Snowflake Lane, the annual holiday parade in downtown Bellevue, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Presented by The Bellevue Collection and the Kemper Freeman family, this festive event returns on November 29 and runs nightly through Christmas Eve. The parade, which transforms Bellevue Way into a winter wonderland, begins each evening at 7 p.m. and is free to attend.
The event features about 200 performers, including toy soldiers, snow princesses, and holiday dancers. The parade is known for its twinkling lights, festive floats, and nightly snowfall created by over 55 snow machines.
Snowflake Lane is held along Bellevue Way, between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square, from NE 4th to NE 8th Streets. Visitors can watch the show from the sidewalks or designated viewing areas along Lincoln Square. Each night, performers hand out over 80,000 pieces of candy, and the drumline goes through more than 100 drumsticks throughout the season.
The event is produced locally by Greg Thompson Productions, with a cast of primarily student performers, who take on roles like Toy Drummers, Jinglettes, and Sugar Plum Fairies. When it first began, Snowflake Lane was a modest sidewalk performance and has now transformed into one of the region’s top holiday attractions.
In addition to Snowflake Lane, The Bellevue Collection offers a variety of other holiday activities. These include Santa photos at the Snowflake Lane Factory (located in Bellevue Square’s Center Court), a tree lighting ceremony at the Bellevue Place Wintergarden on November 29, and special hotel packages for guests booking stays at The Bellevue Collection’s on-site luxury hotels.
For more details on the parade and other holiday events, visit snowflakelane.com and bellevuecollection.com/holiday.
