Anchorage may be correctly named the City of Lights, especially during the holiday months! When darkness starts to descend during the winter, the entire town breaks out its cheerful lights to decorate the city. Anchorage is filled with bright colors during all of the dark, cold months! Christmas in Anchorage is truly something special.

Anchorage has been known for many years as "The City of Lights and Flowers." It's at its best, truly, at Christmas!
Travis / Flickr
This awesome title was crafted and curated by Anchorage Downtown Partnership, as a way of highlighting all of the beautiful things about Anchorage year-round. The lights are a great way to herald in the coming winter!
In the winter, Anchorage Downtown Partnership encouraged the downtown area to banish the darkness and ring in the festivities of the holidays by decorating their businesses.
Michael Hayes / Flickr
This idea took off throughout Anchorage, with many businesses and even homes stringing their lights up early, as soon as the days start to get a little darker. The whole town is awash in colored and white lights, creating a sense of cheer as you go about the city.
Every neighborhood gets into the festivities, and you will see many houses draped in beautiful lights!
Wonderlane / Flickr
It's especially charming after a large snowstorm when the lights peek out through the snow. Driving through neighborhoods can cheer you up when you head into work before the sun comes up, and drive home in darkness!

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During the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony in the Town Square, all the trees are draped with lights and lit up.
Wonderlane / Flickr
The most exciting part is the large Christmas tree decorated with lights and even a star on top! Once this Anchorage Christmas event takes place, you'll see the rest of downtown truly get into the festivities.
Spend a day patronizing the local businesses downtown while you do your holiday shopping and make other preparations for Christmas in Anchorage.
Dennis Krymski / Flickr
This is a great way to support local Alaskans and get into the Christmas cheer! There are also lots of delicious restaurants downtown to cap off your day of shopping and they also put up lights and beautiful holiday decorations.
This is a fun tradition to get behind, and Alaskans get playful with the lights!
JGS Concepts / Flickr
You'll even find bonfires during skating parties at Westchester Lagoon and ice lantern trails in Eagle River Nature Center during Winter Solstice. The whole area celebrates with lights during our darkest part of the year!
If you have the time this Anchorage Christmas season, you should cruise around the city looking at all the beautiful light displays!
Wonderlane / Flickr
Even though the Anchorage Downtown Partnership isn't doing an official "City of Lights" event this year, the tradition still continues informally! It's a lovely way to get into the holiday spirit each year.

Have you been to Anchorage when it’s all lit up as the City of Lights? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below! If you haven’t ever been, this video will give you a little sneak peek of what it’s like (although nothing is better than in-person when it comes to Christmas lights!):

 

If you’re looking for a fabulous dinner after checking out the lights in this beautiful city, head on over to a restaurant in Anchorage that serves food so good you’ll swear you’re down south! Then stay in this beautiful luxury retreat downtown with ocean views.

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Christmas In Anchorage & Related Info

William Suphan | November 06, 2022

What are the best Christmas towns in Alaska?

Being much closer to the North Pole than the rest of the country, Alaska’s towns get extra Christmasy. First off, there’s a town actually called North Pole, and the Santa Claus House is right there! Located on St. Nicholas Drive, it’s probably the most Christmas-like place in the nation. Fairbanks really comes alive during the holidays, with most of the homes decorated in lights and several holiday events taking place, like the Celebration of Lights Fireworks and Holiday Bazaars at Pioneer Park. Even the tiny, remote town of Cordova becomes festive with a tree lighting and a Santa Parade.

What are the most festive Main Streets in Alaska?

Many towns all over America love to light up their Main Streets or downtown areas. Alaska has some of the best displays! The little town of Kenai has an Old Town that is made even more charming with its lit-up streets and shops where you can find great gifts and sip hot cocoa. The fishing town of Homer looks magical when it is lit up with Christmas lights and is viewed from East End Road where a scene of the town and the bay is simply stunning. 

What are the best holiday events in Alaska?

Alaska is basically a winter wonderland all over during the holiday season. The town of Palmer hosts a 3-day event called the Colony Christmas Fair where you can meet live reindeer and enjoy a Christmas parade of illuminated floats. Several lovely gingerbread houses made by locals are on display, and there are a ton of hand-made crafts all over that would make perfect gifts for your loved ones. Skagway has the White Pass Santa Train where you can meet with Santa and take a picture with him, and the ride through the snowy Alaskan countryside is pure winter magic. It can get cold, so be sure to bring a blanket!

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