The season of hygge is upon us!
Gather with friends, family, and neighbors for fun celebrations throughout December right here in Ballard.
Holiday Happenings in Ballard 2025
Mark Your Calendars
Ballard Tomte Trail
November 1 – December 6, 2025
Follow along the Ballard Tomte Trail from November 1 – December 6, 2025. Explore Ballard’s shops and find the sneaky little tomten hidden in 33 businesses throughout the neighborhood. To get your Tomte Trail passport, visit one of the 33 participating locations, or download it below. To help you find your way around, we’ve created an online map for your convenience.
Ballard Tomte Trail Map to find participating businesses.
Click on the button below to download a printable PDF version of the Tomte Trail Passport
download tomte trail passport here
Then bring your stamped passport to Ballard HolidayFest on Saturday, December 6th, from 2 – 5 PM at Marvin’s Garden Park to win a prize, regardless of how many stamps you have collected. Participants who collect at least ten stamps will be entered into a drawing for a Family Membership to the National Nordic Museum. More details about HolidayFest & Market below….
Holiday Lights
Holiday Lights display is illuminating the neighborhood during the darker months of the year. The display will continue to illuminate the neighborhood core until shortly after the Valentine’s Day weekend. Here are some fun facts about the 2025-2026 display:
- Tree wraps on 273 trees on NW Market St, Leary Ave NW, and Ballard Ave NW
- Snowflakes in Bergen Place
- Lighting of the Centennial Bell Tower
- Colorful bulb lights in the large trees at Marvin’s Garden Park
- A lit archway leading to the National Nordic Museum
- NEW: Sphere ornaments on every other tree on Ballard Ave NW
This annual program not only provides a festive atmosphere but helps add more safety by lighting up sidewalks during the darker months of the year.
Ballard HolidayFest & Market
Saturday, December 6, 2025
2 – 8 PM
The Alliance Elves are hard at work preparing for the 2025 Ballard HolidayFest & Market! Bring your family and friends to Marvin’s Garden Park on Saturday, December 6th from 2 – 8 p.m. and enjoy FREE photos with Santa, cider, holiday treats, Firepit with S’mores making station, tree lighting, Tomte Trail prize giveaways, live music, merriment, and more!
- Santa will visit Ballard from 2 – 5 PM in Marvin’s Garden. Bring your family and friends down for FREE photos with Santa but make sure you are in line by 4:30 PM! Santa has to leave and get back to his toy workshop at 5 PM. But the fun will continue…
- New this year – Ballard HolidayFest Market along Ballard Avenue NW. The northern end of Ballard Avenue will transform into an activity packed winter wonderland and market. Join in the festivities, enjoy live music and treats from the Visit Ballard elves. The market features vendors, a fire pit with a S’mores making station, a Ballard Tomte Toss, food and drink specials from restaurants in the footprint, and other special programming.
Ballard HolidayFest is a free community event made possible through support from the Seattle Office of Economic Development, Ballard Alliance, and volunteers from the Ballard business community.
Ballard Winter Cocktail Trail
Friday, December 12, 2025
6 – 9 PM
Get in the holiday spirit by tasting unique hand-crafted cocktails at pop-up lounges inside select Ballard boutiques.! We are excited to bring this and one-of-a-kind event to the neighborhood and hope you will join us! Tickets are $50 and are only available online until Thursday, December 11th, 2025.
This event has SOLD OUT! (Tickets for the Summer Edition will go on sale late April 2026)
Each event ticket purchased includes 10 tasting tickets, Each ticket is redeemable for a sample-size cocktail offered at each tasting venue. Ten unique cocktails, using a variety of spirits, will be featured at the event. Each pop-up lounge will offer a cocktail that has been artfully crafted using quality ingredients by the master mixologists from The Ballard Cut.