Kitsap County's Christmas tree-lighting celebrations and more set to kick off

Peiyu Lin, Kitsap Sun
·5 min read
The Kingston Cove Christmas celebration in December 2018 at Mike Wallace Park in Kingston.The highlight of the event was the arrival of Santa and the Christmas tree, and park lighting. Camlyn Anderson, of Kingston, takes a selfie with her son Shay, 1, as he sits under the Christmas tree that had just been turned on.
The Kingston Cove Christmas celebration in December 2018 at Mike Wallace Park in Kingston.The highlight of the event was the arrival of Santa and the Christmas tree, and park lighting. Camlyn Anderson, of Kingston, takes a selfie with her son Shay, 1, as he sits under the Christmas tree that had just been turned on.

Starting Friday and running through early December, annual Christmas tree-lighting events and more run from Poulsbo to Port Orchard, bringing Santa visits, holiday drinks, decorations, music and even Krampus to spots across the Kitsap Peninsula.

Poulsbo's Tree Lighting event kicks off the holiday festivities on Friday, Nov. 24. A holiday procession led by Santa will pass downtown from Poulsbo Parks and Recreation to the Liberty Bay Waterfront Park. Santa will light the tree around 5 p.m. and be available for photographs afterward, according to Visit Poulsbo, the city's official tourism site. There will be live performances and cookie and ornament decorating.

Presented by Bainbridge Island Downtown Association, the island's annual Festive Night and Holiday Lights will take place at the Town Square on Madison Avenue at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25. Bainbridge High School band, Nutcracker ballet selections, the Crescendo Choir and Bainbridge School Choral group will perform at the scene. Apple cider will be served and visitors can join Bainbridge Island police officers at the "S'mores with the Squad" event. At the end of the celebration, Bainbridge Island's community tree will be lit, according to Bainbridge Island Downtown Association.

Also on Saturday, Silverdale's 69th annual Christmas tree-lighting event will be at Silverdale Antiques. There will be tractor rides going through Old Town, a business scavenger hunt and a bonfire at Port of Silverdale between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. People can enjoy local entertainment and holiday drinks starting at 3 p.m. Santa will arrive on a fire truck at 4 p.m. for pictures before lighting the tree at 5 p.m., according to the event page.

On Thursday, Nov. 30, the Navy will light up a 20-foot tree at the Bangor Plaza. The tree lighting celebration from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. will include taking pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, getting free hot chocolate and cookies, playing games and doing crafts, according to Navylife PMW Naval Base Kitsap. The event is open to active duty, reservists, retirees, veterans with VA Health ID, Department of Defense employees, their families and their guests.

Holiday happenings around Kitsap the weekend of Dec. 1, 2 and 3

On Friday, Dec. 1, East 11th Street in Bremerton will be closed from 3:30 p.m. to about 9:30 p.m. for the "Magic in Manette" holiday celebration in the neighborhood just off the Manette Bridge. There will be activities such as face painting, ornament making, yard games and caroling. Santa will join the celebration at 5 p.m. and the tree lighting at Whitey Domstad Park will happen at 7 p.m.

Also in downtown Bremerton that Friday, the second "Krampusnacht Bremerton" brings the mythological horned creature from European legend to life. Visit a Krampus Craft Market at the new Marina Square development on Washington Avenue from 2 to 9 p.m., and from 4 to 9 p.m. Krampus (and possibly several Krampuses) will be at Fourth Street and Pacific Avenue. More info is available at www.krampusbremerton.com.

Tree-lighting events in Bremerton, Port Orchard and Kingston are all slated for Saturday, Dec. 2, as well as Poulsbo's winter holiday tradition, Julefest.

Bremerton's Winterfest will take place between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Puget Sound Navy Museum that day. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served starting at 3:45 p.m. and Santa will show up for the tree lighting at 4:30 p.m., followed by crowd caroling led by the Bremerton High School Choir, according to the Downtown Bremerton Association.

Port Orchard's 25th annual Festival of Chimes and Lights offers performances from Marcus Whitman Chiors, a holiday pooch and purrs pet parade and costume contest, a community chorale, Sinclair Inlet Yacht Club's "Christmas Lane" Lighted Boat Contest, and more in the evening. The Christmas tree lighting and playing of the chimes will occur between 5:20 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Santa and Mrs. Clause will arrive afterward, escorted by the South Kitsap High School Marching Band, according to the city.

With city hall under construction, the events will take place across the street in the Water Street Boat Launch parking lot, according to the city.

The Greater Kingston Community Chamber of Commerce's "Kingston Cove Christmas" event is highlighted by the Kingston High School Jazz Band performing between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. at Mike Wallace Park, at the ferry terminal. There will be food vendors, cookies and holiday singing. The Christmas tree will be lit between 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a boat lighting and judging, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

Those who visit Downtown Poulsbo at dusk that Saturday will be able to see Lucia Bride, escorted by Vikings, arrive at the shore in a Viking boat and light the bonfire, followed by the Viking King’s Winter Solstice Proclamation at Julefest. There will also be Norwegian street food and Scandinavian vendors at Liberty Bay.

Then on Sunday, Dec. 3, the Tracyton Community Christmas tree lighting takes place at 5153 Naomi St. Santa will arrive via fire truck and hand out candy canes. The tree lighting has been a community event for over 70 years and uses an over 100-foot tall fir, according to Bonnie Chrey, a Tracyton Library and tree committee volunteer.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Kitsap County's Christmas tree lighting holiday celebrations