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The next regular meeting of the Kirkland City Council is on December 9, 2025. More information about the meeting will be included in an upcoming edition of ‘This Week in Kirkland’ and on the City Council webpage.
Thanksgiving is November 27 so we're dishing up some schedule updates and tips to make it easier to focus on gathering, gratitude, and gravy:
City Offices Closed
In recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday, City administrative offices are closed on November 27 and 28. Fire, police, and other critical services will remain fully operational. City services normally accessible through email, the Our Kirkland service portal, and over the phone will resume at 8 a.m., Monday, December 1.
Solid Waste Schedule
There is no solid waste collection service on Thanksgiving, November 27. If your regular service day falls on Thursday, then your collection day is moved to Friday, November 28. Friday customers will receive solid waste service collection on Saturday, November 29.
Cooking Oil
Planning to deep fry a turkey? Be extremely careful — do it outside on a level, non-flammable surface outdoors away from people, pets, and buildings. Learn more about turkey frying safety here. If you do fry your turkey (or other delicious dishes), don't pour used cooking oil and other grease down the drain. Oil and grease can clog and damage sewer pipes, causing nasty overflows, messy spills on streets, and expensive clean-up costs. Save your pipes and instead, recycle your used cooking oil by taking it to the tank located in the North Kirkland Community Center parking lot at 12421 103rd Avenue NE. Learn more.
Holiday Traffic
The Washington State Department of Transportation recommends planning ahead for heavy traffic, delays and potential winter weather this Thanksgiving. Before heading out, consult WSDOT's holiday travel charts to help determine the best times to travel, including times to avoid if possible. WSDOT offers a variety of resources to help plan Thanksgiving travel. Find more information here.
Thanksgiving is a time for gathering, cooking, and sharing food with the people we care about—but it’s also the busiest day of the year for home cooking fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving sees more than three times the daily average number of cooking fires. In 2023 alone, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,446 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day, a staggering 388% jump from the daily average. Most of these incidents were tied to one simple factor: unattended cooking.
As you prepare your holiday meal, a few simple safety steps can go a long way toward keeping everyone safe:
- Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking on the stovetop. Most fires start when no one is watching the food.
- Don’t leave the house if your turkey is in the oven. Check on it often and use a timer to stay on track.
- Keep children a safe distance away from the stove and hot food. The NFPA recommends a three-foot “kid-free zone.”
- Watch out for hot liquids and steam, which can cause serious burns from items like gravy, vegetables, or hot beverages.
- Store sharp knives and keep electric appliance cords (mixers, coffee makers, electric knives) out of kids’ reach.
- Keep matches and lighters locked away and out of sight.
- Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.
- Clear floors and walkways so you’re not tripping over toys, bags, or curious little helpers.
- Test your smoke alarms before the holiday cooking begins—just press the “test” button to make sure they’re working.
Thanksgiving should be warm, delicious, and safe. Your attention while cooking in the kitchen helps ensure the only thing you’re serving up this holiday is a great meal.
Learn more about preventing fires from occurring when you're cooking, and the steps to take in the event a cooking fire does occur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T-GXcTeWkY.
Did you know that sixty-eight cents of every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S. stays in the local community? By patronizing small businesses in Kirkland, you can help build a stronger, more sustainable community. November 29, the Saturday following Thanksgiving, is recognized nationally as Small Business Saturday. It's a great opportunity to get a jump on holiday shopping AND support the businesses that contribute to Kirkland's economic vitality and community character. Check out shoplocalkirkland.com or explorekirkland.com for Kirkland business listings.
Get ready to unwrap the magic of the season at Winterfest on Saturday, November 29, 2025, from 4 to 8 p.m at Kirkland Urban. Presented in partnership with the Kirkland Downtown Association, this free community event will transform the plaza into a holiday winter wonderland. Guests can enjoy a magical evening featuring whimsical costumed characters and performers, live ice sculpting, snowfall on the plaza, kids’ crafts, joyful music and performances including line dancing tutorials, adorable alpacas, sweet treats, and fun giveaways.
Then, as the day turns to night, gather for Kirkland’s Annual Tree Lighting Celebration at 7:30 p.m. at nearby Peter Kirk Park for a heartwarming tradition featuring live music, local vendors, dazzling lights, and lots of cheer.
As if all of these festivities weren't enough, you can also take a twirl on the nearby Winterfest Ice Rink on Lee Johnson Field! The ice rink will be open November 26 through January 11.This is REAL ice, so bundle up!
Find more information about Winterfest and the ice rink here.
Celebrate the season with sparkle and joy! The annual Google Holiday Lights display comes to life with a lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Friday, December 5 at Feriton Spur Park. It’s a night full of festive magic the whole community will love. Watch the park come alive as thousands of twinkling lights illuminate the night in a dazzling display as sounds of classic tunes fill the air. Kids can enjoy sweet treats, meet furry friends at the petting zoo, and strike a pose at the holiday photo booth—perfect for capturing seasonal memories.
Refresh your holiday decor while embracing the spirit of sustainability by joining the ornament swap!
How It Works:
- Stop by the Waste Management (WM) Booth: Our friendly team will be there to welcome you and guide you through the swap process.
- Bring a Gently Used Ornament: Share the joy by bringing a holiday ornament that you're ready to pass on.
- Take a "New to You" Ornament: Find a unique treasure to add to your collection and give it a new home.
- Get Your Recycling and Compost Questions Answered: Our sustainability experts will be on hand to help with any recycling or composting queries you may have.
