Julefest: A Nordic Holiday Celebration

Our 21+ Beer Garden is open all day for glögg, mead, beer, and holiday cheer 🍻 This year, the performance stage is moving to the Fishermen's Sun Terrace for a family-friendly atmosphere. Throughout the day, the festival will be filled with the sound of music from local Nordic performers from across the state!

A long-standing tradition at Julefest, æbleskiver (or ebelskivers) are fluffy Danish "pancake" balls, typically served as a traditional dessert during the Christmas season. These delicious little spheres, served with lingonberry sauce, powdered sugar, and whipped cream, are among our most popular Nordic treats at Julefest!

*Saturday and Sunday only

Each year, over 45 local vendors gather under the cozy lights in our outdoor market!

Each year, dozens of volunteer bakers spend weeks beating together untold amounts of butter and sugar and anxiously peeking into ovens to make thousands of favorite holiday baked goods like krumkake, rosettes, and princess gems. Highly anticipated by Julefest attendees, the Goodies2Go selection regularly sells out by mid-afternoon each day of the fest. This year Goodies2Go moves to its new venue in the East Garden.

Interested in baking with Goodies2Go? 🍪

Please visit our volunteer page to learn more and get connected!

1. 🎅 Santa Photos: Santa will be on-site for photos from 10:00am - 4:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Photos are an additional cost at the door.
2. 🎄 Family Crafts: We will also have a holiday ornament craft activity for families in the Youth and Family Activities area on the second floor.
3. 🎁 DIY Wrapping Paper: During the 21+ Julefest Night Market, visitors are invited to create their own wrapping paper featuring motifs from the Nordic region and Pacific Northwest.
4. 🦀 Museum Galleries: Our galleries — including our new special exhibition, A Ballard Story: Pacific Fishermen— will be open for visitors to explore during all three days of Julefest.

Consider signing up for a volunteer shift at this year's festival! Volunteers receive free admission to Julefest, much holiday cheer, and sometimes a new skill — like learning to make æbleskiver!