I really like snowflake lane!!! It makes me so happy to watch. This was my 3rd year coming!! It really makes you get into the holiday spirit! The people are awesome!! Will continue to come back Year after year!! read more

See all

We went on a Sunday. They've made adjustments and changes to the show so it isnt the exact same thing every year. But get there early or there wont be a spot. We were able to go in a dry day. Many restaurants do not take reservations during the time around Snowflake Lane so plan that out with part of your night. Traffic can get a bit rough as they close the road. I cant remember if its 30 or 60 min before the show. I would recommend arriving before they close the street and doing some window shopping or grabbing some cocoa. The snow is cool. Music is great. There probably isnt a bad place to view the show but we prefer to sit on the curb. They characters give kids candy. read more

It's a nice parade with dancers, drummers, floats, lights and bubbles (snow). It gets pretty crowded so get there slightly before 7pm to get a good view whether on the street or on the sky bridge. I wouldn't brave the mall crowds just for this event, but if you are making it just one component on an evening out, it's very nice. Prepare for inclimate weather. The show is about 20 minutes total. read more

Snowflake Lane - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

We got here pretty late but was still able to find parking at the mall (free). We made our way to the side walk and despite a few adults who wouldnt let my child seat at front, my daughter was still able to watch the show. Behind us was a shorter lady and I felt bad because the people infront of us were above average tall. Then yet they didnt felt the need to seat down or get down for the rest of us to see. What can we do, cant blame the talls for being tall but cant accomodate our shorties all the time right?! Overall my daughter had a blast, it was viewable for a Saturday night. I totally recommend it, make your way over if you can. read more

It's really hard to go to Snowflake Lane and not smile. It's a pretty incredible experience with fake snow, hundreds of performers, a huge crowd of people and Christmas jingles. There are drummers, people on stilts, nutcrackers, penguins, and more. It's great for a group of friends, a family, a first date, anything pretty much! The first time I went to Snowflake Lane I was bar hopping around downtown Bellevue and my friend and I stumbled upon it occurring. It was still probably the best Snapchat story I've had in a long time haha All in all, I'll definitely be back to see it again. It's too much fun and will get you pumped for Christmas! The show goes for about 15 mins and starts at 7 pm. read more

It's great that they put on this show every year! It's very appropriate for the holidays and they put a lot of effort into putting on a good show. There is music, there are performers of all sorts, and they also create artificial snow to make the show more joyous and enjoyable! The only thing I would recommend is getting there early (especially if you are driving there) because a lot of traffic builds up around this time of the year, and they close a part of the main road so the show can happen. read more

I have reviewed this annual event twice before, and I have visited this fun, family-friendly "show" 5 or 6 times over the years. This review is for this past year's show only, and I need to deduct a few stars. I should add, up front, that if one has NEVER before been to Snowflake Lane, one would probably rank it a solid 5 stars! But for me and my family, we noticed a LOT of changes in the show this past December, and it's impossible not to compare it to past shows. And it falls short. By a lot. Yes, the show is free and cute and still has the drummer boys a-drummer, the fairy princesses and stilt-walking characters and light-saber-wielding starship guys and more. The characters walk up and down the sidewalks, and there is music playing and a light show on Bell Square and Lincoln Square, and a soap-bubble "blizzard". It lasts for about 15 minutes. But gone are the days when Bellevue Way was closed off to traffic and all the dancers and characters and performers danced and performed up and down the street. Gone are the days where there'd be a character and dance parade on the street below. Gone are the days when the drummer boys would run across the sky bridge, handing out candy canes to the kids to the sounds of music. Perhaps they ceased all these features for security reasons (especially with the last few years, where trucks barrel into crowds), but man, it sure changed the experience for my kids and me this past year. So if you're new to Snowflake Lane, check it out; you will enjoy it! But if you're a returning attendant, don't expect the same experience as in years past. You will be disappointed. read more

