Holiday bucket list: 20 fun Tri-Cities events this weekend

Want to get into the holiday spirit?

Here are 20 fun Tri-City events from parades and lighting festivals to plays, Christmas music and a nativity showcase to help you with your holiday cheer.

Friday, Dec. 6

Winter Wonderland, 5 p.m. at John Dam Plaza and Richland Community Center. Free. The official lighting ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Come enjoy HAPO’s Festival of Lights, Santa and his reindeer, food, games, holiday sing-alongs, and much more. The music and light show will continue in John Dam Plaza every night from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1.

Lighted Boat Parade, 6-9 p.m. along the Columbia River from Clover Island to Howard Amon Park. Free. The parade departs from Clover Island near the cable bridge in Kennewick, traveling past Columbia Park and Columbia Point, then turning around at Howard Amon Park in Richland before heading back to Clover Island along the Pasco side of the river.

Christmas Nativity Showcase, 4-8 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 3701 Watkins Way, West Richland. Free. Come and enjoy the spirit of the season with beautiful nativities from around the world and live music, along with a cup of warm soup and bread. All ages. Family photos can be taken for free with our props. Call 509-554-6543.

Senske 17th Annual Charity Holiday Light Show, 5 p.m.-midnight at Senske, 400 N. Quay, Kennewick. Free. Come see more than 500,000 holiday lights in a choreographed, animated display. The show runs nightly all month. There are selfie stations to captures photos with friends and family. Letters to Santa can be mailed in an official North Pole mailbox. Donation drop boxes are available to collect non-perishable food items and cash or checks for 2nd Harvest

Forte! presents “A Not So Silent Night - Sounds of a Holiday Season,” 7 p.m. at Chief Joseph Middle School, 504 Wilson St., Richland. Tickets: $10-15. Forte Tri-Cities Youth Choir invites you to come and celebrate with our favorite sounds of the season. Excited shouts of Santa, tales of falling snow and the joyful refrain of the precious baby born in Bethlehem will create an evening of entertainment. Buy reserved seating tickets at bit.ly/Fortemusic. Call 509-392-9152.

Columbia Basin Jazz Orchestra: A Big Band Christmas, 7:30 p.m. at Columbia Basin College Theatre, 2600 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. The Columbia Basin College Music Department presents the Columbia Basin Jazz Orchestra in a concert entitled: “A Big Band Christmas.” The orchestra, directed by Randy Hubbs, will feature Duke Ellington’s iconic arrangement of The Nutcracker Suite and other Christmas favorites. Tickets: $25 general admission, $20 students and seniors, at the door. Call 509-366-3819.

ACT presents ‘Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells’, 7-8:30 p.m. at Academy of Children’s Theatre, 213 Wellsian Way, Richland. Tickets: $10-$16. The Academy of Children’s Theatre is a staging a fun holiday production of “Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!” Performances are on Dec. 6, 13, and 14 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 7, 8, 14, and 15 at 3 p.m. The hilarious play is based on the popular book series by Barbra Park. The endearing tale has a holiday message and lots of laughs. The cast of 25 features 23 youth actors and two adults. All ages. Call 509-943-6027.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Events at Sunset, 915 By Pass Hwy., Richland. Tickets: $15 students and seniors, $20 adults. Theatre...Not a Dying Art, a new nonprofit theater in the Tri-Cities, is retelling the classic 1946 movie into a 100-minute live radio play. Eight cast members play 36 different characters, and create live sound effects and music. And seeing the Foley artist use household objects to create sound effects is half the fun. Tickets are online at www.theatrenada.com, at the door.

‘Elf, the Musical’, 7 p.m. at Chiawana High School, 8125 W. Argent, Pasco. Tickets: $12 in advance, $14 at the door. The Pasco High School Players and the Chiawana High School Stage Company are teaming up for the special presentation. Future performances are at 7 p.m. Dec. 7, 12, 13 and 14.

