.com or call the events hotline at (425) 556-2299.
