Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup is offering a special Super Bowl offer – $1 roller skating plus you can watch the Super Bowl on a big screen at the same time. They will be offering a big projector screen + flat screens around the rink for you to stay up on the Super Bowl while your kids skate.

Admission is just $1 for everyone who enters & regular skate rental is $1. {All other upgrades are regular price}. This definitely sounds like some frugal family fun if you’re looking for a way to make sure your kids are enjoying themselves & burning off some energy while you watch the big game. They will be open from 1pm – 6:30pm (or until the game is over).

Sweetheart BOGO Event:

Another event coming up on Sunday February 12th is a  Buy One Get One Free skate session from 6:30 – 8:30 at Tiffany’s Skate Inn. They will be offering more details very soon on their facebook page.

Tiffany’s Skate Inn – Special for Superbowl Sunday + Upcoming Sweetheart Event is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Did you know your purchase will help benefit a local non-profit? Today’s non-profit is Doernbecher Children’s Hospital – Portland.  We never want our children to be sick but if they are, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is the place to go for those in Oregon & Southwest Washington!

Fine Print:

• Expires 4/1/12
• May purchase multiples
• Valid any day of the week or weekend
• MUST PRINT VOUCHER to present it at the ticket window.
• It may take the $15 sharing spree credits up to 7 days to post to your account.

Sharing Spree: All Day and Night Lift Ticket plus $15 Sharing Spree Credit for $28! is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday February 3rd:

*Free Entrance To Hands On Childrens Museum – Olympia; 2/3; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Free entrance for the evening on the first Friday of each month.

* Free Admission To KidsQuest Children’s Musuem – Factoria; 2/3; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Friday evening of the month offers free admission.

*Free Entrance To Bellevue Art Museum – Bellevue; 2/3; 11:00am to 8:00pm. First Friday of the month Bellevue Art Museum offers free admission.

*Friday Night Family Skate – West Seattle; 2/3; 6:45pm to 8:45pm; $3 fee. Family skating in a roller-rink atmosphere that includes the limbo, racing and snack bar. All ages and abilities are welcome! Borrow skates if you don’t have any–outdoor skates are not allowed. In the Alki Gym. This is an ongoing event, so check for unexpected schedule changes before dropping by.

*The Cat In The Hat Story Time - Northgate; Northgate Mall Kidgits Club members, get ready to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss with a special “The Cat in the Hat” Story Time event. All ages are welcome to attend this event at the Children’s Play Area. Listen to stories, enjoy a special birthday treat, plus the first 25 Kidgits® members to show us their membership card receive a free “Cat in the Hat” book! Cost is $5 annually to become Kidgit member, then event is free for you.

*Used Book Sale - Redmond; 2/3; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Redmond Elementary PTSA announces our annual Used Book Fair, featuring thousands of books for children and adults, DVDs, board games, computer games, puzzles, and premium items, priced from 25 cents and up.

*Free Swim & Lifeguard Event - Mt. Lake Terrace; 2/3; 4:30pm – 5:45pm; This swim is FREE and is limited to the first 100 participants. Come play at our Recreation Swim and see the lifeguards in action. Lifeguards will be practicing real-time rescues & emergency scenarios. Swim may be briefly interrupted for larger-scale emergency scenarios.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 2/3; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

On the first Friday of the month Children’s stories are brought to life with movement and play in the Frye Art Museum galleries by Frye educators or librarians from The Seattle Public Library. Visit the galleries after story time. Ages 3 to 5 with adult. Both museum entrance and story time are free.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 2/3; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday February 4th:

*Fifth Avenue Community Theater Days - Seattle; 2/4; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Free event. Song and dance classes, tours, education, performance (Klondike touring show) and more. Improve Your Skills Community Day visitors will have the opportunity to step into the spotlight themselves. Participants of all ages and performers of all skill levels can learn a song from Oklahoma! or take a spin at country line dancing in the cast’s rehearsal space! Go Behind the Scenes Visitors will get the opportunity to see how the creative team for Oklahoma! brings the show to life with costume sketches and set designs on display.

*Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center Opening - 2/4; 10:00am to 5:00pm; The Gates Foundation will be opening a visitors center in their Downtown Seattle location tomorrow, that offers free admission. There are hands on activities to help your children learn more about global charitable issues.

*Free Family Days At Seattle Asian Art Museum - Seattle; 2/4; 11:00am to 2:00pm; Admission to the Seattle Asian Art Museum is free on the first Saturday of each month for families. Celebrate the lunar New Year with dragon prints, music and family tours.

*Arlington-Stillaguamish Eagle Festival - Arlington; 2/4; 9:00am to 5:00pm; Free eagle tours, demonstrations, exhibits, music, wagon rides, hands-on arts and crafts, and more. Various locations in and around Arlington.

* Craft Day at Learning Sprout Toys – Tacoma; 2/4; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Free event for ages 3-10 the 1st Saturday of the month. It’s Valentines crafts this week. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

* Pier Into the Night Event - Gig Harbor; 2/4; 5:30pm -7:30pm; Bundle up and look at sea critters by night with Harbor Wild Watch
Hot cocoa will be served!  Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

* Kids’ Dental Health Day – South Hill Mall; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Free dental screenings for children who qualify. Free goody bags; visit with tooth and tooth fairy mascots. (Left hand side of this site has a link to a you-tube video about the event).  Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Winter Wonderland Family Nature Walk - Tacoma; 2/4; 10:00am to 11:00am & 1:00pm to 2:00pm; Explore Tacoma Parks during this seasonal naturalist-led family walks. Discover the amazing plants and animals that live in these parks and how they adapt in the different seasons. Not recommended for strollers or children younger than age 3. Pre-registration requested.

*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 2/4; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

Sunday February 5th:

*Free Fan Skate! - Everett; 2/5; 12:00pm to 2:00pm; Comcast Arena at Everett and the Comcast Community Ice Rink are offering free public skating on both sheets of ice to recognize the attendance of four million fans to events at the facility. Join some of the Everett Silvertips players, Lincoln the Silvertips mascot, and Snow Plow Sam, the mascot from the National Figure Skating Association for a great time on the ice! Fundamentals of ice skating and hockey will be taught by professional instructors. Skating lessons will be held in the community rink, with hockey lessons offered on the Arena ice.

Monday February 6th:

*MEC Mondays – Seattle; 2/6; 10:00am to 4:00pm; The Maritime Event Center is open for family exploration today. Admission is free.

Wednesday February 7th:

*Bellevue Art Museum Free To Teens – Bellevue; 2/7; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; The Bellevue Art Museum is free to students of all ages with school ID . You will need to print this coupon out to take with you.

Thursday February 9th:

*Free Admission To NAAM - Seattle; 2/9; 11:00am to 7:00pm; The Northwest African American Museum is free on the second Thursday of each month.

*Free Admission To Seattle Asian Art Museum- Seattle; 2/9; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Second Thursday of the month SAAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 2/9; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday February 3rd:

*Free Admission To The Children’s Museum - Portland; 2/3; 4:00pm to 8:00pm; The first Friday of the month you Target sponsors free admission to the Childrens Museum. This month you can make a book.

*First Friday Art Walk  - SE Portland; 2/3;  6:00 pm to 9:00 pm; Hosted by Portland’s Eastside art galleries and alternative art venues, First Friday provides arts enthusiasts the opportunity to wander from gallery to gallery for artist receptions and openings during extended hours on the First Friday of every month

* Camas First Friday - Portland; 2/3; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Come and join us for January’s First Friday- Game, Craft & Cocoa Night! Enjoy family friendly games and crafts throughout participating downtown merchants. Have fun and the chance to win prizes!

*22nd Annual Cascade Festival of African Films - Portland; 2/3 – 3/3; See website for schedule details. Festival kicks off with a 7:00pm screening of “Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story,” at the Hollywood Theater. Free and open to the public on a first-come, first-seated basis.

*Family Martial Arts Night - Portland; 2/3; 4:00pm – 7:00pm; Free event with a showing of “Kung-Fu Panda,” followed by demonstrations from The Westside and Eastside Academy of Kung Fu, Mo Duk Pai Lion Dance Team, Capoeira Ijexa Portland, and Oregon Kendo Club. Bring your own picnic dinner and enjoy the show (donations will be accepted to benefit Fulton Park Community Center).

*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 2/3; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere.

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 2/3; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 8 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 2/3;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  2/3; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 2/3 & 2/4; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday February 4th:

*Tet Festival 2012-  Oregon Convention Center; 2/4; 10:00am – 6:00pm. Enjoy dance and music performances, martial arts demos, a free health fair and more . General admission is $4.

*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 2/4; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere. This weekend: An American Tale.

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 2/4; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 2/4; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ; 2/4; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 2/4; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger.

Sunday February 5th:

*$2 OSMI Days – Portland; 2/5; 9:30pm to 5:30pm; OMSI offers $2 admission on the first Sunday of each month.

