Oh, what a bright time it is, which means it must be that time of year again as the holiday season fast approaches. Already, the Tri-Cities are getting ready for this year’s festivities as the region transforms into a winter wonderland, capturing the magic of the season with dazzling displays of colorful decorations and twinkling lights. It’s as if these dazzling displays are lighting the way toward the holidays and for Santa himself, too, as he gets ready to come to town once again for Christmas. To ensure these bright lights illuminate the season for everyone throughout the Tri-Cities, here is this year’s guide to 2023 holiday light displays in the area!
Senske Services Annual Light Show
400 N Quay Street, Kennewick
It’s a Tri-Cities tradition that you won’t want to miss out on. This year, Senske Services welcomes all the boys and girls to join them in celebrating the holidays for the 20th anniversary of their famous Annual Holiday Light Show. This year, the free event will feature more than 500,000 Christmas lights in an animated display open to the public. To add some razzle dazzle to the festivities, the light show will also be synced with music, creating a beautiful melody of dancing holiday lightning.
The show runs nightly from 5 p.m. until midnight through December, with families having the option to tune their car radio station to 90.3 FM to hear the magical tunes. Letters to Santa can also be dropped off at an official North Pole mailbox, and though the event is free, non-perishable food and cash donations that will go to 2nd Harvest to help those in need for the holidays are welcomed.
Christmas Lighted Boat Parade
104 Clover Island Drive, Suite 100, Kennewick
Lighting up the Columbia River during the holiday season since 1964 is Tri-Cities’ annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade. The event, proudly sponsored by Clover Island Yacht Club, will be held on December 1 and 2, with the parade starting at 6 p.m. each night under the Cable Bridge at Clover Island.
The colorfully decorated and decked-out fleet of vessels will make their way along the water, turning around at the far end of Howard Amon Park in Richland at around 7:30 p.m. to travel back downriver with a detour on the Pasco side between Chiawana Park and Road 78. After arriving back at Clover Island, they will make an additional loop so that everyone on the island can enjoy this beautiful display of holiday lights before returning to the Clover Island Marina at 9 p.m.
Prosser Christmas Tree Lighting
1230 Bennett Avenue, Prosser
Historic Downtown Prosser is proud to announce that it is bringing back Prosser’s Christmas 800-Tree Lighting for the 2023 holiday season. The fun event for the whole family will include a magical evening of pictures with Santa & Ms. Claus, carolers, food and drink vendors, lighted Christmas Trucks and more. Festivities start at 5 p.m. on December 1 and count down to the main event of lighting the city’s big, live Christmas Tree!
Richland’s Winter Wonderland
800-898 Jadwin Avenue, Richland
Richland’s very own John Dam Plaza transforms into a Winter Wonderland where families and friends can gather every evening to enjoy the plaza’s dancing light show throughout the winter holiday season. Special festivities to kick off the holidays and to countdown to lighting the park will be held on December 1 and 2 at the plaza for the Winter Wonderland’s opening weekend.
Live entertainment, food vendors, visits from Santa & Ms. Claus, and more will make these nights an unforgettable experience while creating treasured, happy holiday memories for years to come. On Friday night, there will even be an extraordinary sight as the streets are illuminated by a dazzling vehicle parade through the city. For the rest of the month, the plaza will continue to transform into a winter wonderland every night with a magical display of lights choreographed to cheery holiday tunes.
Walla Walla Holiday Parade of Lights
109 E Main Street #302T, Walla Walla
The Downtown Walla Walla Foundation is happy to once again spread some holiday cheer with its Annual Holiday Parade of Lights on the first Saturday in December. The event, which runs from 6 until 7 p.m., features a massive variety of lighted entries in the form of floats, vehicles, and more.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without Santa Claus, so expect an appearance of the jolly old elf himself as he brings the parade to a close, making his way toward all the good boys and girls of downtown Walla Walla. Those interested in participating in the parade will also be pleased to know that there is no longer a fee to join in the festivities’ magic.
What a bright time it will be as the Tri-Cities is once again illuminated with the spirit of the holiday season with these brilliant 2023 holiday light displays!