‘A Christmas Carol Reader’s Theatre’, 7 p.m. at Tri-Cities Prep, 9612 St. Thomas Dr. Pasco. Come enjoy an evening of cocoa, carols, and laughter in this light-hearted retelling of Dickens’ classic Christmas tale. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $8 for students and seniors, available at the door.

‘Holiday Inn’, 7:30 p.m. at The Princess Theatre, 1228 Meade Ave., Prosser. Tickets: $15 adults, $13 students and seniors. Based on the classic film, “Holiday Inn” has been updated for the stage and contemporary audiences as it tells the story of Jim, who leaves the bright lights of show business to settle down on a Connecticut farm. When farming proves rough, Jim enlists the help of the farm’s comedic handy-woman, the lovely local school teacher, and his former friends in show business to run an inn that is only open on the holidays. Tickets available online at www.theprincesstheatre.net or in person at the Princess Theatre box office.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Historic Kennewick Hometown Holiday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Kennewick Avenue between Dayton and Auburn Streets (Downtown). Santa is coming to Kennewick for the Numerica Hometown Holiday. An old-fashioned parade welcoming Santa and featuring holiday themed floats, police and fire vehicles, and entertaining characters starts at 10:30 a.m. Grab a free cup of hot chocolate at the Numerica Credit Union hot chocolate bar in Claus Plaza. After the parade, snap a selfie with Santa.

Old Fashioned Christmas, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Kennewick First United Methodist Church, 421 W Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. After the downtown parade. Free. Goodies, activities, entertainment for all and a visit from Santa at 12:30. Finish the afternoon by singing Christmas carols In our nearly 100 year old sanctuary. All ages. Call 509-582-2163.

Pasco Winter Fest, 2-6 p.m. at Volunteer Park, 1125 N. Fourth Ave, Pasco. Pasco Winter Fest is our winter extravaganza. Fun activities and entertainment for the whole family: food and retail vendors, kid’s games, music, and meet Santa. Finish off the evening with our annual Christmas tree lighting; all in Volunteer Park. We will also be collecting non-perishable food items for 2nd Harvest. Call 509-545-3456.

Christmas Nativity Showcase, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 3701 Watkins Way, West Richland. Free. Come and enjoy the spirit of the season with beautiful nativities from around the world and live music, along with a cup of warm soup and bread. All ages. Family photos can be taken for free with our props. Call 509-554-6543.

Winter’s Return Concert, 7:30-10:30 p.m. at Community Unitarian Universalist Church, 2819 W. Sylvester St., Pasco. Tickets: $14 general, $12 members. With Tania Opland and Mike Freeman and William Pint and Felicia Dale. A celebration of the winter season and the holidays. Sponsored by 3 Rivers Folklife Society. Call 509-947-6735.

Bells of the Desert in Concert: ‘Oh What Fun!’, 2 and 7 p.m. at Richland Baptist Church, 1632 George Washington Way, Richland. Tickets: $10 donation, K-12 free. Join Bells of the Desert for a holiday concert that will be fun for the whole family. Call 509-308-2279.

Tri-Cities Columbia Chorale: ‘We Need a Little Christmas’, 3-5 p.m. at Kennewick First Presbyterian Church, 2001 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. Free but donations happily received. Wonderful music of the season sung by the chorale directed by Pat Dixon, with accompanist Cheryl Cannard. Refreshments after. Additional information and a map at www.columbiachorale.net. Call 509-627-2748.

31st Annual Sunnyside Lighted Farm Implement Parade, 2-6 p.m., 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Centennial Square, 525 E. Edison Ave., Sunnyside. Free. Sunnyside Noon Rotary will get you into the holiday spirit with thousands of twinkling lights at the 31st annual Lighted Farm Implement Parade. The newest addition to the weekend is the 2-4 p.m. Downtown Christmas Market including local dance groups, pictures with Queen Elsa & Princess Anna, vendors and live musical performance by the American Honey Band on Saturday at Centennial Square. Parade begins at 6:30pm. and will follow route west along Edison Street to Warehouse Ave. More information at lightedfarmparade.com. Call 509-305-1481.