Monday February 6th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 2/6; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 2/6; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Thursday February 9th:

* 3D Center of Art and Photography, Free Entrance – Portland; 2/9; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Free entrance on the first Thursday of the month; kids age 14 and under always free.

*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 2/9; Every Thursday from 11-12pm, join us for family friendly music! Every week Mr. Ben performs and kids are free to interact.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 2/4; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a Groundhog Puppet.

*Bank Of America Museums On Us Free Entrance – 2/4 & 2/5; Bank Of America card holders can get free entrance to Museums Nationwide. Check website for participating museums in your area.

*Home Depot Kids Workshop – 2/4; 9:00am to 12:00pm; Kids can participate in a workshop making a savings shed.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime - 2/4;  Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 2/3 – 2/9 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

From now thru February 13th, Farm Rich ( a frozen appetizer & snack brand) will be bringing their  “Snack Shack” to local Safeway & Walmart stores around the Puget Sound area, offering free samples, coupons, giveaways and a chance to win a $250 gift card.  The free samples will range from mozzarella sticks to stuffed  jalapeno peppers & more. Find out more on their website or Facebook page.

Free Samples Coming to Puget Sound Safeway & Walmart Stores is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is a preview of some of the coupons we will be receiving this week. For a full preview, be sure to check out Sunday Coupon Preview.

*There is over $113 in national money-saving coupons in this Sunday’s (February 5) Tacoma News Tribune and over $33 in national money-saving coupons in this Sunday’s (February 5) The Olympian!!*

Red Plum:

• Baskin Robbins $1/1 medium or large frozen beverage
• Baskin Robbins $2/1 cake, minimum $12 cake
• Baskin Robbins Buy 1 cone, Get 1 for $.99 of equal or lesser value excluding waffle
• Baskin Robbins Buy 1 sundae, Get 1 for $.99 of equal or lesser value
• DermaSilk $5/1 full size products
• Disney/Marvel $1/1 gummy vitamin 60ct+
• Ester-C $2/1 tablet, gummy or powder
• Garnier $1/1 skincare product
• Garnier Fructis $1/1 shampoo, conditioner or treatment
• Gillette $3/1 Fusion ProGlide Styler
• Hoover MAIL IN REBATE $10 off any upright less than $100. $20 off any upright $100+
• Maybelline New York $1/1 mascara
• Maybelline New York $2/1 lip product
• Nature’s Bounty $1/1 vitamin or supplement
• Newman’s Own $1/1 Complete Skillet Meal
• Paseo $1/1 12-roll bath tissue or 8-roll paper towel
• Sally Hansen $1/1 Complete Salon Manicure
• Stash $1/2 boxes of tea
• Subway Buy any 16oz+ drink before 11am, get a regular 6-inch breakfast sub or flatbread free
• Subway Buy any 6-inch or flatbread sub with any 16oz+ drink, get a regular 6-inch sub of equal or less price free (2 coupons)

Smart Source:

General Mills:

• Betty Crocker $.75/2 Supreme Brownie or Dessert Bar Mixes
• Cereal $1/3 all varieties
• Fiber One $.50/2 Chewy Bars, 90 Calorie Chewy Bars or 90 Calorie Brownies
• Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper $.75/3 Home Cooked Skillet Meals
• Nature Valley $.50/2 Granola Bars 6ct+, Granola Nut Clusters or Granola Thins
• Ocean Spray $.50/1 Fruit Flavored Snacks
• Pillsbury $.30/1 Sweet Rolls or Grands! Sweet Rolls
• Pillsbury $.50/2 Toaster Strudel, Toaster Scrambles or Pancakes
• Progresso $1/4 soup cans
• Yoplait $.40/6 yogurt cups
• Yoplait $.50/2 Greek yogurt
• Yoplait $.75/1 Frozen Smoothie
• Yoplait $.75/2 Go-GURT, Kids Cup, Trix multipack or Splitz

Mail In Rebate: Valid only for purchases at Safeway’s family of stores. All of the following are eligible and all can be checked once.

• Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter up to $4.79
• Dulce de Leche Cheerios up to $4.79
• Nature Valley Protein Bars up to $4.67
• Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks up to $2.87
• Betty Crocker Fun da-middles up to $3.35
• Progresso Rich & Hearty Soups up to $2.79
• Pillsbury Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches or Egg Scrambles up to $3.51
• Totinos Pizza Stuffers up to $4.35
• Yoplait Greek 4pk up to $3.50
• Yoplait Greek with Granola up to $3.50

If you don’t currently receive a Sunday paper and have been meaning to start, don’t forget the great Tacoma News Tribune deal:

For those of you who live down in southern King County or the South Puget Sound area, the Tacoma News Tribune is definitely the best paper for couponers to use. It receives all of the scheduled inserts each week. The News Tribune currently has a multiple subscription deal that’s perfect for couponers, too. All you have to do is ask for the Thrifty NW Mom subscription deal when you call. Just call the Tacoma News Tribune at: 1-800-289-8711 to get your subscription started.

*Starting January 2012, most retail locations will be selling the Sunday Tacoma News Tribune for $2.00 / issue, so this couponers special will save you $.75/issue.

Here are the details of the Tacoma News Tribune Subscription deal:

• Buy multiple subscriptions (3 or more) of the Sunday paper for just $1.25/each (as of 10/31/11)
• In addition, you’ll receive 1 copy of the paper each day of the week – Monday – Saturday (if you prefer, you can just ask for the Sunday paper only)
• You will pay for 26 weeks at a time. There are 2 payment options: Pre-Payment or EZ Pay options. Check out my post with full details on the Tacoma News Tribune Subscription deal for the specifics on pricing.

Sunday Coupon Preview for February 5 – Over $113 in Savings! is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is a preview of some of the coupons we will be receiving this week. For a full preview, be sure to check out Sunday Coupon Preview. The Tacoma News Tribune will be full of over $228 in savings. We should be receiving up to 4 inserts – 2 Red Plum, Smartsource & P&G insert – a great week for coupons!

Red Plum #1:

• $1.50/1 Breathe Right 12ct or smaller
• $2/1 Breathe Right  26ct+
• $.75/1 Caress 12oz+ body wash or 6 bar pack
• $1/1 Dove Beauty Bar 6 pack+ excludes trial size and Men+Care
• $1/1 Dove body wash 12oz+ excludes trial size and Men+Care
• $1/2 Keebler/Sunshine Keebler Crackers and/or Sunshine Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers 8oz-16oz
• $.50/2 Knorr  Recipe/Sauce/Gravy Mix products
• $.50/2 Knorr Rice and Pasta Sides
• $1/1 L’Oreal  Paris lip product
• $1/2 Nestle/Wonka  fun size bags 9oz+
• $.50/1 Wish-Bone  dressing

Red Plum #2:

• $1/1 Advil/Dimetapp/Robitussin bottle or package of congestion relief
• $1/1 Advil/Thermacare bottle or package of Advil 40ct+, Advil PM 16ct+, Children’s Advil 4oz+ or Thermacare 2ct+
• $1.50/2 Emerald Nuts products (9 oz+)
• $1/1 Kettle Brandchips 4oz+
• $4/2 L’Oreal Paris face cosmetic product excludes Magic Perfecting Base .17floz mini size

Smart Source:

• $5 off $15 Hasbro  Sesame Street Plush purchase
• $2/1 Alka-Seltzer product
• $1/1 Colgate  360 battery powered toothbrush or refill
• $.75/1 Vlasic any jar of Pickles
• $.50/1 Old El Paso excluding refrigerated, frozen or soup
• $3/2 Nature Made Products

P & G:

• $1.50/1 Bounce/Gain  dryer bars
• $1/1 Covergirl
• $1/2 Crest toothpastes4oz+ or liquid gel
• $1/1 Duracell Ultra Power
• $1/1 Febreze candle excludes Home Collection
• $5/2 Clairol Natural Instincts hair color
• $3/1 Gillette ProGlide Razor when you buy 4ct + cartridges

If you don’t currently receive a Sunday paper and have been meaning to start, don’t forget the great Tacoma News Tribune deal:

For those of you who live down in southern King County or the South Puget Sound area, the Tacoma News Tribune is definitely the best paper for couponers to use. It receives all of the scheduled inserts each week. The News Tribune currently has a multiple subscription deal that’s perfect for couponers, too. All you have to do is ask for the Thrifty NW Mom subscription deal when you call. Just call the Tacoma News Tribune at: 1-800-289-8711 to get your subscription started.

*Starting January 2012, most retail locations will be selling the Sunday Tacoma News Tribune for $2.00 / issue, so this couponers special will save you $.75/issue. 

