Nov. 24
COEUR D'ALENE LIGHTING CEREMONY PARADE
With the depressing darkness of daylight savings time weighing on us, we really need some light to get the holiday season started. Thankfully, Coeur d'Alene takes the blackness out of Black Friday with its traditional Lighting Ceremony Parade. Festive floats, music, dancing and plenty of twinkling lights will illuminate this year's parade theme, "A Coeur d'Alene Holiday Vacation." The parade ends at the Coeur d'Alene Resort lawn, where there will be caroling, fireworks and the flipping of the switch on Christmas lights that will brighten downtown Coeur d'Alene for the next month and change. (SS)
5-7:30 pm, free, Downtown Coeur d'Alene, Sherman Ave. between Eighth St. & Government Way, cdadowntown.com
Nov. 25
RIVERFRONT MARKET
While downtown Spokane is treated to many iterations of the Riverfront Market throughout the year, this last one before the holiday gift-giving season is ideal for anyone shopping for presents. Coinciding with Small Business Saturday, dozens of local businesses and artisans will be peddling their wares to help you find that perfect something for that special someone. You can make a day of it with the music and food offerings, then round out the festivities that evening with the Numerica Tree Lighting Celebration to fully embrace the glowing spirit of the season at Riverfront Park. (SS)
11 am-7 pm, free, Spokane Pavilion, 574 N. Howard St., my.spokanecity.org
Nov. 26
A SHERLOCK CAROL
In the age of big-screen superheroes crossing multiverses on the regular, why not mash up some classic literary characters for a seasonal theatrical treat? In Spokane Civic Theatre's A Sherlock Carol, the world's greatest detective Sherlock Holmes is hired by a grown-up Tiny Tim to investigate the unusual death of one Ebenezer Scrooge. Holmes' skills are put to the test when he's visited by those darn ghosts of Christmases past, present and future. Don't worry though, this murder mystery is a comedic one that the whole family can enjoy. And don't feel foiled if you can't make this specific matinee, the show has plenty of runs through Dec. 17. (And, read more about it in this week's Culture section on page 20.) (SS)
Nov. 24-Dec. 17, Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm, $15-$38, Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St., spokanecivictheatre.com
Nov. 27
PET PHOTOS WITH SANTA
With all due respect to the parents out there, I really don't care about seeing photos of your kids awkwardly squirming on Santa's lap. Now photos of folks' pets with jolly ol' St. Nick? Inject those straight into my eyeballs. A dog or cat stuffed into an ugly Christmas sweater or adorned with fuzzy reindeer antlers and then plopped into the arms of that rotund red gentlemen are a holiday gift that keeps on giving. With its towering 50-foot tree as a backdrop, River Park Square's Santa has become the region's go-to photographic Christmas destination and on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, he's blocking out time specifically for pet pics. Reserve a spot online now (and then send all the cuddly portraits to our Arts & Culture editor, Chey). (SS)
Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 from 4-7 pm, $40-$50, River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave., riverparksquare.com (SS)
Nov. 28
CIRQUE MUSICA: HOLIDAY WONDERLAND
While the flashing lights and vibrant colors of the video slot machines at Northern Quest Resort & Casino might be the closest approximation to Christmas lights you can find around these parts from February through October, the tribal casino really goes all out when it's actually time for wintery festiveness. In 2021, the Airway Heights getaway started its annual Questmas Village — a free, family-friendly attraction that features an array of large-scale holiday decorations (ideal for photo-ops) and an ice skating rink. And while the Questmas Village will again be around for over a month (read more on page 41), the holiday season really kicks off at Northern Quest with two performances of Cirque Musica's Holiday Wonderland show.
"This show is nothing but holiday spirit, so it just really was a great match," says Matt Gibson, Northern Quest's director of vibe.
Cirque Musica is a nationally touring organization that combines live music and visual spectacles from circus artists across the entertainment spectrum.
"It's full of jugglers and aerialists and acrobats and performers and music and just these things humans really shouldn't be able to do physically. And you see them doing it on stage live and in person, and it just kind of takes your breath away. There are going to be a lot of things here at the Pend Oreille Pavilion. We're not quite sure our venue is big enough to house it all," Gibson says with a laugh.
"But we're gonna do our best to make it a magnificent production that is all things holiday-oriented with that Cirque feel," he continues. "What these performers are capable of is nothing short of miraculous."
The 90-minute spectacular is a seasonal feast for the eyes with lavish costuming and set design bringing patrons into the winter wonderland. Gibson is specifically fond of a moment when a musician in a flowing gown gets aerial as snow falls and background musicians sing a seasonal song.
"It kind of chokes you up a little bit," he says.
So if you're looking for a moving visual treat that's sweet as hot cocoa stirred with a candy cane, Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland might be the sugary start to the season you need. n
Nov. 28 and Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm, $39-$69, Northern Quest Resort & Casino, 100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights, northernquest.com
Nov. 29
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING
While there's nothing inherently festive about them, it's clear from anecdotal recounting that marathoning The Lord of the Rings movies has become a holiday tradition in many households (often in the lazy post-tryptophan days following Thanksgiving). The Garland Theater has picked up on this fact and has been screening the extended editions of the LotR movies throughout November. Things warm up with the Best Picture-winning The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. It's a legendary conclusion that's even more epic with the extended runtime of four hours and 10 minutes. (Better stock up on popcorn, candy and adult beverages from Bon Bon to fuel your journey with Frodo, Sam, Aragorn and co.) (SS)
Nov. 27-29, show times vary, $2.50-$5, Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave., garlandtheater.com
Nov. 30
SPOKANE SYMPHONY WITH STATE STREET BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER
In a world overrun with Christmas entertainment options, it's kinda weird that there's basically only one universally agreed upon Christmas ballet, right? Then again, as soon as the Spokane Symphony starts playing Tchaikovsky's timeless score for The Nutcracker, everyone totally gets it. A sugarplum treat for audiences of all ages, the symphony once again teams up with the California-based State Street Ballet — which also invites more than 70 local dancers to join in the production — to bring to life the fantastical fantasies of children battling a mouse king and being transported to a holiday dreamland of sweets. (SS)
Nov. 30-Dec. 3, times vary, $29-$109, The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., spokanesymphony.org
