Worth the Drive: Lights, camera and Santa action!

Published 1:30 am Thursday, December 21, 2017

‘Tis the weekend to stay away from the malls.

Take a drive. Watch Santa dive.

Try something new and festive.

If you are traveling or picking up guests at the airport, there’s fun in store there as well.

Winterfest

Winterfest at Seattle Center is through Dec. 31.

The turf around the Space Needle offers art, music and ice sculpting. Dickens and Victorian-costumed carolers stroll around the grounds. Go skating at the ice rink.

The festival rings in 2018 with fireworks, a dance party and live music.

More at www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest.

Gingerbread creations

These are some fancy cookies.

Through Jan. 1, see six elaborate displays at the Gingerbread Village at City Centre, 1420 Fifth Ave., Suite 450, across the street from Sheraton Seattle Hotel. The theme is 25 Years of Cheer: A Celebration of Seattle, with a gingerbread renditions of skyscrapers and city icons.

Free. Open daily until 11:30 p.m., plus an extra hour Fridays and Saturdays. Donations go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

More at www.sheratonseattle.com.

Santa dive

Santa takes the plunge at the Seattle Aquarium.

Take your picture with the diving Mr. Claus and stay dry. He joins the fish inside the giant acquarim at noon and 3 p.m. Dec. 23 and noon Dec. 24. Caspar Babypants performs at 1 p.m. Dec. 23 and Dickens Carolers at 1 p.m. on Dec. 24.

Admission is adults $29.95; ages 4–12, $19.95. Free for ages 3 and under.

More at www.seattleaquarium.org.

Snowflake Lane

The Bellevue Snowflake Lane parade, a 20-minute show of lights, music, falling snow, dancers and drummers, is 7 p.m. nightly through Dec. 24 on Bellevue Way between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square.

Arrive early for the best view. Free. More at www.snowflakelane.com.

The Garden d’Lights at Bellevue Botanical Garden, 12001 Main St., is through Dec. 31. Hours are 4:30 to 9 p.m. every day, including holidays. Admission is $5 for 11 years and over; children 10 and under get in free. More at https://gardendlights.org.

Airport festivities

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has got the holiday mojo going on, with food, gifts, music and other festivities.

A parade, with Frosty the Snowman, Santa and more, winds from the C Concourse to the Central Terminal. The parade is at 9:30 a.m. daily through Dec. 24.

Santa, his elves and other holiday personalities will be in the terminals from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 23, and until noon on Christmas Eve. The characters also will roam the airport, giving gifts to kids and other travelers.

In addition, carolers will perform before and after airport checkpoints. Travelers will also be able to listen to performances by other musicians, including a harpist and steel drums, in the central terminal.

More at www.portseattle.org.

— Andrea Brown, Herald writer