Holiday Events

Published 11:05 am Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Bellevue Magic Season: Through Jan. 11. Activities include:

• Group Health Ice Arena: Daily through Jan. 11 in the Bellevue Downtown Park. Free lesson and skating performance 6 p.m. Dec. 10.

• Garden d’Lights: 5-10 p.m. nightly through Jan. 3. Annual holiday display uses more than 500,000 lights throughout the gardens. Cost: Free; donations encouraged. Parking: $5. Bellevue Botanical Gardens, 12001 Main St., Bellevue. 425-451-3755 or www.bellevuebotanical.org.

• Snowflake Lane/Celebration Lane: 7 p.m. through Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-31 at The Bellevue Collection. Brad Craft reads Capote’s “A Christmas Memory”: 7 p.m. Dec. 11. Come enjoy a holiday tradition at the bookstore, as book buyer Craft reads Truman Capote’s holiday story. Free. University Book Store, 990 102nd Ave. N.E., Bellevue. 206-634-3400.

Newcastle Santa Parade: 1:30-3:30 p.m. (west side of town) and 5-7 p.m. (east side) Dec. 13. Santa Parade presented by Rotary Club of Newcastle. Day’s events also include photos with Santa at QFC at noon, and carols sung by Newcastle Elementary students, noon-1 p.m. Downtown Newcastle.

Seattle Humane Society’s “Home for the Holidays”: Noon-6 p.m. Dec. 13-14. Come meet Santa, enjoy holiday treats, and visit with kittens, puppies, dogs and cats ready for adoption. Seattle Humane Society, 13212 S.E. Eastgate Way, Bellevue. 425-641-0080.

2008 Christmas Ship Festival: 8:35-8:55 p.m. Dec. 18. Come out to various Bellevue beaches to hear carols, enjoy hot cider, a bonfire and family fun. Meydenbauer Beach Park, 419 98th Ave. S.E.

Issaquah Reindeer Festival: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily through Dec. 23. Children can meet the reindeer, visit with Santa, listen to stories read by an elf, and make an art project. Proceeds benefit the reindeer and other animals at the zoo. Admission: $8-$10.50; free for ages 1 and younger. Cougar Mountain Zoological Park, 19525 S.E. 54th St., Issaquah. 425-392-6278 or www.cougarmountainzoo.org.