Winter in Riverfront Park & Downtown

Downtown Spokane in winter is compact and easy to enjoy on foot. Riverfront Park becomes the center of the season: ice skating on the Numerica Skate Ribbon, a free tree-lighting celebration on Thanksgiving weekend, and trees decorated by local nonprofits at the Pavilion. A few blocks away, the Davenport Hotel fills its marble lobby with Christmas trees, and Christmas Tree Elegance raises money for the Spokane Symphony.

You can do it all in one evening. Skate first, walk across the park to see the lights, then warm up in the Davenport lobby. Dates shift slightly each year, so check the official pages before you plan around a specific night.

Winter here is cold, with snow likely in December and January, but it is also quiet. Hotels are easier to book than in summer, and the downtown core is lit up.

What to see and do

Local tips

• Dress warm. Spokane winters are cold and the park is exposed. Gloves and a hat make skating much more comfortable.
• Skate early in the evening for lighter crowds, or on a weekday afternoon when the rink is quieter.
• Check the Riverfront Park site on the day. The ice schedule depends on weather and maintenance.
• For the tree lighting, arrive by 5 p.m. to claim a spot and get through food truck lines before the 6 p.m. countdown.
• Walk between Riverfront Park and the Davenport. It is a few blocks, and most hotels downtown are within walking distance.
• Buy Christmas Tree Elegance tickets in person at the Davenport or River Park Square. Ask staff about the current year's drawing times.
• Book hotels early if you are visiting Thanksgiving weekend or the first two weekends of December.
• Check road and parking conditions. Snow can affect downtown parking and the drive in from the airport.

A little history

The Numerica Skate Ribbon sits in Riverfront Park, the old Expo '74 World's Fair grounds. The ribbon is a 16-foot-wide, 650-foot-long pathway with a 3,500-square-foot pond, and it runs as a roller-skating rink in warm months, when admission is free. Ice season runs roughly November through February.

Christmas Tree Elegance is the Spokane Symphony's biggest fundraiser. Visitors buy $1 raffle tickets and put them in front of the trees they would like to win; every dollar goes to the symphony. The raffle has been held for more than four decades and has been based at the Davenport Hotel and River Park Square. The Davenport added its own tree-lighting evening in 2025.