At 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 6, the 27th annual Yakima Lighted Holiday Parade leaves the Salvation Army and heads down Yakima Avenue. It turns onto 3rd Street and stops in front of the Capitol Theatre, where Santa poses for selfies and the city lights its official holiday tree. Four days later, State Fair Park switches on 35-plus miles of lights, and the Yakima Area Arboretum holds its first candlelit night.
Most of Yakima's December calendar falls inside those two stretches. The first weekend happens downtown and builds toward one fixed moment on 3rd Street. The second runs Thursday through Sunday and offers three ways to see lights. Plan for those two weekends and the rest of the month needs very little planning.
| Weekend one: December 5–6 | Weekend two: December 10–13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Centered on | Downtown and 3rd Street | State Fair Park, the Arboretum, the Capitol Theatre |
| Fixed moment | Parade at 6 p.m. Sunday, tree lighting at the finish | Light Fest opens Thursday, Luminaria public nights Friday and Saturday |
| At the Capitol Theatre | Yakima Symphony Holiday Pops | A Celtic Christmas with Everdream |
| Trolleys | Santa and Candlelight rides both days | Santa and Candlelight rides Saturday and Sunday |
Saturday, December 5, starts with bazaars and ends at the symphony
The first Saturday of December fills from 9 a.m. on. The Yakima Herald-Republic's 2026 listing of Yakima Valley bazaars lists three Yakima events that morning, including Single Hill's market. The Christmas Bazaar at Eisenhower High School, 611 S. 44th Ave., runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fraternal Order of Eagles 289 bazaar at 307 W. Chestnut Ave. runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch for sale.
At 11 a.m., Single Hill Brewing Company opens its Holiday Market at 102 N. Naches Ave. Local makers, coffee and food fill the brewery until 3 p.m. The Eagles hall is a few blocks away, so a West Valley morning at Eisenhower followed by an early afternoon downtown fits easily into one day.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Yakima Valley Trolleys run the Santa Trolley. The Candlelight rides follow from 4 to 6 p.m. Both board at S. 3rd Avenue and Pine Street. Santa Trolley fares are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and children. Candlelight rides cost $8 for adults and $6 for seniors.
At 7:30 p.m., the Yakima Symphony Orchestra's Holiday Pops Spectacular begins at the Capitol Theatre, 19 S. 3rd St. The Yakima Symphony Chorus joins the orchestra this year, along with the Kouyate Arts African Drumming Ensemble. Adult tickets cost $20 to $96. Student and child tickets run from free to $14. Both prices include the facility fee.
Sunday, December 6, ends on 3rd Street
On Sunday the day moves toward the parade, and the second Holiday Pops performance helps with the timing. It starts at 4 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre. A family at the matinee walks out onto the block where the parade will finish about two hours later.
The trolleys run their Sunday schedule too, Santa rides until 3 p.m. and Candlelight rides from 4 to 6 p.m. The Candlelight rides end just as the parade begins.
Parade entries line up at 5 p.m. and the parade starts at 6 p.m. sharp, according to the organizers at Yakima Parades. Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is the presenting sponsor. Entry applications are free, so any group that wants a float still has time to apply.
The route runs along Yakima Avenue and turns onto 3rd Street, so the end of the route is the place to stand. The parade finishes in front of the Capitol Theatre, and the tree lighting there is the finale. Last year the Herald-Republic's holiday parade roundup placed the tree lighting at Millennium Plaza, 22 S. Third St. That is the same short stretch of 3rd Street.
Thursday, December 10, starts the lights weekend
Holiday lights in Yakima wait until the second week of December, and then most of them start within three days of each other.
The 7th Annual Drive-Thru Holiday Light Fest at State Fair Park opens Thursday, December 10, and runs nightly through December 20. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the drive-thru runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Gesa Credit Union presents it. Candyland with its gingerbread house and the North Pole mailbox for letters to Santa are back this year, and State Fair Park promises some all-new vignettes.
The same Thursday, the Yakima Area Arboretum holds First Light, its members-only Luminaria night. The Arboretum's events page lists it on the second Thursday of December from 5 to 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday give you three ways to see the lights
The public Luminaria nights are Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12. The Arboretum lists them from 5 to 10 p.m. Visitors walk a candlelit mile loop at 1401 Arboretum Drive. The evening also includes light displays, indoor entertainment, shopping and crafts for children. The Arboretum describes Luminaria as free. Parking is at Kiwanis Park, and the City of Yakima runs a free shuttle. The 2026 Visit Yakima listing suggests a $5 donation per person.
On Saturday the Capitol Theatre hosts its second holiday show of the month. A Celtic Christmas with Everdream starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost $39 to $49 including the facility fee. This year the Irish trio adds a guest, Howard Crosby, Bing Crosby's nephew.
These three options differ in how you get around, how long they last and what they cost:
| Holiday Light Fest | Luminaria | Candlelight Trolley | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you see it | From your car | On foot, a candlelit mile loop | Seated on a historic trolley |
| Where | State Fair Park | 1401 Arboretum Drive, parking at Kiwanis Park | Boards at S. 3rd Ave. and Pine St. |
| 2026 nights | Dec. 10–20 | Dec. 11–12 public, Dec. 10 members | Weekends from Nov. 28–29 through Dec. 19–20 |
| Hours | 5–9 p.m., gates 4:30 | 5–10 p.m. public | 4–6 p.m. |
| Cost | $18 per car at the gate | Free, $5 suggested donation | $8 adults, $6 seniors |
Light Fest has a few details that are easy to miss. General entry is Gate #15 off Pacific Avenue, by the Yakima County Baseball Stadium. Fast Pass holders use Gate #1 off Fair Avenue. A Fast Pass costs $30 for cars, trucks and SUVs. Limos, buses and RVs pay $35 for general entry or $55 for a Fast Pass. Online tickets add a service fee of $3.50 to $7.75 per ticket. At the Ticket Office there is no service fee, but Visa, MasterCard and Discover payments carry a 3.2% surcharge, so cash at the box office is the cheapest way in. Each ticket is good for any one night. At the gate you get a map of the themed scenes and a food and beverage menu.
The second weekend wraps up Sunday, December 13, when the Canticus Vocal Ensemble holds Christmas with Canticus. The trolleys also run that weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13.
What carries on after December 13
After the second weekend, two events keep going. Light Fest stays open nightly through Sunday, December 20. The Santa and Candlelight trolleys make their last runs on December 19 and 20. The Capitol Theatre has The Wiz on December 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m., with tickets from $34 to $100. It is a Broadway show and not a holiday production.
The trolleys also start before either weekend. Their first Santa and Candlelight rides are November 28 and 29, the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. If you followed our Thanksgiving weekend plan for downtown evenings, a trolley ride fits the end of that weekend.
Two dates hold most of the month's plans. Sunday, December 6, ends at 6 p.m. on 3rd Street. Thursday, December 10, starts the lights at State Fair Park. Holiday Pops tickets for December 5 and 6 and Everdream seats for December 12 are sold by the Capitol Theatre, so those are the dates to book first.
December in Yakima is easier to plan around two weekends, and so is a move. If you're thinking about a move and want to talk through which part of town fits the way you spend December, Jeremy Sinnes and the team are happy to help. Schedule a consultation whenever you're ready.
