The Best Holiday Shows In Seattle
Discover that holiday sparkle with shows like The Nutcracker, Elf, Holiday Pops and more!
Beat the rush and book ahead with our guide to the best holiday entertainment heading to Seattle this holiday season! Be it the magic of The Nutcracker or belly laughs with Elf, or the majesty of Handel's iconic Messiah, there's something on the way for everyone.
Seattle's finest
Pacific Northwest Ballet - The Nutcracker
McCaw Hall
November 28 - December 28
One of the finest Nutcrackers in the country, the Pacific Northwest Ballet has been performing this George Balanchine-choreographed production since 2015, with dazzling scenic and costume design by Ian Falconer. Offering audiences an escape into a magical world of enchanted Nutcrackers, battling mice, glittering fairies, and much, much more, this resplendent staging is set to Tchaikovsky's unforgettable score and is a must for any Christmas list!
BOOK HERE
Elf The Musical
5th Avenue Theatre
November 28 - December 28
Back for another year of holiday hilarity!
5th Avenue's production of Elf: The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan who accidentally crawls into Santa's sack of gifts and is taken to the North Pole. Buddy is raised unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. The heartwarming musical follows Buddy on his quest for his real family, as well as bringing much-needed Christmas spirit to the city of New York.
BOOK HERE
Seattle Symphony - Holiday Pops
Benaroya Hall
December 12 - 24
Join the Seattle Symphony for another fun-filled Holiday Pops program, conducted by Stuart Chafetz! This year's Holiday Pops kicks off the season with humor, joy, and holiday warmth, featuring holiday classics and some traditional favorites that will leave you feeling more festive than ever!
Perfect for the whole family, the time-honored production is filled with Yuletide cheer, bolstered by upbeat arrangements of classic carols and popular Christmas songs, a joyful sing-along, and perhaps a visit from the one and only St. Nick himself!
BOOK HERE
Seattle Symphony - Handel's Messiah
Benaroya Hall
December 18 - 21
The definitive live Christmas concert experience
Undoubtedly one of the Western world's most popular oratorios, Handel's triumphant and moving 'Messiah' is considered the definitive live Christmas concert experience. As with past years, the Seattle Symphony will not fail to delight and inspire, presenting the nearly 300-year-old masterpiece with the orchestra, guest soloists, and a first-class chorus, to create an unforgettable celebration!
BOOK HERE
Beloved family favorites
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Pantages Theatre
December 28
Charlie and the gang are here to show you the true meaning of Christmas in this stage adaptation of the classic TV Special. Debuting in 2013, this theatrical production faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the comic strips and features the jazzy score from the TV show as well as a group of Christmas sing-a-longs at the end. A wonderful way to introduce younger children to the Peanuts gang, and to explore what Christmas is all about, beyond just the presents!
BOOK HERE
The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert
Benaroya Hall
December 5 - 7
Oh! There goes Mr. Humbug
There goes Mr. Grim
If they gave a prize for bein' mean
The winner would be him
So good it's often been named the best film adaptation of Charles Dickens's festive masterpiece ever, no holiday season is complete without a viewing of The Muppet Christmas Carol, and there's no better way to experience it than in this Live to Screen concert edition, played by your local Symphony. Starring Kermit the Frog, Michael Caine, Gonzo, and many more of the iconic Muppet stable, enjoy the classic story, complete with humor, heart, and Miles Goodman and Paul Williams' unforgettable score!
BOOK HERE
Christmas chuckles for grown-ups
Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show
Moore Theatre
December 23 - 28
The Queens of Christmas return for 2025 with another holiday spectacular for everyone, naughty or nice! Making the yuletide gay since 2018, this glorious collaboration from two of RuPaul's Drag Race's most glittering alumni is the perfect tonic for the hysteria of the holiday season, with boozy holiday cheer infused with good old razzle-dazzle song and dance numbers, copious amounts of eggnog and classic carols with a cheeky drag twist. If you're Nutcracker-phobic, then this double act has your alternative holiday entertainment sorted. Hometown heroes Jinkx will spice things up and Dela will cover them in sugar!
BOOK HERE
A John Waters Christmas
Neptune Theatre
December 2
Filthier and merrier than ever!
John Waters loves Christmas, and he wants you to know. The legendary cult-filmmaker takes to the stage with his traditional one-man monologue, extolling the virtues of everyone's favorite holiday, from offering advice on Christmas films and music to asking the important questions you've always wanted answered by the people's pervert, such as 'Is Santa erotic?'
BOOK HERE
Hard Rock around the Christmas tree!
The Trans-Siberian Express The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
Climate Pledge Arena
November 22
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is hitting the road once again in 2025, bringing their electrifying holiday rock opera to audiences across North America. Join them for a festive celebration that spans over two decades of Christmas magic! Along with The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, fans can expect some of the band's greatest hits, making it clear why audiences keep coming back year after year.
As in usual TSO fashion, The Ghosts of Christmas Eve tells a story through lasers, pyrotechnics and music, following the tale of a young runaway who takes refuge in an abandoned theatre on you guessed it, Christmas Eve! Over the course of the show, various spirits appear, helping the lost girl through the power of music.
BOOK HERE