Here are the details of the Tacoma News Tribune Subscription deal:

• Buy multiple subscriptions (3 or more) of the Sunday paper for just $1.25/each (as of 10/31/11)
• In addition, you’ll receive 1 copy of the paper each day of the week – Monday – Saturday (if you prefer, you can just ask for the Sunday paper only)
• You will pay for 26 weeks at a time. There are 2 payment options: Pre-Payment or EZ Pay options. Check out my post with full details on the Tacoma News Tribune Subscription deal for the specifics on pricing.

Sunday Coupon Preview for January 29 – Up to 4 Coupon Inserts is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Did I mention you will help benefit a local non-profit? Today’s non-profit is the OSU Alumni Association. Since my hubby is an alum of OSU, I am all for supporting their Alumni Association! Go Beavs!!

Fine Print:

• Expires 4/1/12
• Not valid with other offers
• Valid Saturdays & Sundays 9am – 4pm
• MUST print voucher or show it on smartphone or tablet

2 All Day Lift Tickets to Mt Hood Summit Ski Area for $35 – 50% off is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday January 27th:

*Free Movies and Books – Kent; 1/27 – 1/28; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm. 7 p.m. Jan. 27  The Princess Bride (PG) 10 a.m. Jan. 28 Alice in Wonderland (PG). Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

*Movies at Mercer Slough – Bellevue; 1/27; 5:00pm to 6:00pm; Bring a comfy blanket or pillow to enjoy “Life in the Undergrowth.” All ages, age 11 and younger with adult. FREE

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 1/27; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 1/27; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday January 28th:

* Tacoma Resident Free Day at Point Defiance Zoo - Tacoma; 1/28; 9:30am to 4:00pm; Visitors who live within the city limits of Tacoma will be admitted free on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. Please bring proof of City of Tacoma residency (current driver’s license or picture I.D. plus utility bill). Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Mariners Fanfest - Seattle; 1/28 – 1/29; 11:00am to 4:00pm; Meet Mariners players, pitch in the bullpen, play on Safeco Field, tour the clubhouse and roof control room, and more. $10, $5 ages 6 to 14, free ages 5 and younger

* Lunar New Year Celebration and Children’s Costume Parade and Contest - Seattle’s International District; 1/28; 11:00am to 4:00pm; Celebrate the Year of the Dragon in the Chinatown-International District with multicultural entertainment including lion and dragon dances, children’s costume parade, entertainment and more. Bring your children and friends to enter into the third annual Children’s Parade Contest where they can show off their best cultural New Year’s outfit on stage. Preregister on the website by downloading the application or sign up on the day of the competition. Free.

*Chinese New Year Celebration – Bellevue; 1/28; 11:00am to 6:00pm; Free event with cultural activities, demonstrations and performances.

*Winnie The Poohs Birthday Party - Northgate; 1/28; 1:00pm – 3:oopm; Join the Northgate Mall Kidgits Club to celebrate Winnie the Pooh’s Birthday. We’ll be making Hunny Sacks, decorating Hunny Pots, enjoying a coloring activity, and some yummy birthday treats. Parents, be sure to enter our Trivia Contest for a chance to win a special prize for your child. It’s Winnie the Pooh’s Birthday Celebration at Northgate Mall. “We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet. Even longer,’ Pooh answered.” ? A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh This event is free to Simon Kidgits Club members, so remember to bring your Simon Kidgits Club cards. If you are not a member yet, join the club for only a $5 annual membership fee at the event or at Simon Guest Services near JCPenney.

* Kindiependent Concert – Seattle; 1/28; 10:30am; $6, $12 family. Enjoy a family friendly concert Kids’ entertainment from The Not-Its! at the Mount Baker Community Clubhouse.

*Experience the City of Music – Seatac; 1/28; 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Enjoy free concerts featuring kid rockers Recess Monkey, Americana band Carrie Clark and the Lonesome Lovers, electric soul duo Fly Moon Royalty and the Rockabilly band Dusty 45s. (Thanks Cheap Bastard Seattle!)

* Family nature walks – Tacoma; 1/28; 10am to 11am;  Explore Tacoma’s Parks during this free naturalist-led walk. Discover amazing plants and animals and how they adapt to the seasons. Not suitable for kids under 3 or strollers. Lead by Nature Center Staff Free! Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Groundfrog Day - Snohomish; 1/28; 11:00am to 1:oopm; Family entertainment, music, games, plus the arrival of froggy prognosticator Snohomish Slew searching for his shadow. Free.

* Free showing of Cars II – Tacoma; 1/28; 2:00pm to 4:00pm; Come watch Lightning McQueen and his friend Mater go on an overseas adventure to contend in the World Grand Prix race. Rated G. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 1/28; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

Sunday January 29th:

*Northwest Native Community Celebration & Free admission to Tacoma Art Museum- Tacoma; 1/28; 10:00am to 4:00pm; Celebrate Tacoma’s Native American heritage and experience the arts and culture of various Northwest Native groups. Enjoy traditional performances, create hands-on crafts, and peruse the wares of local artists. Museum admission free.

Thursday February 2nd:

(Always make sure to call the museum ahead of time to confirm that they are still participating in these discount days/events/activities)

*Free Admission To Seattle Art Museum- Seattle; 2/2; 10:00am to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month SAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To Seattle Asian Art Museum- Seattle;  2/2; 10:00am to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month SAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To The Burke Museum – Seattle; 2/2; 10:00am to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month The Burke offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To The Museum Of History & Industry - Seattle; 2/2; 10:00am to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month MOHAI offers free admission to the museum.

* Free Admission To Wing Luke Museum – Seattle; 2/2; 10:00am to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month Wing Luke offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To Kids Discovery Museum – Bainbridge Island; 2/2; 10:00am to 4:00pm; First Thursday of the month Kids Discovery Museum offers free admission.

*Free Admission To The Museum Of Flight - Seattle; 2/2; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month Museum of Flight offers free admission.

*Free Admission To Henry Art Gallery – Seattle; 2/2; 11:00am to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month Henry Art Gallery offers free admission.

*Free Admission To The Northwest African American Museum -  Seattle; 2/2; 11:00am to 7:00pm; First Thursday of the month NAAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum - Seattle; 2/2; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month offers free admission.  EMP let me know that they no longer offer the free admission monthly.

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 2/2; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday January 27th:

*Free Entrance To The Portland Art Museum- Portland; 1/27; at 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The Portland Art Museum offers free admission on the fourth Friday of every month.

*Crystal Hotel & Ballroom Centennial Celebration - Portland; 1/27-1/29;  The Crystal Hotel celebrates its 100th birthday (and the Ballroom is quickly nearing its own century-mark), and so we dedicate this weekend to music, tastings, workshops and more! Free music every day. Check website for times of events. All events free and for all ages, unless noted otherwise.

*Movie Viewing: “The Jackie Robinson Story” - Portland; 1/27; 3:30 pm; Come see a free movie. Jackie Robinson, the first black major league baseball player in the 20th century, stars as himself in this biographical film.

*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 1/27; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere. This weekend: Finding Nemo.

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 1/27; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 8 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 1/27;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  1/27; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 1/27 & 1/28; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday January 28th:

* Lunar New Year - Portland; 1/28; 1:00pm to 3:00pm;  Experience Lunar New Year traditions of China and Vietnam. Music, games, food, and crafts.

*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 1/28; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere. This weekend: Finding Nemo.

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 1/28; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 1/28; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ; 1/28; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 1/28; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger.

Sunday January 29th:

* Puzzle Celebration - Portland; 1/29; 2:30pm to 4:00pm; Free event. Celebrate National Puzzle Day! Design a landscape, a family portrait, a picture of your pet, or whatever other image you’d like to take apart and put back together! All materials provided.

Monday January 30th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 1/30; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 1/30; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Wednesday February 1st:

*Wondrous Wednesday’s At The World Forestry Center – Washington Park; 2/1; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Reduced admission for The Discovery Museum. Get in for $3 on the first Wed. of each month.

Thursday February 2nd:

* 3D Center of Art and Photography, Free Entrance – Portland; 2/2; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Free entrance on the first Thursday of the month; kids age 14 and under always free.

*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 2/2; Every Thursday from 11-12pm, join us for family friendly music! Every week Mr. Ben performs and kids are free to interact.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 1/28; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a Groundhog Puppet.

*Lowes Build And Grow Clinic - Saturday 1/28; 10:00am; Come join Lowes Build and Grow Clinic to build-a-sauras. Register here.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime - 1/28;  Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 1/27 – 2/2 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

With Valentine’s Day on its way, we will probably see some great deals for dining out, memorable photos and bath and body products.  Some of these vouchers help you do just that without breaking the bank.  Please read the fine print before purchasing a deal.

Here is a highlight of some of the best that we found today:

Local:

Living Social.com - Tacoma - Mother/Daughter Princess Tea Party at A Simple Wish with crafts, storytelling, sing-alongs, photo, tea & crumpets for just $25. Add an additional child for $8/each. We went to Simple Wish several years ago for a princess book reading or something similar and my oldest daughter absolutely love it. They just do such a great job with the kids.

