Gig Harbor holidays: When to expect lighted parades, Santa visits, free shopping shuttle
The holiday season has arrived. Here are places to shop and celebrate west of the Narrows this season.
All these holiday events are free to attend.
Gig Harbor tree lighting 2023 and Key Peninsula Home for the Holidays event
Gig Harbor’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting will take place Saturday, Dec. 2 in Skansie Brothers Park at 3211 Harborview Dr. The event will start at 5 p.m.
Santa will appear around 5:30 p.m. He will be riding on a Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One firetruck.
Rhubarb the Reindeer, the Tacoma Rainier’s mascot, will also make a special appearance.
There will be live music, food, and local vendors, according to the city of Gig Harbor’s website. There will also be free cookies and hot cocoa at the Skansie Netshed
Visitors can also shop at the Makers Market in the park and take festive photos at certain photo op locations.
Over on the Key Peninsula, they’ll light their tree the following day, 3 p.m. Dec. 3 at Key Center, as part of their fourth annual Home for the Holidays event put on by the Key Peninsula Business Association.
Gig Harbor Lighted Boat Parade 2023
The Gig Harbor Lighted Boat Parade is Dec. 9.
Starting at 5 p.m. you can watch lighted boats cruise around the harbor from the shore.
“The parade route will start at Arabella’s Marina and make two loops around the harbor,” according to the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce website. “The parade will turn in front of 7 Seas Brewing and Anthony’s Restaurant.”
Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula lighted car parades 2023
Keep an eye out for decorated and lighted cars driving through Gig Harbor on Dec. 16.
Participating cars will drive a designated loop that visits dozens of local streets.
They will leave the MultiCare parking lot at 4545 Point Fosdick Dr. in Uptown Gig Harbor at 5 p.m. Visitors can choose where to watch the cars go by. A map of the loop can be found on the Gig Harbor Lighted Car Parade’s Facebook page.
“By popular demand, we are adding a loop through Gig Harbor North to the parade route,” the page said.
There are a few places event organizers said are “great viewing spots.” Those include the MultiCare parking lot, Judson Street, Skansie Park, Donkey Creek Park, and Sentinel Drive.
Cars will return to the MultiCare parking lot, where they can park for additional viewings.
Santa’s Village in Uptown Gig Harbor will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. the same day. There will be vendor booths set up for visitors.
The Home for the Holidays event in Key Center will also host a car parade on Dec. 16. Starting at 5:30 p.m. you can watch lighted cars drive down A Street in Home.
Key Peninsula letters to Santa 2023
There are several places to deliver letters to Santa on the Key Peninsula this year.
From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3, you can visit Key Center for the full “Home for the Holidays” event.
Not only can you write a letter to Santa, but he’ll also stop by and say hello.
There will be cookie decorating, coloring, games, a hot cocoa bar, a s’mores station and live music.
Another opportunity is hosted by Key Pen Parks and the Key Peninsula Fire Department.
On Dec. 5 visitors to the Key Center Fire Station at 8911 Key Peninsula Highway can send a letter to Santa.
From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. visitors can choose from seven different letter designs.
They can also write a letter beforehand by printing out a template from the Key Pen Parks website.
“There will be fun crafts, cookies, letter-writing stations, and of course, Santa,” the website said.
Cookies and crafts with Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Sehmel Homestead Park 2023
Those closer to Gig Harbor have a chance to send Santa a letter on Dec. 9.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sehmel Homestead Park at 10123 78th Ave. NW will have holiday music and a drop box for letters to Santa.
“Receive a take-home cookie decorating kit, get pictures with Mr. & Mrs. Claus, and make-n-take holiday-themed crafts,” the Peninsula Metropolitan Park District website said.
Preregistration is required for the event on the PenMet Parks website.
Santa Claus visits the Key Peninsula 2023
This year, Santa is also stopping by schools on the Key Peninsula to make sure students are on the nice list.
- Dec. 9: Vaughn Elementary
- Dec. 10: Evergreen Elementary
- Dec. 15: Skate Night at the Vaughn Civic Center
- Dec. 16: Lake Kathryn shopping center
Santa and his elves will be at each location for two hours from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Free Key Peninsula holiday shuttle 2023
Pierce County Human Services is offering free holiday shuttle rides to residents west of the Narrows until Dec. 24.
The shuttle makes trips back and forth between the Key Peninsula and Gig Harbor on Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas Eve. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m.
There are 11 pick-up and drop-of locations, including: Longbranch Improvement Club, Evergreen Elementary, Key Peninsula Community Services, Key Peninsula Middle School, Key Center IGA, Lake Kathryn Village, Gig Harbor Costco, Heritage Distillery in Gig Harbor, Gig Harbor Ross, Gig Harbor Fred Meyer, and Gig Harbor Safeway.
For specific pick-up and drop-off times at each location, visit the Pierce County website.
This story was originally published November 22, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