I loved it! I know, I know, it's a corporate sponsored parade put on by the downtown merchants to pull you in so you shop, but I don't care. It's such a nice experience. And sure, it's crowded, but that's because it's such a festive parade. There's a lot to love here, the music, the blizzard of snow, the floats, the princess's, the lights, and of course Mr. and Mrs. Clause. It was exactly what I needed to get into the spirit. It's also the perfect length. 20 minutes long. That seems like a short little bit of nothing, but actually, it's perfect. Just when you're beginning to get chilled, it's over. No boring politicians in cars in this parade. It's all fun all of the way through. read more

You gotta participate in Snowflake Lane at least once, right? Even though it's best for kids it's still something unique to do if you're in Bellevue around the holidays. Since I live in downtown Bellevue I'm fortunately, walking distance to the festivity; however, if you're driving into town just for the occasion you'll want to get here early, especially to find parking. Free parking has always enticed people to drive to Bellevue for the shopping and restaurants, so imagine the craze around the holiday season. Get here early. And I've noticed that people start lining up Bellevue Way around 6:30, a half-hour before showtime, and the most popular viewing area tends to be in front of Macy's and Cheesecake Factory. The sky bridges from Bell Square and Lincoln Square are also filled with people for the show. It's about a 15 minute performance of winter wonderland characters, including Santa. A greeting welcomes you and holiday music begins to play and the parade of characters make their way down Bellevue Way and some hand you candy as they walk by. If you catch any of the characters before or after the show they will gladly take a photo with you, too. They're always super friendly. I personally just love how the streets of downtown Bellevue light up and there's fake snow during the show. It really is the most magical time of the year :). read more

You've got family from out of town visiting and you want to get them in the Christmas spirit... What do you do? Take them to Snowflake Lane! So now that you've made up your mind to go, here are some tips to help you make the event more enjoyable. DESCRIPTION: It is a 20 minute performance of costumed characters such as the Sugar Plum Fairy, a polar bear, a snowman, etc... There are also drummers, dancers and elves. There are lots of lights creating an effect of dancing snowflakes to accompany the music and artificial snow made of soap that floats downward on the crowd. The nightly event is free to the public and runs for 20 minutes from the Friday after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. From December 26th to the 31st the theme of the celebration changes to ringing in the New Year. WHERE Snowflake Lane is along the sidewalks of Bellevue Way & NE 8th at The Bellevue Collection, in the heart of Downtown Bellevue. There are four stages including the Snowstorm dance crew, Main Stage at Fountain Court, Princess Court meet and Greet and Snowstorm. Ask in the mall for information about the specific locations. PARKING There is free parking at Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and Lincoln Square. There are seven entrances to the Parking garage at Bellevue Square (the largest garage), three at Bellevue Place and one at Lincoln Square. I suggest you arrive more than an hour before the performance or it will be difficult finding a space. We arrived several hours to do some shopping, eat dinner and see the performance and there weren't many spaces. Do not even think about parking to the west of the last parking garage in the residential neighborhood. You would need a specific zone pass to park on the streets there. STREET LEVEL Do not stand or sit on the drummer displays along the street. Drummers will be standing on them during the presentation so you will need to move. They will close the streets off to traffic and once that is done you can move into the actual street. You will need to stay within a given space in the street during the performance. If you have children it's best to wait at the street level until you can enter the street and get close to the action! They hand out candy to the kids so they'll get a sugar rush. THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY If you stand on the pedestrian walkway you must make sure you can fit within the black line on the floor of the walkway. If you cannot fit you will have to go somewhere else. Security will not allow people to block the center of the walkway. ETIQUETTE There are a lot of people in a small area. Remember to try and be polite. People will be pressing up against you and kids may be standing on your feet. The lamest thing I experienced was a guy who had his arms stretched out who kept shifting his body to block people from getting a spot yelling that the spots were all saved. Fortunately Security took care of him! This is a fun holiday experience, especially for the kids! read more