Fine Print: Entire value must be used in a single visit; Limit two (Option A and B) per purchaser, additional as gifts ; Appointments required and subject to availability ; Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy of 24 hours applies; voucher subject to forfeiture; Limit of 15 children per session’; PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON August 2, 2012

LivingSocial.com – Greater Portland:-  Sonic Drive In – Pay $5 and get $10 worth of food;
I’ve never had a Sonic burger but Sonic’s frozen drinks, desserts & sides are to die for!
Fine Print: Entire value must be used in a single visit, Limit 1 per person and 1 additional as a gift, Valid only at location selected at time of purchase , Paid value expires on January 26, 2017, Promotional value expires  on may 28, 2012

LivingSocial.com – Seattle:  The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse – Pay $10 and get $30 toward décor OR $49 for $125 to use at the store–
The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse was named the “Best Furniture Store” for three years in a row.  I’m not sure if it was for their top of the line designer furniture, unique art, beautiful rugs, or their holiday events.  Maybe it’s that yummy fudge.  Whatever it is, stop buy and get great quality home décor for a great price.
Fine Print: Limit 1 per person and additional as gifts, Voucher is valid for one person, Entire voucher must be used in a single visit, Only valid on event date

Groupon.com– Seattle:  50% off Delivery from Full Circle Farms – 50% off pickup or delivery for Organic produce & groceries either in 2 mini, small, medium or large boxes (different options available)
Fine Print:  Expires Aug 1, 2012; Limit 1 per household, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Valid only for option purchased. Credit card required at signup. Automatic renewal unless cancelled. New customers only. Valid only for select delivery areas.

National:

LivingSocial.com – National: $20 to spend on bath and body products for just $10 –
Get $20 worth of bath and body products created from all natural ingredients for just $10!  The Body Shop’s products are all cruelty-free and vegetarian, and range from calming lotions to yummy smelling shower gels and smooth body butter.   If you can’t decide what to get, they also have prepackaged gift sets for women AND men!
Fine Print: Limit one per purchaser, up to three additional as gifts • Limit one per purchaser per visit • Valid only in United States Body Shop stores • Valid in-store only; not valid online • Valid toward sale and promotional items • Valid with existing “Love Your Body Club” card • Not valid toward purchase of gift cards or “Love Your Body Club” card • Entire value must be used in a single visit 

Daily Deals Round Up – Full Circle Farms, Old Cannery, Sonic & The Body Shop is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Red Tricycle is back with their BIG giveaway promotion with $500o in prizes from some of the best local Portland area businesses.  They have 11 great prizes they are offering as part of this giveaway & you can choose your favorite prize to enter to win.  Red Tricycle is one of my favorite resource sites for the Northwest as they feature a number of family-friendly events & activities each week plus great parenting articles. They have websites specific for Seattle & Portland (as well as San Diego, San Francisco, & Los Angeles) & you can sign up to receive their weekly e-newsletters filled with information for your area.

Here the prizes – all from local Portland area businesses: 

• Barre3 6-Month Fitness + Childcare Package
• Fancy That Kids Birthday Party Package: Birthday party package for 8 children (Total value is $195)
• OBT Exclusive Ballet Package: Win box seats for 4 for Oregon Ballet Theater’s upcoming production of Giselle and plus a box seats for 4 to next season’s production of The Nutcracker! Total value over $1000
• OCTC Exclusive Family Theater Package:  Win 10 tickets plus a backstage tour to Oregon Children’s Theater’s The Magic School Bus and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
• Mountain Buggy Terrain Stroller
• Aster & Bee Family Fun Package
• gBaby Bundles for NewBorns (cloth diaper package)
• Deluxe Valentine’s Package
• Wooden Grocery Store/Lemonade Stand
• First Year Photo Package from Little Laura Jane Photography
• Outfit from Keen Footwear and Icebreaker

How to Enter: 

Red Tricycle Portland – Enter to win $5000 in Prizes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is a preview of some of the coupons we will be receiving this week.  Looks like we will be getting 2 inserts, a Redplum and a Smartsource. For a full preview, be sure to check out Sunday Coupon Preview.

Red Plum:

• $1/1 Land O Frost Wrap Kit or Sub Sandwich Kit (3/31)
• $1/1 L’oreal EverCreme, EverSleek, EverPure, EverStrong shampoo or conditioner (3/18)
• $1/1 9pk+ Charmin bath tissue TARGET coupon (2/21)
• $1/1 6pk+ Bounty Basic paper towels TARGET coupon (2/21)

Smart Source:

• $1/1 A-1 steak sauce 10oz+ (2/19)
• $0.75/1 Franks Redhot sauce (3/31)
• $0.75/2 Kraft dressing 14oz or 16oz (2/19)
• $0.55 off Dips 14.75oz+ when you buy 1 lay’s Potato Chips 10oz+ (2/5)

If you don’t currently receive a Sunday paper and have been meaning to start, don’t forget the great Tacoma News Tribune deal:

For those of you who live down in southern King County or the South Puget Sound area, the Tacoma News Tribune is definitely the best paper for couponers to use. It receives all of the scheduled inserts each week. The News Tribune currently has a multiple subscription deal that’s perfect for couponers, too. All you have to do is ask for the Thrifty NW Mom subscription deal when you call. Just call the Tacoma News Tribune at: 1-800-289-8711 to get your subscription started.

*Starting January 2012, most retail locations will be selling the Sunday Tacoma News Tribune for $2.00 / issue, so this couponers special will save you $.75/issue. 

Here are the details of the Tacoma News Tribune Subscription deal:

• Buy multiple subscriptions (3 or more) of the Sunday paper for just $1.25/each (as of 10/31/11)
• In addition, you’ll receive 1 copy of the paper each day of the week – Monday – Saturday (if you prefer, you can just ask for the Sunday paper only)
• You will pay for 26 weeks at a time. There are 2 payment options: Pre-Payment or EZ Pay options. Check out my post with full details on the Tacoma News Tribune Subscription deal for the specifics on pricing.

Sunday Coupon Preview for January 22nd is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

There is a new deal site in the Seattle area & this one is perfect for all of you who love to try out new restaurants! Eat206.com is a new site that has only been around for a little over a month & they are featuring significant discounts on a variety of delicious restaurants around the Seattle area. This site is a little different in that they will feature a new deal for the week every Tuesday and the deal will last thru Friday (unless it sells out earlier).  I personally love buying discounted restaurant vouchers as dining out as a family or a couple can be so expensive and deal vouchers are a great way to save on your dining budget. As an added bonus, it’s a nice way to check out a new restaurant and possibly develop a new favorite, while not having to spend the full amount for a meal.

$5 Referral Credit:

Right now, Eat206.com is offering a $5 credit for new members.  When you sign up for Eat 206, you should see a $5 credit in your account & you can use this on a restaurant deal of your preference to reduce the cost of your restaurant voucher.  Also, when you share Eat206.com with your friends and family, you can use your referral link and earn $5 for every friend who makes a purchase thru your referral link. Make sure to follow Eat 206 on Facebook, too, to stay on top of all of the information about Eat206 & maybe give your suggestions for favorite restaurants to feature around the Seattle area.

Memo’s Mexican Food Restaurant – $20 Voucher for $10

Starting today at Eat 206, there is a new deal for a $20 voucher for just $10 to Memo’s Mexican Food restaurant in the University District, Seattle. This restaurant is actually open 24 hours a day & located right on the Ave . They offer authentic Mexican cuisine – everything from fajitas, huevos rancheros, burritos and more. Even better, if you use your referral credit, you could get this voucher for just $5 for $20 worth of food at Memo’s Mexican Food restaurant. Now that’s a great way to check out a new restaurant.  {Fine print: There is a limit of 2 vouchers per person + 2 vouchers given as a gift. The promotional value of the voucher will expire on July 23, 2012}

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Eat206.com; however all opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Eat206 – A New Deal Site in Seattle for Food Lovers! $5 Credit for New Members is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Photo Credit

I was excited to see this email I got yesterday from the 5th Avenue Theater – they are offering a FREE community day at the 5th Avenue Theater and a FREE showing of the musical “Oklahoma” by Rodgers & Hammerstein, which will play at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle from February 3rd – March 4th, 2012.

