Kicking Off Spokane's Holiday Season
Spokane's 2021 holiday season is well underway, with dozens of exciting events, parades and festivals coming to downtown Spokane! If you are looking for the best holiday events in Eastern Washington, Visit Spokane has you covered!
![Discover holiday events in Spokane for the 2021 season](https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=f249b1ac09148777311b0c68aa2ef1f3 320w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=f4d94a495433181302db3057bf74fb17 540w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=f59e2dee5182c6578a4efbe3e6560e3f 768w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=beacb96f95ba425fbf0d3c43071341cd 1024w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=79a7f4dc0635c995dddfbb778e02548f 1200w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=76886fd12505466623d93ee6f03dfe78 1440w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=8282faa99a93719e972c208f50fd841a 1920w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=2bb9c3924e52cf6cf2e716b94fa6a152 2560w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/annual-events/CustersCraftShow-IMG_4568.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=10003f562e5898dc98895cd072dc0cf9 3840w)
Spokane's Best Holiday Events
Some might say that the best part of the holiday season is the very start, when anticipation is at its peak. This year, Downtown Spokane is adding to the enthusiasm with a full weekend of exciting kickoff events. The festivities begin with the Lilac Festival’s first-ever 2021 DESTINATION SPOKANE PARADE on Saturday, November 20.
“We’re very excited for this opportunity not only to celebrate our community but to hopefully start a new holiday tradition that really launches the season here in downtown,” says Liz Hooker, business relations coordinator for the Downtown Spokane Partnership. “It’s going to be similar to what you see at the Lilac Torchlight Parade in May with lots of marching bands, floats and community organizations, only very holiday-focused.”
The parade also heralds SANTA’S ARRIVAL. After parking his sleigh, he’ll head over to River Park Square and commemorate the annual lighting of the large Christmas tree in the atrium. The evening’s festivities conclude with a fireworks show at Kendall Yards, presented by the Lilac Festival.
![Santa is coming to Spokane this 2021 holiday season](https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=483f14897f4e58751e43f8a9fa3b0f9c 320w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=fa0563380507e7bf3ee7518c3463e1c8 540w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=0d6f0e7e519dbf8aa6afc81657315b44 768w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=155a1341d45f0016c9f15d1afa4d6f60 1024w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=795858e965f09fc467f991f5e8617f33 1200w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=fadff2d62a0dae26c3448b4fb6ae96a2 1440w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=06a68950c9df3a666efd5ce0ead680a2 1920w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=2846edbded9cf0ff5866e33b892868d4 2560w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/RPS-Santa-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=af771d36e6bb526ee25a044ed36c556a 3150w)
Alongside those scheduled events are the CRESCENT HOLIDAY WINDOW DISPLAYS and the free CARRIAGE RIDES, which run throughout the holiday season. The historic winter-themed figurines are expanding to new locations across downtown this year. You can now find them at the Fox Theater and the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in addition to their usual spot at The Grand Hotel.
As for the carriage rides, they’ll be held once again in Riverfront Park. The greener setting proved to be a popular location last year because, as Hooker explains, “you’re literally dashing through the snow as opposed to the streets of downtown.” One slight change is that Friday afternoons are now reserved for community groups such as neighborhood centers or nonprofits.
21+ Holiday Events in Spokane
The following Thanksgiving weekend marks the start of two new promotions for 21+ adults in Downtown Spokane: a HOLIDAY WINE WALK and SANTA’S PUB CRAWL.
“We have so many great wine tasting rooms and breweries that we wanted to do a season-long loyalty program. Whether you’re a beer lover or a wine aficionado, if you make it to every participating business, you’ll win an automatic prize,” she says. “Of course, we’re encouraging people to drink safely and responsibly, so you’ll have four weeks to take part.”
On a similar note, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY is being extended to an interactive, multi-week event. Downtown visitors who take part in Small Business Bingo and complete the game will be entered to win a raffle.
![Spokane's 2021 holiday shopping](https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=33313e9e1f47d665ff399462d33e302c 320w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=8e1b6241f118f7de1ddcafc658098493 540w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=8a55478cb43b73dc140a85ec3bf028d2 768w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=3fdfa42f5df1cc8b5df3076fb0158e7c 1024w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=0757f39a6f7988a05c21a3c32b67517b 1200w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=bec423617df822ddc456bd0cee181629 1440w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=d6c1baa69b722b80e0a63759e59a12c7 1920w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=7e7cbfacf2903d087409ea2eeaecaee3 2560w, https://visitspokane.imgix.net/images/inlander-blog-content/INL_DavenportXMasTrees120511IMG_0108.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=42d5ce34036e3289b5e2935ba5dc2b43 3840w)
Family Holiday Events in Spokane
For families with young children, there’s SANTA EXPRESS, located in the former Mobius space in River Park Square. Here kids aged 4–12 can choose from a range of gifts between $1 and $10. Volunteer ‘elves’ will assist them with shopping and wrapping presents for everyone on their list. It runs from Nov. 23 to Dec. 23 with both in-person and virtual shopping options. The added bonus is that proceeds from the store benefit the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.
And then there’s the HOLIDAY HUNT, the popular scavenger hunt that rewards those shopping with young explorers.
“There will be different displays all throughout downtown,” Hooker says. “Each display will feature a clue to help solve a holiday riddle. And once that riddle is solved, every kiddo who plays will have the opportunity to get a special gift from Santa Claus.”
For details on these downtown Spokane events and more, visit downtownspokane.org.