See all

We have been going to Snowflake lane since is started in December of 2005, when it was just a handful of us, real drummers on every corner, and no people. It was epic. Restaurants half empty, plenty of room on the street and well, now, its a different story. Today's snowflake lane is lots of people from out of the area and they bring their habits with them. Very pushy people that love to litter, stick phones in your face, flick ciggs on you, and well everything else you can image. Actually, Imagine sitting in coach on Frontier airlines, or Disney land on a Saturday night in July, or that hot pot place boiling point at noon. You get the idea.... So depending on budget there are three ways to do snowflake lane: 1. RICHY RICH If your loaded, call ahead and make reservations at some of the restaurants between 6:45PM and 7PM. Enjoy a great meal, and then while desert is coming, watch it from the comfort of your table. The BEST place is The Central and or Henry's tavern. Enjoy drinks, get in the spirit, and watch it from a safe and warm restaurant. 2. MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Show up with your fam and park around OLD BELLEVUE by the skating rink and either walk or take a quick UBER to the mall. You'll be able to get out EASY. Walk into the mall, do some shopping, and then enjoy the show but around 6:30 start finding a "squat spot" on the street cuz people will be pushy. 3. THE PAUPER Well, hit JOEYS for some drinks. Once they kick in around 6:45 pop an OXY and then find a quat spot on the street and prepare for a beating. Its brutal, but you can do it. Merry Christmas read more

The only street show where my kids are safe aardvark entertained. It's very well produced and most actors are juSt super incredible and very well trained. They are cheering and performing whether is its raining or snowing. Also they give out candy to little kids which is a nice gesture. Great atmosphere and good song selection. I do suggest to include Jesus in Christmas though. The show is about anything but Christmas. Maybe a few SOngs and a few nativity characters would be nice after all it's CHRISTmas read more

Snowflake Lane - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

We finally had a chance to watch the holidays parade at Snowflake Lane (downtown Bellevue, in front of Bellevue Collection) this year. The parade started around 7pm (we got there around 6:30pm and were still able to find some front row spots for the parade-- however, there were people starting to show up around 6:45pm, so if you showed up around that time, chances are you'd probably be standing somewhere in the back, with the views of other people's heads/hair in front of you!). The parade was pretty cool and had a festive feel to it. Before the parade/show started, there were other characters, penguins, polar bears, reindeer walking by to help entertain the people/families, so you can play/take picture with them, too. The show itself lasted just 20 minutes but it was pretty cool once it got started. There were some colorful laser lights of snowflakes projected onto the buildings, some fake snowflakes falling from the sky and lots of festive music to enjoy the show. Not much really for the show except the music band and just one umbrella dance, but hey...for a free daily show throughout this festive season, it's pretty good! :) Go see it if you live nearby. Maybe you don't have to do it every year, but it's sort of something you should do it at least once, especially if you live nearby the area! read more

I've heard so many goo things about this show. I was actually quite disappointed. It was crowded and the show itself was not that great. It was a 20min show but my friend and I arrived early because we wanted to make sure we got parking and a good view. We stood on the bridge that was above the street level view but it was still crowded. The best part of this show was the drummers going through at the beginning and playing their drums while handing out peppermint Blowpops. They just played Christmas music while the performers stayed in the same spot playing the drums on beat or dancing on a box. I wouldn't do it again or take anyone there to see it.We were just lucky to beat the crowd leaving because we wanted to leave 5min before the end since we were tired of it. read more

Snowflake Lane - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

We visited this on 12/1 - the event went for about 20 mins and definitely worth a visit given there is no fee. Lot of music and color. read more

See all

It's a 20 minute show featuring many high school drummers who are dressed as toy soldiers, some fairy princesses and comic book characters and snowmen who interact with children Disney style. There are 2 performance stages set up on the side. It's fun if you're already there for shopping or eating out. Not sure if it's worth an extra trip just to see the parade as it's short but the fake snow was fun. Kids seemed to enjoy it. Crowds are allowed to gather on the cordoned off street and sidewalks and the skybridge above the parade. Plenty of free parking at Bellevue Square and Lincoln Center (evenings) but it fills up so go early. Allow 20-25 minutes just to park and get situated as traffic is heavy. Bundle up as it can get chilly waiting for the parade to begin. read more