Here are the details:

Free Showing of “Oklahoma” musical on Sunday February 5th at 7pm – You can get up to 4 FREE tickets per household to see Oklahoma if you go in person to pick up these tickets on Saturday January 21st, starting at 8am – 6pm (first come, first serve) at the 5th Avenue Theater Box Office.  They will be offering 2100 free tickets. Plus the first 100 in line will also get a FREE Oklahoma poster. {Now, this is Super Bowl Sunday, so this may be a tough choice – my husband loves musicals, but I asked him about going to this & he’s just not sure he’d want to miss the Super Bowl! But maybe a fun trip with your girlfriends. }

Free Community Day at the 5th Avenue Theater on Saturday February 4th- This will be happening from 10am – 5pm & is for all ages. You could learn a song from Oklahoma or try country line dancing in the cast’s rehearsal space. You will also get a chance to go behind the scenes to look at the costume sketches & set designs, as well as get a tour of the whole 5th Avenue Theater. Great opportunity if you have a budding actor or actress in your family!

Additional 5th Avenue Discounts:

If you can’t make the free showing, but still want to go see Oklahoma at the 5th Avenue Theater, I just received a flyer in my mailbox with a coupon code good for $39 tickets to see Oklahoma. All you need to do is head to the 5th Avenue Theater box office online, in person, or over the phone & use the coupon code: FAMILY to receive $39 tickets. There are specific dates & times available when you can use these, though.

If you are a regular theater-goer, just in our mail today (my husband brought me this as I was typing up this post) – you can get a subscription to the 2012 season where you will get 3 shows for $99 at the 5th Avenue Theater. This includes Oklahoma, Damn Yankees & Rent, all of which are coming to the 5th Avenue Theater this year. (This is only good for weeknight performances). In order to get this discount, you need to call 206-625-1900.

Lastly, for any of these shows, you can get $6 parking if you buy online or by phone first. {I’m not seing the info online – this was on my flyer in the mail, so I’d advise you to call the 5th to ask about the $6 parking option.}

Free Ticket to see Oklahoma + Free Community Day at the 5th Avenue Theater is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here are a few quick updates about a few store closing sales. We hate to see stores go out of business, but the good news is that it usually means some great deals can be found.  Let us know if you hear of any more store closing sales. I know that the Barnes & Noble at University Village was starting to have store closing sales when we were there before Christmas, but I haven’t heard if they finally closed or if they are still in the process. Let us know if you have an update about that store!

Toys R Us – Northgate:

Toys R Us is having a store closing sale at Northgate Mall area. Everything in the store is on sale, ranging from 40% – 70% off.  There are still quite a few toys left, according to Facebook Fan Anna! Thanks for the tip, Anna!

The Children’s Place – Tacoma Mall:

The Children’s Place store at the Tacoma Mall is also closing its doors.  They have all clothes & shoes priced at $5.99 or less.  There are only about 6 racks of clothes & a dozen pair of shoes, though, according to FB Fan  Dana.  They also have socks, gloves, scarves, & hats for $1.99.  ALL clothes and shoes left in the store are $5.99 and hats, socks, gloves and scarfs are $1.99. Dana also reported that they handed out 15% off your purchase coupons when you entered the store. She said they still had quite a few of the accessories left, so it’s a great way to stock up for future years’ winter accessories!

Leave a comment on the blog or on Facebook if you know of any other store closing sales around the Northwest!

Photo Credit

Store Closing Sales – Northgate Toys R Us & Tacoma Children’s Place Store is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday January 13th:

*Seattle Art Museum Free To Teens – Seattle; 1/13; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; The Seattle Art Museum is free to teens 13 to 19 with school ID on the second Friday of each month.

*Free Movies and Books – Kent; 1/6 – 1/8; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm.7 p.m. Jan. 13 Jason Bourne Marathon Part 1- Bourne Identity (PG-13) 10 a.m. Jan. 14 Nim’s Island (PG) 5 p.m. Jan. 14 Jason Bourne Marathon Part 2- Bourne Supremacy (PG-13) 7 p.m. Jan. 14 Jason Bourne Marathon Part 3 – Bourne Ultimatum (PG-13) 1 p.m. Jan. 15 Bridge to Terabithia (PG) . Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

*Free Movie: Winged Migration - Everett; 1/13; 7:00pm to 8:00pm; Trumpeter Swans, Snow Geese, and Snowy owls have arrived in Washington State from Alaska and Canada. In fact, all around the world birds are in migration. The Adopt A Stream Foundation and the Snohomish County Parks Department invite you learn more about this phenomenon by attending a free showing of this Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Feature. Recommended for Grade 6 to adult.

*Chatney Sing Along at Northwest Seaport- Seattle; 1/13; 8:00pm; Songs of the sea are easy to learn and fun for all ages. Musician and folklorist Chris Roe will be on board as songleader to keep the music rolling, but anyone can lead a song or just join in the chorus aboard the Virginia V this week.  Free.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 1/6; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 1/6; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday January 14th:

*Lets Play: Sports and Fitness Fest – Tacoma; 1/14 – 1/16; Check website for times; Participate in the free first annual Let’s Play! Sports and Fitness Fest. Takes place with the grand opening of the Tacoma Children’s Museum. Participate in tournaments in basketball, gymnastics, fencing, and karate. There will also be on-going rock climbing, sport stacking, CrossFit, chess and more. Measure your distance in long jumping. Feel the sensation of being inside a real MMA cage. Try out hockey or check that golf swing. A series of FREE sports and fitness clinics will be presented by coaches, players, and organizers of youth sports in addition to health and wellness experts.

*Children’s Museum of Tacoma Grand Opening – Tacoma; 1/14-1/15; Explore the all new playscapes…unleash your imagination: make forts, play in the water, create art, and soar to the moon. Opening weekend is free and museum will now feature a pay-as-you-can price tag.

An added bonus: Nearby museums (The Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, and Tacoma Art Museum) are offering free admission for all children 17 or younger wearing a Children’s Museum wristband during the opening weekend.

*MLK Jr. Planting Event – Seattle; 1/14; 1:00pm to 4:00pm; Help honor Martin Luther King’s quest for peace by healing habitats through the planting of Pacific Northwest Natives at Discovery Park. Gloves, tools, plants and guidance provided. FREE

*Kids Cove Concerts – B ellevue; 1/14; 11:00am; Enjoy free family-friendly concerts on the second Saturdays of each month. This Saturdays entertainment will be provided by Casper Babypants.

*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 1/14; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

Sunday January 15th:

*Windless Kite Festival - Long Beach; 1/15; 8:00am to 5:00pm; The Windless Kite Festival is an indoor kite flying show, featuring individuals, duos and more choreographed air routines to music. The gym is open for participant practice, demonstrations, and indoor flying lessons except during performance times. There’s always something to see. FREE, donations accepted.

Monday January 16th:

*MLK Celebration at NAAM – Seattle; 1/16; Free admission to the museum, spoken word with open mic opportunities, film showing, and more.

* MLK Day at the Washington State History Museum - Tacoma; 1/16; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Free admission to the museum with special activities scheduled throughout the day. See a presentation by retired astronaut Bernard Harris, and a last chance to see the Tuskegee Airmen traveling exhibit. (Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!)

* Martin Luther King Day Celebration – Seattle; 1/16; 9:30am to 11:00am; 30th annual celebration: Recapturing MLK’s Revolutionary Spirit. Workshops, Rally, and March followed by free lunch.  (Garfield High School)

*Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther Kings Dream - Tacoma; 1/16; 11:00am to 1:00pm; 24th Annual MLK celebration. This years theme is ‘Forgiving the Past – Embracing the Future’. This event is a fun, uplifting, multi-cultural celebration that residents of the City of Tacoma and surrounding communities have embraced for almost 24 years. Community members are encouraged to bring a non-perishable donation for the annual MLK Food Drive.

* Celebration of A Dream - Bellevue; 1/14; 12:00pm to 3:00pm; This special tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will feature everything from musical entertainment to children’s activities to a health fair. The perfect mix of indoor activities to keep the Littles entertained on a winter day. Free.

Thursday January 19th:

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 1/19; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

*Tacoma Art Walk – Tacoma; 1/19; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Visit Tacoma’s downtown galleries during the third Thursday artwalk. FREE, includes the Museum of Glass, Washington State History Museum (free 2 to 8 p.m.) and Tacoma Art Museum.

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday January 13th:

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 1/13; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 8 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 1/13;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  1/13; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 1/13 & 1/14; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday January 14th:

*Family Day at the Washington County Museum - Portland; 1/14; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Free admission to the museum for family day, Scratch foam printing and pioneer clothing dress-up this month.

* Fort Vancouver National Historic Site - Vancouver;. 1/14-1/16; Free admission  as part of the Fee Free Days for National Pakrs.

* J.R.R. Tolkien Birthday Bash - Portland; 1/14; Starts at 11:00am; Free event that includes live music, the entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy in the Theater, kids fun, and more. Please bring a canned food donation.

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 1/14; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

*Portland Old-Time Music Gathering - Portland; 1/14; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Take a clogging lesson, try out the archaic Sacred Harp singing style, enjoy wonderful concerts, have fun with your kids in the family dance. And it’s all free, although any kind of donation is appreciated and will go toward defraying the cost of the Gathering.

