Richland's Winter Wonderland Kicks-Off December 6th and 7th

Don’t miss out on the 9th annual “Richland’s Winter Wonderland”. Join us as we countdown to the lighting of John Dam Plaza and the HAPO Community Stage. Celebrate the magic of the season with holiday music, the “Lighted Vehicle Parade”, and a guest appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus.
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The festivities kick off Friday, December 6, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at John Dam Plaza, located in the heart of Richland. The official countdown to lighting up the park will take place at 6:30 p.m. where thousands of lights will dance to holiday music. Also in the Plaza, enjoy fun holiday characters, and live reindeer! 

• Guests can take a stroll through the Richland Alphabet Home Village and enjoy the small replicas of seven iconic floorplans and landmarks. 
• The “Letters to the North Pole” mailbox will be available for children of all ages to drop their letters (don’t forget to include a return address) to the North Pole (deadline is December 20, 2024). Each participant will receive a response from Santa and his helpers. 
• The popular “Lighted Vehicle Parade” with over a dozen decorated vehicles will be on display in a procession around the park that starts at approximately 5:45 p.m. 
• Please note the temporary road closures at Jadwin Avenue, Swift Boulevard, and George Washington Way to accommodate the “Lighted Vehicle Parade”. Police presence and traffic control will be on site assisting with this temporary traffic impact. In addition, Knight Street and the north end of the Parkway will be closed for the evening’s events with the Parkway parking lot opening back up at 8:00 p.m. 
• Food vendors will be on site at John Dam Plaza with food and drink options available for purchase. These include KC Brand Kettle Corn, Miss Tamale, and Sweet Snack Attack. 
  
  

After the lighting, stay in John Dam Plaza and enjoy the entire playlist of holiday music until 9:00 p.m. or you can head down to Howard Amon Park from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. for more fun activities. 

• Please note that Lee Blvd. will be closed from Amon Park Drive to Lee Landing. 
• Hop on the J&S Express Train at the Richland Community Center. The train will take riders on a journey through the park to enjoy the holiday fun. 
• Take pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as the many holiday characters. 
• Food vendors will also be available at Howard Amon Park with items for purchase including KC Brand Kettle Corn, Miss Tamale, Sweet Snack Attack, and Doggie Style Gourmet Hot Dogs.
• The Gallery at the Park (89 Lee Blvd.) will be giving away cocoa and hosting crafts from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
• The Richland Community Center will host holiday movies, crafts, bingo, and free cocoa and popcorn (while supplies last) from 5:00-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a holiday choral performance by Tri-City Choral Fusion from 5:30-7:00 p.m. 
• Watch the very popular Clover Island Yacht Club’s “Lighted Boat Parade”. This is always a crowd-pleaser. The boats will come by Howard Amon Park at approximately 7:15 – 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. 
• Enjoy the amazing fireworks display at Howard Amon Park after the boats have safely cleared the area. Fireworks will light up the sky between at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The fireworks show will last for approximately eight minutes each night.  
  
  

The fun continues Saturday December 7th at John Dam Plaza from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. for dancing lights and then Sunday night every subsequent night through the new year from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. 

At the Richland Community Center on Saturday, December 7th, Thrive Performing Arts Tri-Cities will perform Frozen from 5:15-6:30 p.m., followed by games and a costume contest. Then, join Music Together Tri-Cities for a holiday sing-along from 6:30-7:00 p.m.

There are so many fun activities to experience. Be sure to check out the full schedule of events at www.ci.richland.wa.us/winterwonderland.