Leavenworth’s Christmas Lighting Festival
Leavenworth, Washington is one of America’s best cities to experience the magic of the holiday season. It’s Christmas Lighting Festival is one of its most popular events of the year and deservedly so. Leavenworth is a Bavarian styled village of about 2,500 residents in the central part of Washington State, 2.5 hours east of Seattle and about a half hour west of Wenatchee. The town is in a beautiful alpine setting with majestic Cascade Mountain peaks in the background, attracting over two million visitors a year. With its Bavarian styled facades and trees lined with beautiful Christmas lights, holiday shops, live music, choirs, and sleigh rides, with snowy mountain peaks in the background, Leavenworth is a spectacular place to visit in December.
Leavenworth’s Christmas Lighting Festival takes place during the first three weekends of December each year. On Friday nights during the festival, the town is unlit, in darkness awaiting the arrival of the town’s Christmas lighting on Saturday evening. At dusk on Saturdays, visitors and residents gather in the town center’s gazebo to sing “Silent Night” and witness the lighting. The town is transformed into a holiday wonderland. Holiday music fills the village while children sled in the park. You might even see Santa strolling in the streets and get to take a picture with him! The aroma of food and good cheer warm the air.
Visitor should arrive at least several hours before dusk on Saturday to allow time to find parking and participate in the festivities. Parking can be difficult to find and Highway 2, the city’s primary thoroughfare, and city streets are often jammed with visitors, including tour buses. Amtrak recently started train service to Leavenworth on its route between Seattle and Chicago, which may be a good option to see the Festival, especially in light of the occasionally hazardous winter driving conditions in the mountains. Due to the popularity of the event, accommodations in the town should be booked well in advance.
Get more information and plan your visit to Leavenworth at http://www.leavenworthwa.net !
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