Family Fun Calendar

EVENTS

“Faces of Christmas”: Magical musical celebration for all ages, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 and 2 p.m. Dec. 13, Tim Noah Thumbnail Theater, 1211 4th St., Snohomish. For tickets, $20, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2414178.

Star Wars food drive: Noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 12, BobaKhan Toys, 500 SE Everett Mall Way, Suite A-1, Everett. Bring non-perishable food donations and have your photo taken with a Star Wars character. For more, call 425-258-3582.

Home for the Holidays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 12, Imagine Children’s Museum: 1502 Wall St., Everett. Santa, music, carpet skating and more. For more, visit imaginecm.org or call 425-258-1006.

“Cupcake Wars: Battle of the Books”: Cupcake competition for young culinary artists, ages 9 to 15, to create cupcakes inspired by their favorite books while learning about practices from professional kitchens, 3 to 4 p.m. Dec. 11, Lake Stevens Library, 1804 Main St. A special guest judge will award prizes for creativity and presentation. For more, call 425-334-1900.

“Star Wars, Feel the Force”: 4 p.m. Dec. 14, Lynnwood Library, 19200 44th Ave. W. Wear “Star Wars” gear, enjoy trivia and test your Jedi skills. For more information, visit sno-isle.org.

Campout Cinema “Gremlins”: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17. EMP Museum, 325 5th Ave. N, Seattle. Come face-to-face with the actual Gizmo the Mogwai, making his EMP debut inside the “Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film” exhibit before and during intermission of a showing of the film, “Gremlins.” Photo ops, trivia and giveaways. Tickets are $12; $9 for ages 5 to 17. Film is rated PG. More at www.EMPmuseum.org.

Solstice Science: 2 p.m. Dec. 22, Mukilteo Library, 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd., Mukilteo.Why does it get so dark in winter? Explore our planet and the science of the season. Discover how people around the world celebrate the long days of winter. Animals in Winter, 2 p.m. Dec. 30. Migrate, hibernate or camouflage? Learn how animals survive the winter by moving to warmer climates or adapting to their environment. Come as your favorite animal getting ready for winter with wings, pajamas or camouflage.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

Warm Beach Camp’s The Lights of Christmas: 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 10 through 13, 17 through 23 and 26 through 29. More than a million Christmas lights displayed over 15 acres at Warm Beach Camp. Live entertainment, children’s activities, food and overnight getaway options. In addition to the general festival, there’s a dinner theater and Sunday dessert matinees, this year featuring an original production, “The Christmas Changeup.” More at www.thelightsofchristmas.com.

Hometown Holiday Celebration: 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, Whitehorse Farmers Market, Darrington. Bonfire, caroling, cocoa, cider, roast marshmallows and hot dogs. Bring your own roasting stick. Santa will also make a visit.

Santa at the Lighthouse: 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 12, Mukilteo Lighthouse, 608 Front St. Lighthouse gift shop also open noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 12. Proceeds support educational outreach and the preservation of the lighthouse and Mukilteo history.

Marysville’s Holiday Tour of Lights: 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 with a grand finale Dec. 26 at Cedarcrest Golf Course, 6810 84th St. NE. Ride the Marysville Noon Rotary train for a 20-minute tour of lighted holiday displays. Hot chocolate, music, s’mores and more. Suggested donation is $5, $3 children, $20 family. More info: marysvillewa.gov, 360-363-8400.

“Dickens in America”: 2 to 3 p.m. Dec. 12, Mukilteo Library, 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd. Hear readings from Charles Dickens’ first American visit in 1842 and selections from his classics, including “A Christmas Carol.” Refreshments. More info: http://goo.gl/2J7MpP, 425-493-8202 ext. 3231.

SEATTLE HOLIDAY EVENTS

Scuba diving Santa and music Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way. See Santa scuba dive and get your picture taken. Diving Santa, noon and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 20, with live music at 1:30 p.m.: Dec. 12, Caspar Babypants. Dec. 13, Red Octopus. Dec. 19, Johnny Bregar and the Country Dawgs. Dec. 20, No Love for Fire. Donations accepted to help fund DreamNights at the Seattle Aquarium for bringing children who have disabilities. More at seattleaquarium.org/diving-santa.

Holiday Carousel: Outdoor, old-fashioned carousel through Jan. 1, Westlake Park, 401 Pine St., Seattle. Westlake Park Winter Village. Live music, sound-reactive holiday lighting, doughnuts and hot chocolate, children’s activity area. Carousel will be open until 5 p.m. Christmas Eve. Cost is $3 suggested donation.

Seattle Center Winterfest: Lots of free and affordable holiday activities and entertainment, through Dec. 31, Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle. Skate at the ice arena, drive a miniature locomotive through a turn-of-the-century village inside the Armory, watch ice sculpting demonstrations, listen to Dickens carolers and see performances by more than 100 different student groups. Fireworks show and concert on New Year’s Eve. All activities are free except ice skating. More at seattlecenter.com/winterfest.

Snow Showers Inside Pacific Place: Through Dec. 24, Pacific Place, 600 Pine St., Seattle. Flurry of snowflakes, each night in the atrium at Pacific Place. Musical performances on the weekends. Free. More at pacificplaceseattle.com.

