There’s really nothing like a small-town holiday. Charming storefronts are decorated with care. Hand-made gifts and home-spun goodness abound. The lines are short (or non-existent). Santa and twinkle lights and cheer (both the wine-kind and the merry-kind) are everywhere. And in Walla Walla, you could visit just about any time in December and have an affordable, delightful holiday getaway. Here are our top picks to experience during your Small-Town Holiday Getaway in Walla Walla.
December 1-7 Itinerary Essentials
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story
at the Gesa Power House Theatre
December 1, 2022 at 7:00 PM
Start your small-town holiday getaway with a Live Cinema screening of this Christmas classic, held at the Gesa Power House Theatre. It’s a cold Christmas Eve and mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Nicholas Farrell) has an unexpected visit from the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Marley (Mark Gatiss). Bound in chains as punishment for a lifetime of greed, the unearthly figure explains it isn’t too late for Scrooge to change his miserly ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he’ll have to face three more eerie encounters…
Holiday Open House
at Frog Hollow Farm
December 2, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
December 3, 2022 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
December 4, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Featuring Christmas trees, holiday snacks and breads, loads of local gift ideas and hand-crafted ornaments, houseplants and succulents and so much more, this is a can’t-miss small-town holiday experience sure to make your season bright.
Holiday Sips & Sweets at Spring Valley Tasting Room Downtown
December 2, 2022 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Revel in the spirit of the season and kick off Holiday Barrel weekend with an exclusive selection of four Spring Valley Vineyard 100% estate-grown wines, a holiday cookie tasting and festive décor, plus live music performed by legendary blues man Gary Winston and his wife, vocalist Erika.
Holiday Barrel Weekend
December 2-4, 2022
If wine tasting is on your short list of things to do, you’re in luck when you visit during Holiday Barrel Weekend. You can taste wine from the barrel, enjoy specials for the holidays, and maybe even sneak in a winemaker dinner or two.
The Holiday Parade of Lights
December 3, 2022 at 6:00 PM
Always held on the first Saturday in December in Downtown Walla Walla, the Annual Holiday Parade of Lights features a huge variety of lighted entries and thousands of spectators who help herald in the start of the holiday shopping season. This could be your first Santa sighting of the year, so don’t miss out!
A Moveable Feast: Paris in the 1920s
at Valdemar Estates
Chamber Music Festival Performance and Five-Course Dinner with wine pairings
December 4, 2022 at 7:00 PM
The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (WWCMF) and Valdemar Estates present an evening of sumptuous food, wine and music that will transport you to the twinkling lights of Montmartre, circa 1926. This unforgettable evening will feature the Girsky String Quartet performing music by Aaron Copland, Ned Rorem, Joaquin Turina, Maurice Ravel and Eric Satie, paired course-by-course with the culinary creations of Chef Juan Adames and both Old and New World wines selected by Valdemar Estates.
December 8-14 Itinerary Essentials
Book a Holiday Lights Tour
with Accessible Walla Walla Tours
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights
starting December 8th, at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Book this delightful experience for your entire family and literally make the season bright! Experience the best Christmas displays of the Walla Walla Valley while playing your favorite holiday music along the way. The Accessible Walla Walla Ford Transit van has room for up to nine, or seven passengers + a wheelchair or scooter.
Call to book your spot: 509-629-1503
Barrel Full of Money Auction at Dunham Cellars
December 8, 2022 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Nothing says small-town holidays like coming together for a good cause. The annual Barrel Full of Money Auction features wine, appetizers from TMACS, live music, and of course, lively bidding. Support the BMAC Food Bank and enjoy a night of merriment at Dunham Cellars on December 8, 2022, from 6 pm – 9 pm.
