Redmond is gearing up to flip the switch on its annual holiday light celebration, with the Redmond Lights kickoff set for 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in Downtown Park. The free event promises live entertainment, a luminary trail, festive crafts, and machine-made snowfall every 15 minutes to kick off a month-long run of illuminated art around the city.
According to the City of Redmond
, the kickoff will also feature a Kids Light Fashion Show from 6 to 6:30 p.m., giving young attendees a chance to show off glowing outfits as part of the evening's entertainment. The city's announcement, posted Wednesday, calls it Redmond's annual celebration of art and light and invites residents to gather friends and family at Downtown Park for the festivities.
Beyond the one-night kickoff, the illuminated art installations themselves will stay up much longer. Per redmondlights.com, Redmond Lights 2026 runs from Dec. 5, 2026, through Jan. 4, 2027, with light displays set up in both Downtown Park and Esterra Park for the full stretch of the holiday season.
Free Crafts and a Snow Effect Every Quarter Hour
The kickoff event itself leans heavily on hands-on, family-friendly activities. The event site notes that visitors can stop by craft booths to make festive keepsakes at no cost, adding a do-it-yourself element to a night otherwise built around light displays and performances. The same site describes snowfall rolling through the park every 15 minutes, a touch meant to give the outdoor gathering a wintry feel even without real snow on the ground.
A related activity last year offered a preview of the kind of kid-focused programming Redmond Lights tends to draw. On Nov. 29, 2025, the King County Library System hosted a Caregiver & Me Light-Up Fashion Workshop tied to that year's Redmond Lights Kick-Off Event. Kids were able to decorate their own clothing with free glow-in-the-dark accessories and LED add-ons, and the workshop was open to all ages when paired with an adult, according to the library system's event listing. That 2025 workshop was held at the Redmond Senior & Community Center on 160th Avenue Northeast, separate from the main Downtown Park festivities.
What's Still Unconfirmed for This Year's Event
Specifics on this year's live entertainment lineup and the exact route of the luminary trail have not been detailed in materials released so far. Organizers have also not published attendance expectations or guidance on parking and transit for the Dec. 5 kickoff. Residents planning to attend may want to watch for additional details as the date approaches.
What is confirmed is the shape of the evening itself: four hours of entertainment, crafts, and seasonal effects designed to launch a full month of illuminated displays across two of Redmond's most visible public spaces. For families looking to make it an annual tradition, the free admission and early-evening timing make it an easy add to the holiday calendar.