Snowflake Lane - Toy soldier drummers - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Save yourself the headache! You have to get there at least an hour early to even be able to see the show. The sidewalks are at least 10 people deep and there is no chance of seeing anything if you aren't there by 6pm unless you try and watch from the parking garage balcony. This is only a 15-20 minute show, while very cool it's not worth the hour (no exaggeration) you'll need to fight traffic and the mile walk from any open parking spot. There are so many people it's almost hard to even enjoy it at all. We tried to make the best of it this year and my 2.5 and 6 year old danced to the music in the alley. read more

Snowflake Lane - View from parking garage balcony - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

See all

If you like giant penguins and Nordic ice princesses parading by while toy soldiers form a drumline and the sky rains bubble-snow, this is the show for you. If you don't like that sort of thing, you should take yourself less seriously. The show was a great weeknight trip - 20 minutes and near plenty of coffee and shopping. read more

Snowflake Lane - Penguin overlord surveys his domain - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

See all

It's been years since I've been to snowflake lane during the holidays. It has sure changed. Now it's basically a 20-30 min float parade down Bellevue Ave. There's also fake foam snow. Super crowded. Good entertainment to take little ones read more

We attended the 2017 show. It was very crowded so plan on getting the fairly early for a good spot. The kids were amazed at how fun the whole thing was!! Very well put together! We'll be adding this event to our yearly holiday traditions! read more

See all

Been attending Snowflake Lane for the past 5 years and it keeps getting better with age. True, no matter which day of the week, plan to arrive an hour early to find parking and scout out your spot on the sidewalk; it will be crowded. Situate yourself near one of the large drums, but do not allow your child to climb upon the drums, they're not play structures. At a quarter to 7, a high school crew will start preparing the scene, passing out suckers and then the magic begins. At 7 o'clock snow falls gently from the surrounding skyscrapers and drummers dressed up as toy soldiers begin marching down the street. The soldiers will take their place upon one of the drum pedestals, so that is your best bet for viewing. Snow princesses and other characters add to the spectacle. The show in its entirety lasts about 20 minutes. It's free, and compared to other light shows ( Garden D'lights, Zoo Lights, Lights of Christmas ), this one provides affordable fun for the whole family. read more

Snowflake Lane - Downtown Bellevue coming alive at 7 pm - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

I really enjoyed this parade on 11/27/2016, even though it was raining at beginning of the parade. The parade starts @7:00 pm and continues till 7:30 pm every day from November 25 - December 31.They will close the road before parade starts.We can take photos with a snowman and another princess as well. If you want to enjoy the parade without getting soaked in the rain,use the pedestrian bridge that connects the Bellevue Square mall.The view is also good from the bridge. If you are nearby this location, please don't miss this parade. read more

My husband and I try and go every year! Thankfully we were in Seattle for Thanksgiving so we were able to go to the opening night of Snowflake Lane for the season. Well worth it! Fun for all ages. We will be back in a few weeks; this time with the kiddo! read more

Snowflake Lane is a fun festival in Bellevue at the end of the year. The fake snow, toy soldiers, dancing, music and dancers are all festive and add to the holiday spirit. There isn't anything religious about it or preached about so everyone can enjoy. The street is closed off for about 20 minutes at a time for the parade. Kids love this! read more

This was my 4th time out and it's a fun time for the family and really puts you I the holiday spirit. It's dropped a star over the years because before, there used to be much more interaction with the characters in the parade. A few years ago before and after the parade, there was people walking on stilts and drummers up and down the sidewalks, princesses strolling and polar bears roaming. This last time about - there was much less of that and it was pretty direct focus on the parade and parade only. They have changed the direction of where the parade comes out so there really isn't a bad seat in the house. Best is to get there early enough to claim a spot on the sidewalk to get a front row view. It does get pretty loud and it does get pretty crowded as well. Luckily there is ample amount of parking with the new south building opened up. And there's plenty of shops and restaurants to eat before/after the show to keep you and yours occupied. Overall - it's a great family tradition to get into the holiday spirit with some fun and festivities and the faux snow falling from the sky, bright lights and music. Always a good time! read more