Opening Day at Ski Bluewood
December 8, 2022
A Celtic Christmas with EVERDREAM
at the Gesa Power House Theatre
December 9, 2022 at 7:00 PM
Much-loved Celtic and Christmas classics, including songs by Enya, music from Riverdance, some unique Irish Christmas songs, magical movie songs, toe tapping reels & jigs, EVERDREAM’s chart topping version of O Holy Night and of course, their now famous rendition of the Habanera… this is an exciting way to revel in holiday merriment at the historic Gesa Power House Theatre.
Santa Claus at Revelry Vintners
December 10 & 11 by reservation
from 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Join our good friend Santa at Revelry Vintners for pictures, hot cocoa, cider and treats for the little ones, small pours and wine specials for the parents.
Walla Walla Symphony Presents: Mark O’Connor’s An Appalachian Christmas at Cordiner Hall (Whitman College campus)
December 11, 2022 | 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM
A wondrous mixture of Christmas carols, fiddling, bluegrass and other traditional American music performed by Mark, Maggie and Forrest O’Connor.
December 15-21 Itinerary Essentials
The Nutcracker, performed by the Washington Youth State Ballet at the Gesa Power House Theatre
Five performances to choose from, December 16 – December 18
Set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, the incredible dancing and dazzling costumes bring to life the classic story of Clara and her dreamlike adventures with her Nutcracker Prince. The Washington State Youth Ballet’s The Nutcracker will transport audiences of all ages into a wonderland that has become a lasting holiday tradition not to be missed.
Brunch with Santa at Walla Walla Steak Co
Saturday, December 17 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
(also available December 3rd and 10th)
All aboard the Polar Express at Walla Walla Steak Co for brunch with Old Saint Nick! Enjoy a decadent breakfast buffet for all ages; a French Toast and Waffle Bar for kids, an abundant selection for adults, and bottomless mimosas and champagne flights available for purchase. Share your wish list with Santa and take a family photograph in the Walla Walla Steak Co historic rail car.
Pioneer Santa at the Fort Walla Walla Museum
December 17, 2022 | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Come meet Pioneer Santa for pictures and holiday stories in the Grand Hall at Fort Walla Walla Museum. Kids can enjoy a creative crafts table, and refreshments will be served with a side of holiday cheer. Staff and volunteers are pleased to offer complimentary gift wrapping for all holiday purchases made in the Museum Store on this day, and all store purchases help support the museum. Learn More.
Blue Mountain Lavender Farm Holiday Open House
December 18, 2022 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
(also held December 4th and 11th)
Give a gift that is fragrant, thoughtful, and relaxing… visit the Blue Mountain Lavender Farm for their Holiday Open House! To shop their selection of sachets, lavender baking mixes and syrup, meditation spray, beeswax candles, heatable neck wraps, dried arrangements, greeting cards and much more.
Grand Lobby Dinner at the Marcus Whitman Restaurant
December 18, 2022 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Put yourself in a festive mood with dinner in The Grand Lobby at The Marcus Whitman Hotel. This four-course December soirée is the first of their Winter Dining Series events, with limited seating available by reservation.
Christmas and New Year’s Week
Holiday Flights and Bites at Canvasback Winery
December 23, 2022 at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM
You and your guests will taste a flight of seven wines as part of an exploration of terroir and vintage, on a deep dive into Walla Walla and Red Mountain appellations. Each wine will be expertly paired with small-bite servings, made using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients to complement the unique facets of each wine. Vegetarian options are also available.
Christmas Eve Dinner at the Marc
December 24, 2022 | 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Celebrate the holiday season with Christmas Eve Dinner at The Marcus Whitman Hotel. This festive, reservation-only dining experience begins with cocktails in The Georgian Room, followed by a relaxing four-course meal in The Marc Restaurant. Come and enjoy the historic Grand Lobby Christmas trees and a memorable dining experience with family and friends.
Brad Upton New Year’s Eve Comedy at the Gesa Power House Theatre
December 31, 2022 at 7:00 PM
(with a New Year’s Toast at 9:00 PM)
Whenever you decide to plan your December getaway, our small-town holiday charm, big-time hospitality, and delightful memories are waiting.