The Must List: Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, 24th Annual Gingerbread Village and Can’t-Miss Local Retail Events
By Seattle Magazine Staff November 22, 2016
Must Watch
Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
(11/25-12/28, times vary) It’s one of Seattle’s favorite holiday traditions, and this year marks the sophomore season for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s revamped and redesigned version of The Nutcracker as choreographed by George Balanchine. The two-act ballet promises ballet fans—especially young ones—visions of sugar plums dancing. mccawhall.com
Must Wonder
Sheraton Seattle’s 24th Annual Gingerbread Village
(Through January 1, 2017, 24 hours a day) Since 1992, the Sheraton has presented this good-enough-to-eat gingerbread village, a free and open to the public event with all donations benefitting the JDRF Northwest Chapter, a charity committed to curing Type 1 diabetes. The hotel’s culinary team donates thousands of hours, an equivalent amount of sugar, candy and dough and partners with local architects—this year featuring Ankrom Moisan, MBAKS & Gelotte Hommas, MG2, Bailly & Bailly, CallisonRTKL & Hargis and 4D Architects—to assemble these confectionery creations that organizers say “keeps more than 150,000 visitors coming back year after year.” gingerbreadvillage.org
Must Mingle
Light in the Attic’s Opening Party at KEXP
(11/25, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.) When one door closes, another opens: So it has been for independent record label Light in the Attic, an imprint that recently closed its tiny retail shop in Ballard but shortly after announced it would relocate to KEXP’s gathering space. The label, known for releasing obscure and out-of-print records, celebrates its new—albeit temporary; the pop-up runs through March—home this Saturday with 10% all regular stock, special Black Friday titles and free records with every purchase. blog.lightintheattic.net/brand-new-light-in-the-attic-record-shop
Must Make Merry
Macy’s Holiday Parade, Westlake Holiday Tree Lighting and Santaland
(11/25, times vary) Love it or leave it, there’s no denying Westlake is Seattle’s Christmas capitol. There’s the 26th annual Macy’s Holiday Parade (that starts at 9 a.m. at 7th and Pine), the department store’s beloved Santaland meet-and-greet (beginning at 11 a.m.) and the Westlake Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration, which kicks off at 5 p.m. (at Pine Street between 4th and 5th avenues) and includes the lighting of the Macy’s Shining Star. In tune with the excesses of the season, post-celebration fireworks follow, weather permitting. social.macys.com/eventshub/event/?id=17037
Must Shop Local
Local Retail Event Round Up
(11/25) Forget Black Friday! Save yourself the mania and the mayhem with our round up of local retail events online (OK, there are some really good brick and mortar options here). Click Your Local Gift-Giving Guide and avoid the Black Friday nightmare by shopping on Seattle’s smaller scale at shops like Momo, Clementines, E. Smith Mercantile, Babeland and more. (Hint: Download the Little Boxes app and you’ll save money and be entered in a raffle, too.) sea.shoplittleboxes.com
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Little Ways to December in Seattle
A few (mostly) local things worth picking up, wandering through, or falling into as the year wraps.
December always sneaks up on me even though every year I convince myself I’m going to be organized (I’m not). So I’ve been collecting these simple outings and local spots that feel like unwrapped gifts. If you’re looking for a way to escape or lean in, here are some recommendations. A sip of history You…
Back to Gander
Seattle Rep revisits its original world premiere with a new staging that pulls you straight into the heart of the story.
When you walk into the theater, the cast is already onstage in what looks like a Gander high school gym—setting out dishes for a potluck, chatting, and then cleaning up. It feels like you’ve arrived in the middle of a reunion, which is the point. This run marks 10 years since Come From Away first…
Seattle’s Big Holiday Arts Guide
A full lineup of seasonal performances across local theaters and venues.
In the words of William Shakespeare, “All’s well that ends well.” Local theater and arts organizations are hoping for exactly that. Holiday productions often account for as much as half of their annual ticket sales. A 2018 Dance/USA survey found that The Nutcracker alone represented 48% of yearly revenue for many companies producing the Tchaikovsky…
Outside the Frame
In their first solo museum exhibition in Seattle, artist Camille Trautman uses photography to reclaim history, narrative, and self-expression.
You have probably seen Camille Trautman’s work without even realizing it. A huge photograph—20 feet wide—is currently hanging across the exterior of the Frye Art Museum, visible to passersby driving along Boren Avenue. The image is of a wooded landscape in black and white. Its edges are vacuous, with trees swallowed by darkness, but the…