Tri-Cities Steel Band Association 24th Annual Christmas Concert, 6:30-9 p.m. at Bethel Church, 600 Shockley Rd., Richland. Tickets: $8. Plus we have a Christmas themed bake sale and an awesome silent auction. Doors are open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets at Tcsba.org or at the door. Check out a preview: bit.ly/steeldrumxmas. Call 509-572-8144.

German Christmas Singalong, 10-11 a.m. at Walla Walla University, Melvin K. West Fine Arts Center, 300 S College Ave., College Place. Free. Sing along or listen to Stille Nacht, O Tannenbaum, and many other Christmas Carols in German. Songsheets provided. All are welcome regardless of German ability. After singing stay by to visit and enjoy German Christmas treats. Call 509-527-3116.

‘Elf, the Musical’, 7 p.m. at Chiawana High School, 8125 W. Argent, Pasco. Tickets: $12 in advance, $14 at the door.

Winter Wonderland, 5 p.m. at John Dam Plaza and Richland Community Center. Free. Come enjoy HAPO’s Festival of Lights, Santa and his reindeer, food, games, holiday sing-alongs, and much more. The music and light show will continue in John Dam Plaza every night from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1.

‘A Christmas Carol Reader’s Theatre’, 7 p.m. at Tri-Cities Prep, 9612 St. Thomas Dr. Pasco. Come enjoy an evening of cocoa, carols, and laughter in this light-hearted retelling of Dickens’ classic Christmas tale. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $8 for students and seniors. They’re available at the door.

Lighted Boat Parade, 6-9 p.m. along the Columbia River from Clover Island to Howard Amon Park. Free. The parade departs from Clover Island near the cable bridge in Kennewick, traveling past Columbia Park and Columbia Point, then turning around at Howard Amon Park in Richland before heading back to Clover Island along the Pasco side of the river.

Forte! presents “A Not So Silent Night - Sounds of a Holiday Season”, 7-9 p.m. at Chief Joseph Middle School, 504 Wilson St., Richland. Tickets: $10-15. Purchase your reserved seating tickets at bit.ly/Fortemusic. Call 509-392-9152.

Columbia Basin Jazz Orchestra: A Big Band Christmas, 7:30 p.m., Columbia Basin College Theatre, 2600 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. Tickets: $25 general admission, $20 students and seniors. Tickets will be available at the door. Call 509-366-3819.

ACT presents ‘Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells’, 3-4:30 p.m. at Academy of Children’s Theatre, 213 Wellsian Way, Richland. Tickets: $10-$16. Call 509-943-6027.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Events at Sunset, 915 By Pass Hwy., Richland. Tickets: $15 students and seniors, $20 adults. Tickets are available online at www.theatrenada.com, at the door or reserved at (509) 713-6829.

‘Holiday Inn’, 7:30 p.m. at The Princess Theatre, 1228 Meade Ave., Prosser. Tickets: $15 adults, $13 students and seniors.

Sunday, Dec. 8

ACT presents ‘Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells’, 3-4:30 p.m. at Academy of Children’s Theatre, 213 Wellsian Way, Richland. Tickets: $10-$16. Call 509-943-6027.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, 2-4 p.m. at Events at Sunset, 915 By Pass Hwy., Richland. Tickets: $15 students and seniors, $20 adults. Call 509-713-6829.

‘Holiday Inn’, 2:30 p.m. at The Princess Theatre, 1228 Meade Ave., Prosser. Tickets: $15 adults, $13 students and seniors.

Monday, Dec. 9

Forte! presents “A Not So Silent Night - Sounds of a Holiday Season,” 7 p.m. at Chief Joseph Middle School, 504 Wilson St., Richland. Tickets: $10-15. Forte Tri-Cities Youth Choir invites you to come and celebrate with our favorite sounds of the season. Excited shouts of Santa, tales of falling snow and the joyful refrain of the precious baby born in Bethlehem will create an evening of entertainment. Buy reserved seating tickets at bit.ly/Fortemusic. Call 509-392-9152.

This story was originally published December 6, 2019 at 5:44 PM.