By Caleb White
The holiday season is in full swing, and this year’s Snowflake Lane production in downtown Bellevue promises to be the largest and most extravagant yet.
The Bellevue Collection, along with Greg Thompson Productions, has expanded the show and added fresh, new styling.The event will debut at 7 p.m. today (Nov. 29) with the arrival by Santa. The production continues at 7 p.m. through Dec. 31, except for Christmas day.
New this this year is Santa’s parade that will take him and visitors to a tree-lighting ceremony at Bellevue Place Wintergarden. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to the Wintergarden where a 30-foot holiday tree will be lit. Visitors can snack on cookies and cocoa, and have pictures taken with Snowflake Lane characters.
As in the past, Snowflake Lake will change to Celebration Lane and give it a New Year’s twist from Dec. 26-31. This portion of the production will include New Year’s music, lights and holiday characters.Now in it’s ninth season, Snowflake Lane continues to increase in audience size.
The Bellevue Collection has been working with the city of Bellevue to manage the large crowd size, according to Jennifer Leavitt, vice president of marketing for Kemper Development. As a result, and to ensure the public’s safety, Bellevue Way will be closed each night for the duration of the production, starting at 6:45 p.m., opening up again when the police deem the area clear. The closure will take place between Northeast Sixth and Northeast Eighth streets, but the northbound access to Lincoln Square and the Westin Bellevue Hotel will be open with a northbound lane to Northeast Sixth Street.
This will allow the public greater access to engage with the dancers and holiday characters, something that has been limited in previous productions. Leavitt encourages people to come out and see all of the young performers, and adds that, “they’re really what make Snowflake Lane so personal and such a great ‘memory maker’ for families.”
Included in this year’s production are roughly 200 local kids, averaging between the ages 16-17 filling the rolls of drummers, dancers and holiday characters.
“It is so refreshing to work with these young, energetic performers,” says Kristin Alessandroni, production manager with Greg Thompson productions.The Jingle Belle’s dance attraction will expand this holiday season to 60 dancers and feature new choreography. Fitted with raincoat-style attire, and using umbrellas as dance props, the will be equipped with “portable mini-stages” to engage the crowd.
The drummers have become quite a staple within the production and will perform on roughly 35 podiums, with a select few mingling with the crowd from walking stilts. The “Little Princess Meet and Greet Area” will be back this season due to popular demand, and will be located between The Cheesecake Factory and Blue C Sushi on Bellevue Way.
“The princesses have become almost as iconic as the drummers are for this event,” said Leavitt. “We wanted to make sure that there was a specific spot that people could go to get their picture taken with them.”Snowflake Lane provides its a 20 minute window in which they can escape the holiday chaos and immerse themselves into something special, Alessandroni said. It is a “very rewarding experience” to observe visitors as they get lost in the experience, he added, noting that she “couldn’t be more grateful to Kemper Development for putting this production on each year.”
Click here for the Magic.
Holiday events ahead for Hilton Bellevue
The Hilton Bellevue is decking its interiors for the holidays and bringing in area middle school choirs for three recitals in December.
Highland, Tyee and Tillicum middle schools are slated to perform in the hotel’s decorated lobby on the third floor of the hotel at 300 112th Ave. S.E.
All shows are free, open to the public and start at 11:30 a.m. with the Highland Middle School performing Friday, Dec. 6, Tyee Middle School on Dec. 13 and Tillicum Middle School on Dec. 20.
The Hilton Bellevue is also hosting Kidsquest Gingerbread Lane Dec. 7-14, with the Newcastle Elementary Chorus performing 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.
Local architecture firms, bakeries and businesses partner with the KidsQuest Children’s Museum to create gingerbread structures that will be on display at the hotel.
Chaplin’s Bellevue Subaru Ice Arena
The region’s largest open-air holiday ice skating rink promises a larger surface area than years past at the Bellevue Downtown Park this season. Special events to look out for include free lessons, discount days, stroller skating and family skate days. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children 6 and under, and includes skate rental. People looking to save can purchase 10 skating passes for $75, which is a $45 savings. For more information or to book a private holiday or birthday party, call 425-453-1223.
Garden d’Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Garden
Thousands of lights transform the garden into a blossoming winter wonderland 5-10 p.m. nightly Nov. 30-Jan. 4. The last entry is at 9:30 p.m. The Bellevue Botanical Garden is at 12001 Main Street, and does not include limited mobility parking. Free parking is available at Wilburton Hill Park. Tickets are $5 and free for children 10 and under. For advanced tickets, go to gardendlights.org.
Enchanted Holidays at The Shops at The Bravern
Grab a photo with Santa, a pony ride or sit down for weekly story time at The Shops at The Bravern at 11111 N.E. Eighth St. Santa will be available for photo ops noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays up to Dec. 24. Pony rides start noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and run through Dec. 23 on Saturdays and Sundays. Little Bookworms Story Time will be 11 a.m. to noon Dec. 4,11,18 in partnership with A Nanny For U.
Caleb White is a student in the Introduction to Journalism course at the University of Washington Bothell campus.
