Weekender: Best Family Events for Seattle, the Eastside and South Sound

The calendar is positively brimming with weekend family fun opportunities! We've rounded up our top picks for you here, from light fests to kitties to nature walks. We'll see you out there!

Seattle area:

• Join the opening party for a local light display in the park and climb in the life-size snow globe for a pic (Friday).
• Find gifts for your loved ones that support the empowerment of women and justice at a unique and inspiring giving marketplace (Friday–Saturday).
• Meet reindeer, bounce in the bouncy houses and play in real snow for free and without driving to the mountains (Friday–Sunday).
• Cavort with the kitties at a cat cafe during its once-a-month, all-ages kitty family day (Saturday).
• Join a lovely and peaceful evening luminaria walk for families, free and open to all (Saturday).
• Bring your wish list and holiday cheer to meet and pose with Black Santa at the Northwest African American Museum (Saturday–Sunday).

Eastside and environs:

• Meet Elsa and Olaf, snap a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus and get warm by the bonfire at the opening night of an amazing free local light display (Friday).
• Build your sweet mini mansion out of gingerbread, candy and frosting — away from home (Saturday).
• Bundle up, sip cider and create beautiful holiday wreaths, one for your family and one for a good cause (Saturday).
• Get in the spirit with cookies, cocoa, caroling, carriage rides and a festive tree lighting (Saturday).
• Revel in the sparkle of lights in winter with a luminaria walk and tree lighting at Redmond Lights (Saturday–Sunday).
• Take a break from the holiday hustle for a refreshing family walk in the woods (Sunday).

South Sound area:

• Play for free (or ultra-cheap) indoors with snowflakes and other winter stuff (Friday).
• Marvel at some decked-out holiday trees and snap a photo with Santa; bring food bank donations for free entry. (Friday–Saturday).
• Giggles are guaranteed at this interactive performance for tots featuring a shoemaker and some clever elves. (Friday–Sunday).
• Greet Santa as he rolls into town for a parade; note, he'll be on his fire truck this time, not his sleigh (Saturday).
• Tinker with all sorts of supplies to create a whimsical machine in the style of Rube Goldberg, free. (Saturday).

More ideas for weekend fun:

• There's a new light show in town (among a full roster of light shows, from free to $$$); read this mom's essential review before you go.
• Frolic in a new and super-fun nature-themed playground.
• Book your family tix to rowdy and exciting “STOMP” or sweet and charming “Corduroy.”
• We've got two great guides to holiday magic for families on a budget: one for Seattle and the Eastside and another for the South Sound.
• Snag a photo op with a great local Santa, or find a good spot to take your own family photo.
• Bookmark our family fun calendar for great activities happening every day of the week.