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 1/14; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;1/14; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 1/14; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger.

Sunday January 15th:

*Portland Art Museum Family Day, Celebrating Japanese Prints - Portland; 1/14; 12:00pm to 5:00pm; Get free admission to the museum and make woodblock prints, create mini-ikebana flower arrangements and transform into fantastical Kabuki characters. Don’t miss this day of traditional and contemporary Japanese visual art, music, dance, and theater.

Monday January 16th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 1/16; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 1/16; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Thursday January 19th:

*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 1/19; Every Thursday from 11-12pm, join us for family friendly music! Every week Mr. Ben performs and kids are free to interact.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 1/14; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a hand in hand flower.

*Fee Free Days at National Parks - 1/14 – 1/16; Get in free to National Parks across the country that usually charge admission fees.

*Lowes Build And Grow Clinic - Saturday 1/14; 10:00am; Come join Lowes Build and Grow Clinic to build a castle with draw bridge. Register here.

* Michaels The Knack Events - 1/14; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Model car event. Make-It Take-It with purchase of model car kit. While Supplies Last / Ages 3 and up.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime - 1/14;  Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 1/13 – 1/19 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

This weekend, January 14th – 16th,  is the first weekend of 2012 that the National Parks will be offering FREE admission for all visitors. They offer several days throughout the year and it’s a great chance to spend the day as a family or with friends and check out a new park or an old favorite.

Here is the list of fee-free days at the National Parks for 2012:

• January 14-16 – Martin Luther King Jr Weekend 
  
• April 21-29 – National Park Week – free admission all week
  
• June 9 – Get Outdoors Day
  
• September 29 - National Public Lands Day
  
• November 10-12 - Veterans Day weekend

Mount Rainier National Park:

On another note, our deepest sympathies go to the family of Margaret Anderson, the ranger who was killed at Mt Rainier on New Years Day, putting her life on the line to save countless people at the park that day. My husband is a former State Park ranger, so we have a very special place in our heart for rangers & the  selfless work they do to protect those who visit the parks. So, please take a minute to thank a ranger for their efforts & sacrifices if you visit a National Park this weekend! 

Free Entrance at National Parks this Weekend is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium announced on their Facebook page that you can buy discounted tickets online at their website. I frequently get asked about discounts for the Pt Defiance Zoo, so this is definitely something to take advantage if you’re heading to the zoo for the day. These prices are valid from January 1st – April 30th. You can save as much as $2.50 / ticket & up to $10 off for a family of four. So, definitely worth buying your tickets before heading to the zoo so you don’t pay full-price at the gate.

Here are the prices you’ll find online at the Point Defiance Zoo website:

• Adults & Teens (ages 13-64) – $12 (regularly $14.50)
• Seniors (65 or older) – $11 (regularly $13.50)
• Youth (ages 5-12) – $10 (regularly $12.50)
• Tots (ages 3-4) – $6 (regularly $8.25)

If you have the Entertainment book, they also offer a coupon in the book for FREE youth admission when you buy an adult admission. So, that’s another way to save as well. You wouldn’t be able to use the coupon online, but you could buy the other tickets you need & then save the adult/youth ticket for when you get to the gate.  Entertainment books are currently $22.75 & don’t forget to shop thru Ebates to get an extra 17.5% cash-back on your order.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – Discounted Tickets Online is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam is headed to the Tacoma Dome this upcoming weekend from Friday January 13th – Sunday January 15th. There will be a total of 12 large trucks at this event, including 4 trucks that are new to the Puget Sound Monster Jam.

They are offering a special discount right now to Monster Jam – 2 kids tickets for just $5 each with every adult ticket purchased for $20 (advance purchase only).  This discount is automatic using online checkout thru Ticketmaster.com – no special promo codes needed. {This does not include taxes & any fees if you order online.}You can also purchase tickets at the Tacoma dome box or by phone at 800-745-3000.

If you’re heading to the show on Saturday, January 14th, they will be offering a special “Party in the Pits” pre-show event where you’ll get an up-close view of some of the vehicles & meet a few of the drivers. This event does cost extra, though - $10 for adults and $5 for kids (ages 2-12). You can purchase these online in advance and at the box office.

Monster Jam Dates & Times – Tacoma Dome:

• Friday, January 13  - 8:00 pm
• Saturday, January 14 – 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm   **Pit Party will run from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
• Sunday, January 15 – 1:00 pm

Monster Jam – $5 Kids Tickets with Adult Ticket is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday January 6th:

*Free Entrance To Hands On Childrens Museum – Olympia; 1/6; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Free entrance for the evening on the first Friday of each month.

* Free Admission To KidsQuest Children’s Musuem – Factoria; 1/6; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Friday evening of the month offers free admission.

*Free Entrance To Bellevue Art Museum – Bellevue; 1/6; 11:00am to 8:00pm. First Friday of the month Bellevue Art Museum offers free admission.

*Free Movies and Books – Kent; 1/6 – 1/8; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm. Jan. 6 The Man in the Iron Mask (PG-13), 10 a.m. Jan. 7 The Wizard of Oz (Unrated), 7 p.m. Jan. 7 Sherlock Holmes (PG-13), 1 p.m. Jan. 8 Voyage of the Dawn Treader (PG) . Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

*Friday Night Family Skate – West Seattle; 1/6; 6:45pm to 8:45pm; $3 fee. Family skating in a roller-rink atmosphere that includes the limbo, racing and snack bar. All ages and abilities are welcome! Borrow skates if you don’t have any–outdoor skates are not allowed. In the Alki Gym. This is an ongoing event, so check for unexpected schedule changes before dropping by.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 1/6; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

On the first Friday of the month Children’s stories are brought to life with movement and play in the Frye Art Museum galleries by Frye educators or librarians from The Seattle Public Library. Visit the galleries after story time. Ages 3 to 5 with adult. Both museum entrance and story time are free.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 1/6; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday January 7th:

*Ginormous Glaciers Super Saturday - Seattle; 1/7; 10:00am to 3:00pm; The glacier that created Seward Park was over 3,000 feet thick. That’s five times the height of the Space Needle. Since it is winter, stop by and explore how glaciers and ice shaped our region and continue to inspire us. As always, we’ll have lots of great glacier games and activities as well as glacially-appropriate arts and crafts.

* Movies at Lewis & Clark – Bellevue; 1/7; 2:00pm t0 3:00pm; Free showing of the family-friendly film “Baby Tales.” Ages 5 and older.

*Free Family Days At Seattle Asian Art Museum - Seattle; 1/7; 11:00am to 2:00pm; Admission to the Seattle Asian Art Museum is free on the first Saturday of each month for families.

*Family Day at the Karshner Museum – Puyallup; 1/7; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Small museum with lots of things kids can touch as well as special activities. It’s 3.00 a person/max of 10.00 a family (website not current, but event has been verified as current for this Saturday). Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 1/7; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

Sunday January 8th:

* Free Ski for Health Day – Leavenworth; 1/8; 12;30pm – 2:00pm; January is “Learn to Ski” Month.  They are offering FREE Nordic rentals, lessons & trail passes!  Take mini ski lessons in classic or skating techniques and enjoy yummy refreshments. Mini-ski lessons are available in classic and skate techniques lasting 20 minutes.

Wednesday January 11th:

*Bellevue Art Museum Free To Teens – Bellevue; 1/6; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; The Bellevue Art Museum is free to students of all ages with school ID . You will need to print this coupon out to take with you.

Thursday January 12th:

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 1/12; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

*Free Admission To NAAM - Seattle; 1/12; 11:00am to 7:00pm; The Northwest African American Museum is free on the second Thursday of each month.

*Free Admission To Seattle Asian Art Museum- Seattle; 1/12; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Second Thursday of the month SAAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Celebration of Martin Luther King at Benoroya Hall - Seattle; 1/12; 12:00pm – 1:00pm; A celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. features speakers and music. Space limited. Event is free.

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday January 6th:

*Great Eight Free Days at Lan Su Chinese Garden - Portland; through 1/9; 10:00am to 5:00pm daily; To kick off 2012 and a year full of events, Lan Su Chinese Garden will open Monday, January 2, through Monday, January 9, with no cost for admission (general admission is regularly $9.50). The garden shop expands into a garden pavilion to offer a dazzling display of Chinese New Year items in preparation for the beginning of the Year of the Dragon on January 23

*Free Admission To The Children’s Museum - Portland; 1/6; 4:00pm to 8:00pm; The first Friday of the month you Target sponsors free admission to the Childrens Museum. This month you can make a book.

*First Friday Art Walk  - SE Portland; 1/6;  6:00 pm to 9:00 pm; Hosted by Portland’s Eastside art galleries and alternative art venues, First Friday provides arts enthusiasts the opportunity to wander from gallery to gallery for artist receptions and openings during extended hours on the First Friday of every month.

