Where to find a town elf spreading holiday cheer
Not many towns have their own elf, but Edmonds is special. Every year Emily the Edmonds Elf appears for the holiday happenings. She even appeared in the COVID years, walking around town with her festive outfit and mask, but now the season’s events are back to their full splendor and she’s excited.
“It's magical,” Emily the Elf says. “I think everybody misses the opportunity to play.
So it’s fun for the kids and even grownups to see a giant human elf. When I’m riding around on the trolley, there’s honks and waves and we’re blasting holiday music. It’s an instant mood changer. It brings a little whimsy to your day and you have to smile.”
Edmonds' holiday events start the Saturday after Thanksgiving with the tree lighting and include a holiday market, wreath walk, ornament stroll shopping event, and festive drink bingo. Also, if you’ve got some small people in your life, make sure to stop by Santa’s mailbox. Check out the details below.
Tree lighting
Holiday market
Wreath walk
Holiday trolley
Ornament shop and stroll
Festive drink bingo
It’s like that summer farmer’s market you love so much only it’s full of unique holiday gifts. Need something to give the host of that party? Those saintly teachers? The friend that bailed you out last week or was just there for you? Happening on Saturdays throughout the season (Nov., 5, 12, 19 and Dec. 3, 10 and 17) the market is a great place to pick up a locally made gift like a homemade jam, specialty candle or bouquet of flowers.
Holiday market
Click on each event below to discover more holiday fun.
Edmonds is home to Washington state's first designated Creative District. The community's significant commitment to art in all its forms brings out the best in performing, literary, visual, culinary and liquid arts.
By Visit Edmonds
Santa’s mailbox
Locals gather around the large tree in the center of town (just like Who-ville!) for the tree lighting Nov. 26.
“It’s a wonderful family-friendly event full of feel-good moments,” says Erica Sugg, who works in membership and community engagement at the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and is the mother of a toddler. “There are free cookies from the local bakeries, cider, cocoa, coffee and sometimes the high school jazz band comes to play. It’s a nice small-town moment.”
Tree lighting
Wreaths don’t have to be holiday themed. Think of them as circular-shaped pieces of art you can hang inside your house. Art Walk Edmonds has offered original, artist-created wreaths to hang in storefronts around town. Enjoy the scenery and watch for those wreaths. If you find one you really like, you can bid to buy it online at the end of the season.
Wreath walk
According to Sugg, the ornament stroll is the little bit of extra encouragement you may need to shop local this holiday season. From Nov. 25 to Dec. 4, if you shop at one of the participating stores and spend more than $40 you get a free ornament.
Ornament shop and stroll
Yes, you heard Emily the Edmonds Elf right, there is a holiday trolley. Furthermore, it turns out that this elf happens to also be an archaeologist and fan of Edmonds history, serving on the local museum board, who shares her knowledge of the town along with her candy canes and jokes. The trolley runs Saturdays, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, along a set route to help you get to where you need to go while enjoying a little extra cheer.
Holiday trolley
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the usual holiday classics like cocoa, cider and eggnog. But if you want to spice things up a bit this season, festive drink bingo is for you. Twenty-one local restaurants and bars are offering special holiday-themed cocktails. Enjoy a hot pumpkin steamer, ’tis the season — maybe a midnight old fashioned.
Purchase a drink at each location and get your bingo card stamped to win prizes. For each row of bingo you win a limited edition sticker. Get every space stamped and, well, you may give a whole new meaning to a bingo blackout.
Whatever day you arrive or event you participate in, Edmonds is full of the kind of holiday cheer that invites you to slow down, avoid the malls and enjoy the joy of the season.
Festive drink bingo
You’ll find it in front of the log cabin visitor’s center. It’s a large red mailbox where the kiddos can drop off their letters to Santa. Once received, volunteer elves respond on Santa’s behalf with custom responses to each note.
Santa’s mailbox
