We admit we didn’t know what to expect when we received a kind invite to experience Bellevue’s own personal winter wonderland — Snowflake Lane, which is presented nightly by The Bellevue Collection from Nov. 24 through Dec. 24. After a bit of research, we learned that this free parade traipses down Bellevue Way every evening at 7 p.m. — from NE 4th to NE 8th streets, between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square. Yet we admittedly underestimated the amount of innocent joy all the whimsy and colorful activity brings to onlookers of all ages.

The mesmerizing event, which takes place from Black Friday to Christmas Eve, is a passion project from Kemper Freeman Jr., Chairman and CEO of Kemper Development Company, who felt inspired by holiday celebrations he’d witnessed in other cities — like New York City’s Fifth Avenue and Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. He aimed to create a similar experience for the Bellevue community; what began as a small sidewalk performance has transformed into a grand holiday to-do that fills four blocks with holiday floats, dazzling lights, surprisingly realistic “snowfalls,” cheerful characters and performers like toy drummers, jingle belle dancers, stilt-walking toy soldiers, Snowflake Lane princesses, polar bears and more. (A nice perk: Attendees can park in any of the free garages before choosing a prime sidewalk spot from which to take in the spectacle. We stood in front of Water Grill and had great viewing!)

Hyatt Regency Bellevue was our convenient and highly comfortable home base for the two-night stay; an extensive gingerbread village and towering Christmas tree in the Winter Garden lobby made the stay feel festive from the get-go. (Characters from the parade do a meet and greet there on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30.) The second-level balcony, featuring a Steinway grand piano (model built in 1899) offers a great bird’s-eve view of the action below.

The centrally located hotel, placing guests at the center of all their Bellevue Collection shopping and dining needs (and also not far from the skating rink and botanical garden lights show), features perks from stunning room views (think Lake Washington, distant mountains, a far-off Seattle skyline and mist-engulfed evergreens) to a spacious fitness room and indoor pool with lap lane.

Guests can fuel up for the day in the lobby’s Fonte Coffee Roaster, where highlights include grab-and-go wraps, sandwiches and salads, locally-loved Ellenos yogurts, fresh baked goods and seasonal drinks like egg nog lattes. We thoroughly enjoyed starting the morning at the hotel’s second-floor eatery Eques, a lovely, light-filled space in which to sip our coffee and green smoothies packed with spinach and honeydew, avocado, mint, lemon, honey and apple juice. While the scrambles, tiramisu pancakes and sprawling buffet looked mighty appealing, it’s always hard to pass up a bagel-and-lox creation when in the midst of Northwest salmon.

During the day, we had fun gift shopping in stores from Macy’s and LEGO to Oil & Vinegar and the Kraken Team Store, and even caught an endearing performance of a school choir filling the mall with their sweet voices. We learned that the venue hosts other holiday happenings, too, from youth orchestras and Santa photos (for a pretty penny) and a wishing tree that shares how to support local organizations helping families in need.

When it came time to experience the main event, we first met with Jennifer Leavitt, VP of Marketing at Kemper Development Company, who shared fascinating facts about this 19-year-old tradition — and even let us pop into the elevated control room. (Here, pressing a button that activates faux snow falling onto the streets of Bellevue below brought an unexpected rush!). We learned that this year they anticipate nearly 400,000 guests throughout the 31-night-long event, and they began the month with about 60,000 pieces of candy ready to give away.

There are 54 snow machines used for this community production that showcases nearly 200 paid performers, most of whom are local teenagers (and in many cases, their family members). Each snowfall looks different thanks to that night’s wind currents, and Leavitt says that slight rain can actually be good for the snow spectacle. She shared that this recurring free event is an important, family-friendly holiday experience that Kemper wholeheartedly believes in. “It’s why we do it when we do it,” she says, explaining how it would technically make more sense to try to draw crowds after the holiday foot traffic had died down, if that were the motive. She chokes up every year watching the pride and dedication of all the participants. “The snow is magic, but the kids are truly magic,” she says.

After the parade festivities die down (by 7:30) and the streets open back up as quickly as they shut down, nearby mealtime options range from the sleek and elevated, like decadent feasts enjoyed high above the city at Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi, to more grounded meals like tapas spreads served in the bustling, welcoming space of Castilla. We ate here after the parade, thoroughly savoring the warm atmosphere and dishes of empanadas, garlic shrimp, Brussels sprouts, steak bites and more. (For dinners enjoyed directly after the end of Snowflake Lane, we’d recommend setting up reservations ahead of time.)

Earlier in the day, we’d gone for a casual and healthy lunch option in Old Bellevue— inside the petite yet uplifting Matcha Magic cafe. Whether you land there for their delicious smoothies, fruit-packed acai bowls or whimsical toast flights, we guarantee you’ll leave feeling as refreshed and buoyed as we did. Our favorite toasts: Greek Life with hummus and veggies, Lox On, House Avocado and PB Crunch.

If considering replicating this luxurious staycation, check out the hotel’s Snowflake Lane Getaway package that comes along with fun perks like a $100 Bellevue Collection gift card for each night’s stay.

When back in Seattle, be sure to check out downtown hotels decked for the holidays there, too, like the historic spaces inside the Hotel Sorrento (especially its Fireside Lounge) — and the Edgewater Hotel. At the Edgewater, the pop-up Merry Little Christmas Bar, tucked into a bedazzled conference room on the second floor, is drawing big crowds for its novelty and themed cocktails (pictured). We personally feel most at home in the Edgewater’s bay-side bar and lounge attached to Six Seven — a sleek and laidback oasis (with roaring fireplace) that’s prime for cozy conversation over local wine, cocktails and snacks; think marinated olives, Wagyu sliders, spicy tuna tacos and some of the tastiest mixed nuts around. Cheers to the season of connection and festive fun!