From Christmas crafts to concerts, your guide to celebrating the holidays at the Washington Pavilion

This paid piece is sponsored by Washington Pavilion Management Inc.

Festive fun is everywhere you look at the Washington Pavilion this month – with holiday events and activities every day in December.

“This truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and the Washington Pavilion can’t wait to help you celebrate,” president and CEO Darrin Smith said.

“Whether you’re a regular, occasional or first-time visitor, I guarantee you will leave with a memorable experience.”

You also might want to visit the Pavilion multiple times this month, because there are so many special events ahead. Here’s your guide to the holiday fun:

Dazzling decor, inside and out

No matter what day you visit this month, you’ll enjoy stunning holiday decor. The beautifully decorated 45-foot Christmas tree greets you outside at 11th Street and Main Avenue. Catch it on display from dusk to dawn through the end of December.

Inside, the Pavilion hosts the gorgeous Tidings and Tinsel display of Christmas trees decorated by local organizations on the second floor lobby. This display is open to the public during regular hours through Jan. 9.

Visit Santa

Bring your wish list and your camera, and get ready for a free one-on-one visit with Santa. He’ll be at the Pavilion on Dec. 10 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visiting when Santa’s not around? That’s fun too – have the kids write a letter to Santa, and mail it in one of our special boxes. They’re located in the Raven Children’s Studio and Wells Fargo CineDome lobby on the second floor.

Christmas crafting

Here’s good timing: On the same days you can visit Santa at the Pavilion, you can let the kids get creative. Enroll them in crafting classes Dec. 10 and 17, and they’ll leave with handmade holiday gifts and decor.

“The Polar Express”

The holiday classic film “The Polar Express” is even more of an experience when you see it at the Wells Fargo CineDome. It’s playing every weekend and select weekdays through December. Click here for tickets and show times. 

Holiday events and activities

With more than 20 holiday concerts, musicals and other events, the Washington Pavilion and Orpheum Theater Center have a live entertainment schedule you’ll love.

A word to the wise, though: Reserve your tickets early because some especially popular shows are beginning to sell out. Click here for your complete entertainment guide. 

Visitor favorites with new twists

Along with all the seasonal reasons to visit the Pavilion, your favorite attractions have new reasons to stop by. Don’t miss the popular Guild Hall: An Adventure in the Arts exhibit at the Visual Arts Center and all the new dinosaur activities at the Kirby Science Discovery Center.

Lunch at Leo’s

Make time to stop for lunch during your visit to the Pavilion – you’ll be glad you did. Leonardo’s Cafe serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and has an updated menu of sandwiches, wraps, salads, pizza and a kids’ menu – plus the popular all-you-can-eat soup and salad bar. Click here for a peek at the menu. 

Noon Year’s Eve

You can end the holiday season with a memorable day of fun at the Pavilion too. Let your kids join in the new year’s fun with a balloon drop and other activities beginning at noon Dec. 31. Count down to Noon Year’s Eve with Radley Rex as hundreds of balloons fall to the ground in the Kirby Science Discovery Center.

Give the gift of a Washington Pavilion experience

Once the presents are unwrapped, some gifts barely get used. That’s not the case with a membership to the Washington Pavilion, where anyone on your wish list will find new experiences all year long. Now is a great time to become a member or give the gift of membership, with special offers through the end of the year. Click here to learn more, and click below for an inside look at all the benefits of membership – both inside and out the Pavilion.

Washington Pavilion memberships now offer even more ways to save