It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

This weekend will be filled with seasonal fun. From the UW Symphony on Friday night, a crafts sale on Friday and Saturday, a European Market on Saturday, to a walk around Green Lake on Saturday evening and another concert on Monday night. Take it all in and begin your celebration of a season of joy.

On Friday night, December 8, the UW Symphony will be performing in Meany Hall (just east of 15th NE and NE Campus Parkway) at 7:30 pm. The Concert will range from the sweetness of Clara Schumann’s poetic Songs to the darkness of her husband’s Faust and Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration. All tickets are $10 and will be available at the ticket office in Meany Hall the evening of the performance.

On Friday and Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm, the Pacific Northwest Needle Arts Guild will be holding their annual sale of wonderful knitted and sewing crafts at their location in the Good Shepherd Center, on the ground floor (Room 120, N 50th and Sunnyside N). For ridiculously low prices you can find hand crafted hats, mittens, scarves, small toys, tree ornaments and many surprises that will make great gifts for all members of the family.

Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm in the Good Shepherd Chapel (5th floor) you can enjoy our own European Market. No need to fight SeaTac and an overnight flight to Paris and there’s no entry fee. For the first year back now that the shadow of the pandemic has passed you can enjoy the magic of a Christmas market, sponsored by Alliance France. One of the featured vendors is a new bakery in Wallingford, La Liath, opening in December at 254 NE 45th St. They will be offering fresh pastries from around the world: Scotland, Vienna, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Russia and most of all, Great Britain. Other vendors will be selling European wines and ciders and French foods, condiments and gifts. Others will be offering jewelry, art and home furnishings. Starting at 10:15 am and 12:30 pm concerts of French and English Christmas music will be presented by pianists and two outstanding, local sopranos. At 11:45 am an unusual Santa Claus who performs with Teatro ZinZanni will entertain.

Also on Saturday you can mosey on over to Green Lake after 4:30 pm for an illuminated walk around the lake. The annual tradition of the Pathway of Lights returns once more with choirs at three music stages, other performers at various points around the lake and refreshments from PCC. Weather permitting, the hot air balloons will be inflated and beautiful. Our own Family Works will be conducting a food drive, so bring along something from the pantry to contribute. Seattle Parks and Recreation can always use some volunteer help in organizing this massive event.  A word from past years: parking in the park can be very tough so consider parking a few blocks away and walking to the park. You can pick up the path at any point around the lake.

Finally on Monday evening you can hear more music at the Ladies Musical Club performance at University House, Stoneway N and N 44th, at 7:00 pm. They will be performing woodwind chamber music, singing classical and contemporary arias and art songs and playing a Mozart violin sonata. The event is free and lasts about an hour.