Christmas Ship Bonfires: 13 Free Beach Nights at Seattle Parks
The lit-up boats sail again starting Nov. 27, and Seattle Parks and Recreation has posted its free shoreline bonfires. Here is every stop in one list, with sunset times so you know which ones happen after dark.
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The Christmas Ships are coming back to Seattle's shorelines, and Seattle Parks and Recreation will light 13 free beach bonfires along the way. The Argosy Christmas Ship Festival returns Friday, Nov. 27, with a parade of brightly lit boats cruising from Puget Sound to Lake Union and out to Lake Washington. The lead ship carries a chorus that sings carols to the people waiting on shore, and a bonfire is a warm place to stand while you listen.
Every Seattle Parks bonfire, in order
All times are when Seattle Parks lists the bonfire. Addresses are from the Parks announcement.
| Date | Time | Park | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov. 27 | 6 p.m. | Alki Beach | 2701 Alki Ave SW |
| Thu, Dec. 3 | 5 p.m. | Pritchard Island Beach | 8400 55th Ave S |
| Thu, Dec. 3 | 8 p.m. | Mt. Baker Beach | 2521 Lake Park Dr S |
| Sat, Dec. 5 | 5 p.m. | Ferdinand Street Boat Launch | 5018 Lake Washington Blvd S |
| Sat, Dec. 5 | 8 p.m. | Seward Park | 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S |
| Thu, Dec. 10 | 5 p.m. | Carkeek Park | 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd |
| Thu, Dec. 10 | 8 p.m. | Golden Gardens Park | 8498 Seaview Pl NW |
| Sun, Dec. 13 | 7 p.m. | Stan Sayres Memorial Park | 3808 Lake Washington Blvd S |
| Sat, Dec. 19 | 2 p.m. | Madison Park | 4201 E Madison St |
| Sat, Dec. 19 | 5 p.m. | Magnuson Park | 7400 Sand Point Way NE |
| Mon, Dec. 21 | 2 p.m. | Matthews Beach | 5100 NE 93rd St |
| Tue, Dec. 22 | 8 p.m. | Madrona Beach Park | 853 Lake Washington Blvd |
| Wed, Dec. 23 | 8 p.m. | Gas Works Park | 2101 N Northlake Way |
The ships also stop at places outside the park system. Argosy keeps the full sailing schedule on its own site, linked below.
Which stops happen after dark
We checked sunset for each bonfire date with the U.S. Naval Observatory's sun data for downtown Seattle. The sun sets between 4:18 and 4:22 p.m. on every one of these dates, and the last light of dusk (civil twilight) is gone by 4:57 p.m.
That means 11 of the 13 bonfires start after dark, which is when the ship lights look their best. The two exceptions are the 2 p.m. stops at Madison Park (Dec. 19) and Matthews Beach (Dec. 21). Those happen in daylight, so pick them if you have small children who will not last until evening, and pick one of the night stops if the lights are the point.
Picking a night
- Weekend options: Alki Beach on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the two Saturday pairs (Ferdinand Street and Seward Park on Dec. 5, Madison Park and Magnuson Park on Dec. 19), and Stan Sayres on Sunday, Dec. 13.
- Two stops in one night: On Dec. 3, Dec. 5 and Dec. 10, the second bonfire is three hours after the first and on the same shoreline, so you can choose the early or the late one.
- Lake Washington or the Sound: Most of the stops are along Lake Washington. Alki, Carkeek and Golden Gardens face Puget Sound, and Gas Works Park looks across Lake Union toward downtown.
Small things that help
Parks asks you to dress warmly and bring an umbrella. At Carkeek Park on Dec. 10, the Carkeek Park Advisory Council serves light snacks and hot drinks, so bring a mug. The Kite Cafe in the Golden Gardens Bathhouse is open that same night, and the Liberty Cafe stand at Madrona Beach Park is open on Dec. 22 with coffee, cocoa, spiced cider and snacks. Winter hours can change with the weather.
The bonfires are free. Plan to arrive a little before the listed time, so you have a spot near the fire when the boats come into view.
Sources
Photo: TIA International Photography for Seattle Parks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
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