* Camas First Friday - Portland; 1/6; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Come and join us for January’s First Friday- Game, Craft & Cocoa Night! Enjoy family friendly games and crafts throughout participating downtown merchants. Have fun and the chance to win prizes!

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 1/6; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 8 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 1/6;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  1/6; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 1/6 & 1/7; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday January 7th:

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 1/7; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 1/7; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;1/7; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 1/7; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger.

Monday January 9th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 1/9; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 1/9; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Tuesday January 10th:

*$4 Admission To Oregon Zoo – Portland; 1/10; 9am to 6pm; Oregon Zoo offers $4 admission on the second Tuesday of each month (children 2 and under are always free, $4 tickets available at the gate only).

Thursday January 12th:

*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 1/12; Every Thursday from 11-12pm, join us for family friendly music! Every week Mr. Ben performs and kids are free to interact.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 1/7; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a kids crafted calendar.

*Bank Of America Museums On Us Free Entrance – 1/8 & 1/9; Bank Of America card holders can get free entrance to Museums Nationwide. Check website for participating museums in your area.

*Home Depot Kids Workshop – 1/7; 9:00am to 12:00pm; Kids can participate in a workshop making a savings shed.

* Michaels The Knack Events - 1/7; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Make a fuzzy backpack friend. Free Make-It Take-It While Supplies Last / Ages 3 and up

* Michaels The Knack Events - 1/7; 3:00pm to 4:00pm; Make a fuzzy scarf. Free Make-It Take-It While Supplies Last / Ages 3 and up

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime - 1/7;  Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 1/6 – 1/12 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday December 30th:

*Train event at Lego Spot, City Blocks, in Freighthouse Square - Tacoma; through – 1/2; Come check out our Annual Holiday Train Show. Come see our running train display. We will have a playzone for children of all ages (LEGO and Duplo).

The Trainshow will run M-F 10am-5pm, and Sat/Sun 11am-4pm. Please check Freighthouse Square to make sure the facility will be open on New Year’s Day.  Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

* Model train festival at the History Museum - Tacoma; through- 1/1; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Running the week after Christmas, the 16th annual event will showcase eight model train displays designed and assembled by model train enthusiasts from across the state including: Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club, Cannonball Express, Pierce County Lionel Club, Mount Rainier N-Scale, 4D NTRACK Group, 4D PNR HO Modular Group, Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers and Washington State Operation Lifesaver. The displays will occupy every floor of the museum and include the largest permanent model train layout in the state. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Ivars Clam Lights – Renton; 5:00pm, to 9:00pm; Twinkle, twinkle little clam…Ivar’s hosts the 18th annual Clam Lights at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park in Renton (close off I-405)! As one of the largest lighted public displays on the Eastside, park greenery, holiday scenes and, of course, Ivar’s famous Dancing Clams, will be covered in thousands of twinkling lights to kick-off the holiday season. {We went to this a few weeks ago & were definitely impressed – it’s not a huge lights display but it was very well-done & very fun to eat our Ivars by the water & watch lighted boats go by. And it’s totally free – definitely something we’ll try to check out every year! –Jen}

*Garden d’Lights - Bellevue; 5:00 to 10:00pm through Dec.31st. Bellevue Botanical Garden creates a winter garden with hundreds of thousands of mini-lights in three-dimensional plant and critter shapes. Cost is $5.

*Fantasy Lights – Spanaway; Ongoing;  Drive through 2.5 miles of animated displays at Spanaway Park. 5:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. $13 per car or van.

*Bellevue Magic Season - Bellevue; 7:00pm daily; Celebration Lane performances Dec. 26-31. Come to Bellevue Way and NE 8th st as It snows nightly on live toy soldiers and other characters, music and a light show take place as well. Free event.

*Gingerbread Village Open – Seattle; through Jan. 1, 2012;  This is a free annual Christmas favorite exhibit held in the lobby of the Sheraton. Seattle architectural firms, trade associations and Sheraton Seattle culinary staff team up to design, bake and build fantastic gingerbread creations. 24 hours daily. FREE, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Saturday December 31st:

* Tacoma First Night - Tacoma; 12/31; Family-oriented, alcohol-free New Year’s Eve celebration of the arts includes a wide variety of performances both outside and in various Tacoma venues. Buttons cost $10 each. Children age 10 and under are free. Day of event, price goes up to $14 each.

All day activities include free admission when you Show your First Night button during daytime museum hours, to the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Washington State History Musuem, Museum of Glass and Tacoma Art Museum with your First Night button and free skate rentals at the downtown ice rink.

Evening festivites begin at  6:30 with the world’s shortest parade. Followed promptly by over a dozen stages of music, arts and entertainment. And make sure not to miss the fire spectacular beginning at 11:30PM

* New Years Eve at the Seattle Center - Seattle; 12/31; 8:00pm; Live music, revelry and fireworks from the Space Needle at midnight.

*Star Parties - Greenlake & Paramount Park; 12/31; 7:00pm; Dress in warm clothes to view celestial objects through instruments provided by Seattle Astronomical Society. Dusk at two locations, event canceled if rain or cloud cover. Free.

* Bradner Burn – Seattle; 12/31; 5:30-7:30 pm; Gather at one of Seattle’s community gardens to walk among luminaria and burn the bad stuff from the old year. Toss your regrets, and your hopes for the new year, into the Bradner Burn Barrel, and squeal with your friends and neighbors as they quite literally go up in flames

*Polar Bear Plunges are happening at various cities all around the Puget Sound, check your local city website to see if there is one taking place near  you.

Sunday January 1st:

*Free Movies and Books – Kent; 1/1; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm. 1p.m. Jan. 1 Prince Caspian (PG) . Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

* Wildlife Tour - Kirkland; 1/1; 1:00pm; Join Juanita Bay Park volunteer rangers for a wildlife interpretive tour. Bring binoculars. Free.

Thursday January 5th:

(Always make sure to call the museum ahead of time to confirm that they are still participating in these discount days/events/activities)

*Free Admission To Seattle Art Museum- Seattle; 1/5; 10:00am to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month SAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To Seattle Asian Art Museum- Seattle; 1/5; 10:00am to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month SAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To The Burke Museum – Seattle; 1/5; 10:00am to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month The Burke offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To The Museum Of History & Industry - Seattle; 1/5; 10:00am to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month MOHAI offers free admission to the museum.

* Free Admission To Wing Luke Museum – Seattle; 1/5; 10:00am to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month Wing Luke offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To Kids Discovery Museum – Bainbridge Island; 1/5; 10:00am to 4:00pm; First Thursday of the month Kids Discovery Museum offers free admission.

*Free Admission To The Museum Of Flight - Seattle; 1/5; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month Museum of Flight offers free admission.

*Free Admission To Henry Art Gallery – Seattle; 1/5; 11:00am to 9:00pm; First Thursday of the month Henry Art Gallery offers free admission.

*Free Admission To The Northwest African American Museum -  Seattle; 1/5; 11:00am to 7:00pm; First Thursday of the month NAAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Free Admission To Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum - Seattle; 1/5; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Thursday of the month offers free admission.

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 1/5; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday December 30th:

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 12/30; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 8 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Free Entrance To The Portland Art Museum- Portland; 12/30; at 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The Portland Art Museum offers free admission on the fourth Friday of every month.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 12/30;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  12/30; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 12/30 & 12/31; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday December 31st:

* New Year’s Eve Sock Hop - Portland; 12/31; 11:30am to 12:30pm;  Grab your dancing buddies, dress to impress, and head over to the library! We’ll have great music, games, refreshments and lots of dancing, plus a New Year’s Eve countdown at noon! Fun outfits and party dress encouraged. For children 6 years and younger with adult. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Fairview-Columbia Library. Space is limited.

* Soul Surfer - Portland; 12/31; 3:00pm; Free event, but space is limited to first 32 people. Watch and talk about this movie at Rockwood Library.

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 12/31; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;12/31; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 12/31; 10:00am to 11:30am; The Guided walk for this week is cancelled, but you can participate in Stewardship day at the park and help pull Ivy.

Sunday January 1st:

*$2 Days at OMSI – Portland; 1/1; 9:30am to 7:00pm; Explore the museum for $2 on the first Sunday of each month.

Monday January 2nd:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 1/2; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 1/2; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Wednesday January 4th:

*Wondrous Wednesday’s At The World Forestry Center – Washington Park; 1/4; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Reduced admission for The Discovery Museum. Get in for $3 on the first Wed. of each month.

Thursday January 5th:

* 3D Center of Art and Photography, Free Entrance – Portland; 1/5; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Free entrance on the first Thursday of the month; kids age 14 and under always free.

*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 1/5; Every Thursday from 11-12pm, join us for family friendly music! Every week Mr. Ben performs and kids are free to interact.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 12/31; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a New Years noise maker.