Gingerbread Village: Sheraton Seattle Hotel Lobby, 1400 6th Ave., Seattle, through Jan. 3. Larger-than-life gingerbread creations follow the theme “May The Holidays Be With You,” inspired by scenes from Star Wars movies. Free, with donations accepted for the Northwest Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. More at www.sheratonseattle.com/gingerbread-village.

Teddy Bear Suite: Big bears, little bears, brown bears, white bears. Through Dec. 27, Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St., Seattle. Free with donations accepted for Seattle Children’s Hospital. More at www.fairmont.com/seattle/activities-services/events-calendar.

“WildLights”: Through Jan. 3, Woodland Park Zoo. Electrifying after-hours displays of wild animals and exotic destinations including “African Water Hole,” “Jungle Lights” and “Northern Lights.” A visit from Santa’s reindeers. Zoomazium will be transformed into Snowmazium which will be open every night for storytelling and faux snowball fights. More at zoo.org/wildlights.

STAGE

Performing Arts Show Biz Kids 4-H Club: 6:30 to 8 p.m. second Thursday of each month, Horseshoe Grange, 164th and Broadway, Cathcart/Clearview area. Call Jan Bond at 360-668-6681 or the 4-H office at 425-357-6044. The grange also is the home of drama, guitar and line-dance lessons.

EXHIBITS

GROSSOLOGY: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body: Through Jan. 3, 2016, at Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave. N, Seattle. Farts. Snot. Pus. What better way to bond with Dad? Explore the good, bad and downright ugly about how your body works. Included with admission. More at www.pacificsciencecenter.org.

“Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty”: Seattle’s EMP Museum hosts the first large-scale Hello Kitty museum retrospective, through May 15. For more information and to buy tickets, go to www.empmuseum.org.

Imagine Children’s Museum: 1502 Wall St., Everett. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Each third Friday of the month is the museum’s Free Friday Night Live. Play indoors with the kids from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at no cost. For more, visit imaginecm.org or call 425-258-1006.

Schack Art Center: 2921 Hoyt Ave., Everett; 425-259-5050. Go to www.schack.org to learn about classes for kids and teens.

CHORAL

Snohomish County Children’s Choir: Open to all kids of all ages, the choir is enrolling new members. More information is available at www.snohomishcountychildrenschoir.com. Rehearsals are weekly at the Everett Music Hall in the Everett Mall.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Penny Clark, owner of Travel Time of Everett Inc., at her home office on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In a changing industry, travel agents ‘so busy’ navigating modern travel

While online travel tools are everywhere, travel advisers still prove useful — and popular, says Penny Clark, of Travel Time in Arlington.

(Daniel Berman for The Washington Post)
The Rick Steves guide to life

The longtime Edmonds resident is trying to bring a dash of the Europe he loves to south Snohomish County.

Travis Furlanic shows the fluorescent properties of sulfur tuft mushrooms during a Whidbey Wild Mushroom Tour at Tilth Farmers Market on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Langley, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
On Whidbey Island, local fungi forager offers educational mushroom tours

Every spring and fall, Travis Furlanic guides groups through county parks. His priority, he said, is education.

Bright orange Azalea Arneson Gem in flower.
Deciduous azaleas just love the Pacific Northwest’s evergreen climate

Each spring, these shrubs put on a flower show with brilliant, varied colors. In fall, their leaves take center stage.

An example of delftware, this decorative plate sports polychrome blooms

Delft is a type of tin-glazed earthenware pottery born in Holland. This 16th century English piece sold for $3,997 at auction.

Great Plant Pick: Dwarf Purpleleaf Japanese Barberry

What: Dwarf Purpleleaf Japanese Barberry, or berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea Concorde, was… Continue reading

Spring plant sales in Snohomish County

Find perennials, vegetable starts, shrubs and more at these sales, which raise money for horticulture scholarships.

Byzantine mosaics
With its beautiful Byzantine mosaics, Ravenna only gets better with age

Near Italy’s Adriatic coast, it was the westernmost pillar of the Byzantine Empire and a flickering light in the Dark Ages.

Artist Libby Hammer picks through bits and pieces collected from Whidbey Island beaches recently at her home in Oak Harbor. (Sam Fletcher / Whidbey News-Times)
Whidbey Island artist collects beach rubble to make Ragamuffin’s Rock Art

Libby Hammer got her start with wood in Tacoma. After moving to Oak Harbor, she shifted to rocks, shells and sea glass.

Brayden Burn shakes Tsunami’s paw. Tsunami is a 2-year-old smooth sable collie, a breed that breeder Corinne Boon said is going extinct in Europe, despite being a good family and herding pet. (Luisa Loi / Whidbey News-Times)
A boy and his dog: Whidbey Island teen wins Collie Club of America title

Brayden Burn, of Oak Harbor, is the first boy in 21 years to take Best in Show at the club’s National Specialty competition.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT has wide fender cladding, a dark chrome grille, and premium LED daytime running lights.
2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is two vehicles in one

The half SUV, half pickup has a new XRT variant in place of the previous SEL Premium.

Expedia said it would refund my tickets four years ago. Help!

Keith Dawe has been waiting for his refund from Expedia since 2020. But neither it nor his airline can find the money.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.