Snowflake Lane - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Saturday night slam dance! We decided to give this a try on a Saturday night and it was great! I'm sure any other night would be less chaotic, but it was worth the crowds. The lights, music, performers, and fake snow made this a good time. Why Santa isn't the last in the parade is confusing, but what the heck, your standing in a mosh pit on Bellevue Way, just go with the flow. The stroller gangs smashing you in the shins and the toddlers on parents shoulders kicking you in the head has nothing to do with the parade, more of a reflection on the people who attend. If you are anti crowds and traffic, don't go on a Saturday night. HO HO HO! read more

See all

Don't be the guy who gets here 15 minutes before the parade begins and asks people who've been standing for nearly an hour or possibly longer if you or your kid can stand/sit in front of them. Just don't do it. I don't care if you're short-- DON'T BE THAT GUY. Here are some hopefully helpful tips I can give to anyone who wants to attend: 1. Get here early. By that I mean be parked and ready to stand by 5:30 or at least 6 to find a spot. 2. This Street gets closed for the parade at 6:45. I stress being here early. 3. Have your entire family with you. Don't wait 2 minutes before the parade starts for them to squish in with you. 4. Try to be considerate of the people around you. Nobody WANTS to be squished. That's just how it is sometimes. 5. Don't make a scene, get annoyed or yell when people won't let you in front of them, even if you're shorter. If you truly wanted to be in front you should've gotten here earlier. 6. Try to remember this entire thing is geared towards kids, and you'll have the most fun when you're ages 3-12. 7. Keeping the tip above in mind, don't write a review bashing things they're lacking when this entire event is performed by volunteers. Basically, all I'm saying is try to be a considerate and decent person. Don't go out of your way to be a dick when people won't move for you and you will definitely enjoy yourself. read more

I'm a self proclaimed Slave to Xmas, so there's no way I would find this less than satisfactory. That said, I love the opportunity it provides for both the high school performing arts students and the audience! It looks so beautiful on Bellevue Way and will make even the most cynical of people fee the Christmas spirit! Well maybe not, but there's hope yet! Note to drivers, AVOID this area. For your safety and for spectators. read more

See all

You have to come here! Whether you're old or young, this amazing and free show will put you in the Christmas spirit. We come every year and although it can get quite crowded, we make sure to plan ahead and arrive early. The music, the snow, the friendly performers, are all amazing. I have seen the same performers each year and that says a lot for the way they are treated as employees. Thank you to the businesses that work hard and fund this event. It's truly a gift to us! read more

See all

So Much fun!!! before we went we ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, then came out to watch. I will day get your spots early because lots of people come! read more

Snowflake Lane - We went to The Cheesecake Factory right before Snowflake Lane. - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

It was very crowded. Parade would have been a more pleasant experience if people weren't constantly walking past and blocking your view. For a short parade, it's not worth the hassle unless you have kids with you and you come and claim your spot EARLY before the crowds get there.. overall just okay. Decor is very pretty tho read more

It's a nice way to kick start the holiday season. The snowflake lane starts every night at 7pm from Nov 24- Dec 24. It's very fun for the kids where they can get free peppermint lollipops, enjoy bubble snows and see the parade. Make sure you arrive early especially on the weekends, it does get crowded. We've been coming to the snowflake lane for the past three years and the kids enjoyed it very much. read more

Disappointed in the 2017 update to this event. Our family has visited annually and the show seemed to move away from being engaging and fun for the kids- it's become more of a parade/show where the kids just sit there. We were told by different event staff and the police that we couldn't leave the curb and could not stand in the street. Some characters came to engage with the kids in the front spots but opportunities to take photos with characters was minimal. Definitely arrive with enough time to get a curb spot, especially if you have little ones. Prepare your older kids who are used to dancing with the characters to not be able to interact as much. Only plus to the change is that the drummers were moved to the center of the street so we were able to leave without temporary hearing loss Don't know if we'll return in its current format. Past years were amazing and a "can't miss" for the holidays, not as much anymore read more