Join us for an evening of community, creativity, and commitment to a greener holiday season.
Soak in the holiday glow all season long: Google Holiday Lights will shine nightly from 4 to 9 p.m. through January 9.
Google Holiday Lights will shine nightly from 4 to 9 p.m. through January 9, so you can soak in the holiday glow all season long.
King Conservation District's Native Plant Sale offers a variety of native trees and shrubs for conservation purposes such as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, hedgerows, reforestation and stream enhancement. They also work great on home and garden projects! A majority of the plants offered are bareroot stock which means they are harvested from the field in winter when the plants are dormant and ready to be replanted. Bareroot plants are affordable, hardy, have well-developed roots, and are easy to handle, transport and plant.
The online store is now open and Pick-Up Day will be Saturday, February 28, 2026. Visit the store.
Earlier this month, the Kirkland Police Department concluded its eight-week Community Police Academy, a program designed to give community members an inside look at the department's operations. Participants spent time in both classroom sessions and hands-on demonstrations, learning about de-escalation, patrol tactics, investigations, dispatch, traffic enforcement, non-lethal tools, corrections, evidence, and more.
Hands-on activities throughout the course allowed community members to step into real-world scenarios and better understand the training, coordination, and decision-making involved in day-to-day policing. We appreciate everyone who joined us and took part in this year's program.
Interested in attending next year's academy? Follow the Kirkland Police Facebook and/or Instagram pages and be among the first to hear when registration is opening for the 2026 class!
Whether you own a firearm or not, understanding the basics of gun safety is an important part of keeping households and communities safe. The Kirkland Police Department is hosting a free Gun Safety Class on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, from 5–7 p.m. at the Kirkland Justice Center.
Led by experienced KPD instructors, the class covers safe handling, secure storage, and practical steps to help prevent accidents or misuse. The class is open to Kirkland residents ages 21+ and limited to 20 participants. Those who register will receive a complimentary small gun safe.
Please note that personal firearms should not be brought to the class; KPD will provide inert training aids for instruction.
This program is funded by Police Prop 1, approved by Kirkland voters in 2018. Register on Eventbrite to secure your spot.
You find the perfect parking spot, but it’s on a hill. Before you hop out:
- Uphill: wheels away from the curb
- Downhill: wheels toward the curb
- No curb: wheels toward the edge of the road
And don’t forget the parking brake every time: this helps prevent your vehicle from rolling into traffic. More from the Washington Driver Guide: https://dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/driver-training-and-testing/driver-guides
Please note: No work will be done on Thursday, November 27 or Friday, November 28 for these projects.
1. 124th Avenue Northeast
Work continues on 124th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 116th Street and Northeast 124th Street.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/124thavenue for project updates on Thursdays.
2. Northeast 85th Street: 122th Avenue Northeast to 120nd Avenue Northeast
On Northeast 85th Street east of I-405, daytime work will close a westbound lane on the north side of Northeast 85th Street between 120th Avenue Northeast and 122nd Avenue Northeast. Daytime work will reduce eastbound traffic to one lane between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Visit https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Construction-Projects/NE-85th-Street-Eastbound-3rd-Lane for project updates on Thursdays.
3. Northeast 85th Street: I-405 to Sixth Street
Northeast 85th Street continues to usher a single lane of traffic in each direction, between Interstate 405 and Sixth Street while a Kirkland contractor builds a shared-use pathway that parallel’s Northeast 85th Street.
Visit https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Construction-Projects/NE-85th-Street-Shared-Use-Pathway for project updates on Thursdays.
Additional Construction Projects
Find out about additional construction projects here.
Community Bonfires at the Park
Dates and Locations: Please see below.
Kirkland Parks and Community Services warmly welcome the community to enjoy bonfires hosted by City staff that accompany Argosy Cruises' Christmas Ship Festival stops at waterfront parks.
Sunday, November 30 at 4:35 p.m. - O.O. Denny Park (12302 Holmes Point Dr NE)
Saturday, December 20 at 5:35 p.m. - Juanita Beach Park (9703 NE Juanita Dr)
Monday, December 22 at 2:10 p.m. - Marina Park (25 Lakeshore Plaza)
Note: Bonfires can be canceled due to inclement weather, burn bans, etc. Please call the Bonfire Hotline for day of event updates at 425-587-3345.
12Ks of Christmas
Date: Sunday, December 14, 2025
Time: 8 am to 12 p.m.
Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza
Lace up your sneakers, don your Santa hats and reindeer antlers, and get ready to dash into the holiday spirit at the annual 12Ks of Christmas! This beloved community tradition brings together runners, walkers, and merry-makers of all ages.
Race Day Schedule:
- 8:30 a.m. – Kids Dash
- 9:00 a.m. – 12K Run/Walk
- 9:30 a.m. – 5K Run/Walk
Grand Menorah Lighting
Date: Sunday, December 14
Time: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza
Join Chabad of Kirkland to celebrate Chanukah, the eight-day "Festival of Lights," starting Sunday evening, December 14, 2025. This community-wide holiday celebration will feature a menorah lighting, singing, games, and other surprises. All are welcome to join the festivities. This event is a great opportunity to learn about and experience the traditions of Chanukah. Bring your family and friends for a night of community and celebration.
For more events from the City, visit our Community Events page. For up to date happenings around Kirkland, visit ExploreKirkland.com/Events.
Want a monthly Events Guide delivered to your inbox? Sign up for our Events Newsletter.
Get inspired for a small-shopping gift-giving season this year!
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