On the evening of December 17, 2023, the first sign of the Christmas Ship at Luther Burbank Park was a scatter of flashlights. People were finding their way down to the beach in the dark. The Mercer Island Reporter counted about 100 people along and above the beach area. When the three-deck ship came into view, the Holy Names Vocal Ensemble sang a 20-minute set of carols while the crowd ate cookies and drank hot apple cider. The Reporter described the night as the city's way to "culminate" its holiday events.
The ship's visit has worked as a finale on the island for a few years now. In 2026 it still comes, but the evening built around it has been split up. The community party, the ship, and the beach where people watch it are each on their own track this December.
In 2025, the city stacked its biggest December evening into a single Friday. According to the Reporter's 2025 holiday roundup, the Community Holiday Party ran from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on December 19 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. It had Santa, lantern making, and a hot cocoa walk to the Argosy Christmas Ship, which performed from 8:30 to 9 p.m. that same night at Luther Burbank Park Beach.
It worked because of where things are. The Community and Event Center sits at 8236 SE 24th Street, and Luther Burbank Park is next door at 2040 84th Avenue SE. Families could finish a lantern indoors and walk to the water with cocoa in hand.
The city's 2026 listing puts the Community Holiday Party on Friday, December 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center, sponsored by BECU and Puget Sound Energy. As of mid-October, the page doesn't mention a cocoa walk or the ship.
That's because the ship comes on another night. Argosy's 2026 Christmas Ship Festival schedule shows a Luther Burbank Park performance on Monday, December 21, from 8:40 to 9:00 p.m. It's the late sailing out of Kirkland City Dock, with Choir of the Sound aboard. The ship sails the 11th too, but that night it's on Lake Union for the 11th Annual Parade of Boats, with onshore viewing at Evanston Plaza in Fremont.
There's one more detail in the schedule that matters on a cold night. Argosy puts an asterisk on stops that have a planned public bonfire, lighting, or onshore event. Stops without one are "still open places to gather and hear the choir," but nothing is organized on shore. As of the September 21 schedule, Luther Burbank has no asterisk.
So the 2026 version of last year's evening is a Monday night, four days before Christmas, with no gathering planned on shore so far. Plan on your own thermos and flashlight unless the city adds something closer to the date.
The Christmas Ship comes past Mercer Island three times this December, more often than the single public stop suggests. Two of those visits are performances for private clubs.
| Date | Time | Island stop | Choir | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Dec. 4 | 5:35–5:55 p.m. | Mercer Island Beach Club | Puyallup High School Norselanders | Private event |
| Sunday, Dec. 13 | 4:40–5:00 p.m. | Mercerwood Shore Club | Pacific Sound Chorus | Private event |
| Monday, Dec. 21 | 8:40–9:00 p.m. | Luther Burbank Park | Choir of the Sound | Public, no organized onshore event listed |
If you aren't a club member, the closest public stops on the other nights are just across the water, and several of them do have the asterisk. On Sunday, December 13, after the Mercerwood stop, the same Pacific Sound Chorus sailing performs at Stan Sayres Memorial Park from 7:45 to 8:05 p.m., with an onshore event planned. On Saturday, December 5, Seward Park gets a 5:35 p.m. performance with the Touchstone Quartet, also marked with an asterisk. On Saturday, December 12, the late sailing plays Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue from 8:40 to 9:00 p.m.
The bigger change is at the park itself. Luther Burbank's long-planned Dock and Waterfront Improvements project has moved into construction, and the city's project page lists 2026–2027 as the active stage. On August 28, the city announced that the council would consider awarding the work to Quigg Bros., Inc., an Aberdeen-based marine construction firm. The bid notice put the contract at $6,730,000 including sales tax, with construction expected to start this fall and take about 15 to 18 months. On September 1, the council passed a consent agenda, 6 to 0, that included the award recommendation.
The project covers the dock, North Beach, plaza improvements, and new accessible paths and lake access. The city says part of the park will close during construction and the rest will stay open, and that it will share specific closures and impacts as the work goes on. As of mid-October, nothing published says which part of the waterfront will be fenced off on December 21. Check the Let's Talk page before you head down. In 2023 the crowd stood "along and above the beach area," so confirm which parts of the waterfront are open before you count on the same spot.
An earlier phase is already done. The South Shoreline Restoration, about 900 feet between the waterfront plaza and the swim beach, is listed as completed, with the shoreline trail rebuilt. If the city keeps that section open, it's the most likely place to stand for the 8:40 performance.
With the finale moved, the season's best-attended gatherings are more likely to be the earlier ones on the north end, and the first is less than three weeks away. The Mercer Island Farmers Market ended its 2026 season on Sunday, October 11. Then:
A few of these line up with ship nights across the water. On December 3, the tree lighting starts at 5:30, and the ship's late sailing performs at Mt. Baker Beach from 8:45 to 9:05 p.m., with an onshore event planned. On December 5, the Makers Market closes at 3, and the Seward Park performance starts at 5:35. Both pairings are a short drive over the I-90 bridges. This year, Luther Burbank on the 21st has the island's waterfront to itself.
Argosy can change its schedule before the festival opens on November 27, and the city has yet to post its closure details for Luther Burbank. Check both pages the week of any event you're planning around.
If December on Mercer Island is part of why you love where you live, or why you're thinking about a home on the island, I'd be glad to talk it through, from which shorelines get the ship to how the north end feels on a winter evening. Anastasia Miles works one-to-one with Eastside households, and that includes conversations that start well before anyone is ready to make a move.
Whether you're buying or selling, I offer the market knowledge, resources, and support needed to help you make informed decisions. My goal is to simplify the process, anticipate challenges, and create a seamless experience tailored to your unique needs.
3933 LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD NE KIRKLAND, WA 98033