This is a really fun and totally free show which is held through the month of December on the streets between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square. After Christmas, it transitions to more of a new year celebration which helps to keep the fun going after all the post holiday shoppers have been burnt out on too much Christmas in their collectively drained faces. The show itself is a really fun time and definitely geared towards kids although I believe anyone would enjoy it. Even the Grinch or Scrooge himself would have a hard time not tapping their toes or singing along to the festive mix of dancing, drumming, and marry making this show provides. I highly recommend getting to the mall early and snagging a good spot ahead of time just like you would for any parade so you're not having to jockey for position behind the many other shoppers and tourists who will no doubt also be on hand to watch the show. Snowflake Lane is fast paced and fun and, if you're running late, there's a good chance you'll miss it. You have been warned. read more

Snowflake lane.... When you see the commercials and look at the marketing.. anyone would think . OMG how magical!! And I am sure, to some, it is quite, magical. There's a mini parade, fake foam snow, beautiful lights, winter personalities to take photos with.. and it is all FREE!! First of all..nothing in our money driven society is free. In my personal opinion.... This is a sham ... To get people there to shop... Yes. I said it... It's simply another way to get people to spend money. Don't get me wrong, what they have put together is a wonderful gesture, year after year, a lot of people get together to make this event happen, it is appreciated.. yet, it feels corporate driven, where the only thing that really matters is... The bottom line. So... Here is my take on this winter activity. If it we're just a few families and we were all there for the "magic of Christmas" it would have been great! But you see... It isn't that way.. there are hoards of entitled, rude parents and teens... The children ... Are not in the front to see the parade.. and instead of the parents working together for all the kids to see some glimpse of this thing.. it turned into a competition.. of entitlement.. it was sad.. then. You stand up on the cement sitting area and "security" shoos you off.. while she keeps walking on it. Lol. Sure, there were the sparce few that had common decency.. you know. People who say excuse me, please and thank you, the people who are not rude.. but, unfortunately, the rude and entitled outnumbered the rest .. read more

Eh... it was kind of a crazy thing, I mean, it was raining, it was Saturday night and the kids acting in the thing- especially those drummers, the toy soldiers on stilts and my favorite, the sugar plum fairy, were all great but overall, it seemed like there were multiple 'shows' happening at once and we couldn't see where to even direct our attention mostly. They handed out approximately ONE MILLION peppermint suckers to my daughter and again, the drummers not only kicked ass but they were so adorable letting the kids play their drums. Overall, for me, I'd skip it unless your kid makes you go. It was alright but... not for me. read more

It's things like this that make me proud to call Bellevue my hometown. This is a Christmas tradition that goes up through Christmas Eve. The whole show only lasts twenty minutes so don't be late! Expect candy, drummers, lots of great costumes, and of course the fake snow. This is an absolute win win for the mall and for shoppers. read more

See all

Really loves this. The floats, the music, the dancing. My grandkids eyes were wide open! Would give it a 5 but want more floats. It seemed like long period of time before one went by. Not the normal parade its more of a full production. If this was on GoFundme I would donate because its well worth it and there is nothing else close to it but having to go to Disney. I want to see more of it all! Last year they had a stage with entertainment and booths for photo ops. I can only imagine costs have led to cut backs but really with the distance people travel and what talent is available an hour show/parade would be optimal! I want more more more! This year in total was about 15 minutes. Thank you very much to those that provide this show. read more

Snowflake Lane is a great part of the holiday festivities. There's nothing religious about it. No Santa Clauses. It's always busy this time of year regardless of where you go so it should be expected to go early. They close the streets off and drummers and dancers fill the street for approximately 20 minutes. Kids love it. It's fun. It's FREE! read more

See all

Intended for family or the young at heart - Snowflake Lane is a good spectacle show without cost with appearances of toy soldier drummers, friendly snow fairies/princesses accompanied with other winter-themed characters, all choreographed by dancers with traditional holiday music from the PA. This show offers a good entertainment for its intended audience, and offers around a twenty minute reprieve from all of the shopping around the holidays. If willing to brave the crowd and wanting a distraction or decompress from all of the shopping for a few minutes, watching Snowflake Lane isn't a bad choice. read more

Snowflake Lane - Snowflake Lane - Festivals Near Me - Bellevue, Washington