*Lego Stores Mini Models Build – Tues.  1/3; 5:00pm;  Build a LEGO C0bra, one free for kids 6-14 while supplies last. 5:00pm

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime – The Polar Express – Friday 12/31 at 7pm- Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 12/30 – 1/5 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

There are a number of fun holiday events & a few bazaars still happening this weekend as well  - so make sure to check out our large roundup of holiday events & bazaars around the Northwest. You can also check out our list of Christmas tree farms around the Puget Sound area.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday December 23rd:

*Ivars Clam Lights – Renton; 5:00pm, to 9:00pm; Twinkle, twinkle little clam…Ivar’s hosts the 18th annual Clam Lights at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park in Renton (close off I-405)! As one of the largest lighted public displays on the Eastside, park greenery, holiday scenes and, of course, Ivar’s famous Dancing Clams, will be covered in thousands of twinkling lights to kick-off the holiday season. {We went to this a few weeks ago & were definitely impressed – it’s not a huge lights display but it was very well-done & very fun to eat our Ivars by the water & watch lighted boats go by. And it’s totally free – definitely something we’ll try to check out every year! –Jen}

*Garden d’Lights - Bellevue; 5:00 to 10:00pm through Dec.31st. Bellevue Botanical Garden creates a winter garden with hundreds of thousands of mini-lights in three-dimensional plant and critter shapes. Cost is $5.

*Fantasy Lights – Spanaway; Ongoing;  Drive through 2.5 miles of animated displays at Spanaway Park. 5:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. $13 per car or van.

*Bellevue Magic Season - Bellevue; 7:00pm daily Nov. 26 through Dec. 24, Celebration Lane performances Dec. 26-31. Come to Bellevue Way and NE 8th st as It snows nightly on live toy soldiers and other characters, music and a light show take place as well. Free event.

*Free Christmas Movie – Kent; 12/23; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm.7 p.m. Dec 23: White Christmas. Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

*Gingerbread Village Open – Seattle; through Jan. 1, 2012;  This is a free annual Christmas favorite exhibit held in the lobby of the Sheraton. Seattle architectural firms, trade associations and Sheraton Seattle culinary staff team up to design, bake and build fantastic gingerbread creations. 24 hours daily. FREE, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 12/23; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 12/23; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday December 24th:

*Reindeer Festival - Seattle; 9:00am to 6:00pm; From November 12th until Christmas Eve, Swansons will feature Santa’s Live Reindeer every day! Dasher and Blitzen will be here every day for your viewing pleasure until Christmas. Join them for feeding times for more activity. Bring the family for a magical moment they’ll remember forever! Music, holiday train display, refreshments and face painting are all part of the festivities. Reindeer Photo Opportunities (bring your camera) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 12-27.

*Santa at Leavenworth Lodge - Leavenworth; 12/17 to 12/24; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Everyone can visit Santa. Kids will enjoy holiday treats and hot cocoa. Parents can warm up by the fireplace and take pictures of their kids with Santa. Visiting Santa and the town are free, you can also enjoy their Ski Hill activities: Tubing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Nordic Skiing, and Snowshoeing for a fee.

Sunday December 25th:

Merry Christmas!

Monday December 26th:

-Train event at Lego Spot, City Blocks, in Freighthouse Square - Tacoma; 12/26 – 1/2Come check out our Annual Holiday Train Show. Come see our running train display. We will have a playzone for children of all ages (LEGO and Duplo).

The Trainshow will run M-F 10am-5pm, and Sat/Sun 11am-4pm. Please check Freighthouse Square to make sure the facility will be open on New Year’s Day.  Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

-Model train festival at the History Museum - Tacoma; 12/26 – 1/1; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Running the week after Christmas, the 16th annual event will showcase eight model train displays designed and assembled by model train enthusiasts from across the state including: Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club, Cannonball Express, Pierce County Lionel Club, Mount Rainier N-Scale, 4D NTRACK Group, 4D PNR HO Modular Group, Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers and Washington State Operation Lifesaver. The displays will occupy every floor of the museum and include the largest permanent model train layout in the state. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

 Tuesday December 27th:

*Fun Beach Family Night – Seattle; 12/27;  6:00pm to 8:30pm; Every Tuesday in December for Family Night. Play volleyball, foosball, badminton, ping pong, and Xbox Kinect at our indoor beach. It’s $8/person or $25/family.

Thursday December 29nd:

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 12/29; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

*Recycalypso with Ian Dobson’s Pan Leggo Steel Drums - Puyallup; 12/29; 2:30pm to 3:30pm; Free. Join the junk jam session in the Puyallup Public Library meeting room. Recycalpyso is an opportunity to learn about the amazing history and culture of the steel drum. With Ian Dobson as your guide and the steel drum as your inspiring example, kids of all ages can explore creative ways to turn items that they think of as garbage into musical instruments. This is a concert and a workshop where participants gain a new appreciation for resourcefulness and repurposing, and an understanding of how frugality can lead to creativity. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday December 23rd:

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 12/23; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 6 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Free Entrance To The Portland Art Museum- Portland; 12/23 at 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The Portland Art Museum offers free admission on the fourth Friday of every month.

* Tannenbaum Madness - Portland; 12/23-12/25; Take a walk down NE Alberta Street and see whimsical, wacky, and artistic trees displayed in the windows of 30 businesses between NE 13th and 31st Avenues.

*Peacock Lane -  Portland;  6:00pm – 11:00pm, free.  Since the 1920s, each house in this quaint southeast neighborhood has been decorating for Christmas. Mostly Tudors, the houses are adorned with not only beautiful sparkling lights, but also nativity scenes, rotating Christmas trees and stunningly life-like replicas of Santa and Frosty.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 12/23;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  12/23; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 12/23 & 12/24; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday December 24th:

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 12/24; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 12/24; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;12/24; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 12/24; 10:00am to 11:30am; The Guided walk for this week is cancelled, but you can participate in Stewardship day at the park and help pull Ivy.

Sunday December 25th:

Merry Christmas!

Monday December 26th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 12/26; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 12/26; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 12/24; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a holiday ornaments.

* Free Coffee and Tea at Peet’s - 12/24, All Day.  To thank customers for supporting the annual charity drive, Peet’s Coffee & Tea stores will serve complimentary brewed coffee and tea all day.

* Bass Pro – National - Now through December 24th Bass Pro is offering free 4×6 studio quality photos with Santa in store.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime – The Polar Express – Friday 12/24 at 7pm- Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 12/23 – 12/29 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

There are a number of fun holiday events & a few bazaars still happening this weekend as well  - so make sure to check out our large roundup of holiday events & bazaars around the Northwest. You can also check out our list of Christmas tree farms around the Puget Sound area.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday December 16th:

*Ivars Clam Lights – Seattle; 12/16; 5:00pm, to 9:00pm; Twinkle, twinkle little clam…Ivar’s hosts the 18th annual Clam Lights at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park! As one of the largest lighted public displays on the Eastside, park greenery, holiday scenes and, of course, Ivar’s famous Dancing Clams, will be covered in thousands of twinkling lights to kick-off the holiday season.

*Garden d’Lights - Bellevue; 5:00 to 10:00pm through Dec.31st. Bellevue Botanical Garden creates a winter garden with hundreds of thousands of mini-lights in three-dimensional plant and critter shapes. Cost is $5.

*Fantasy Lights – Spanaway; Ongoing;  Drive through 2.5 miles of animated displays at Spanaway Park. 5:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. $13 per car or van.

*Bellevue Magic Season - Bellevue; 7:00pm daily Nov. 26 through Dec. 24, Celebration Lane performances Dec. 26-31. Come to Bellevue Way and NE 8th st as It snows nightly on live toy soldiers and other characters, music and a light show take place as well. Free event.

*Free Christmas Movie – Kent; 12/16; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm.7 p.m. Dec 16: Polar Express 10 a.m. Dec 17: A Christmas Story 7 p.m. Dec 17: It’s a Wonderful Life 1 p.m. Dec 18: Muppet’s Christmas Carol 7 p.m.. Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

*Gingerbread Village Open – Seattle; through Jan. 1, 2012;  This is a free annual Christmas favorite exhibit held in the lobby of the Sheraton. Seattle architectural firms, trade associations and Sheraton Seattle culinary staff team up to design, bake and build fantastic gingerbread creations. 24 hours daily. FREE, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

*Friday Night Live - Everett; 11/18; 5:30pm to 9pm; Admission is FREE to Imagine Children’s Museum on the third Fridays of each month.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 12/16; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 12/16; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday December 17th:

*Reindeer Festival - Seattle; 9:00am to 6:00pm; From November 12th until Christmas Eve, Swansons will feature Santa’s Live Reindeer every day! Dasher and Blitzen will be here every day for your viewing pleasure until Christmas. Join them for feeding times for more activity. Bring the family for a magical moment they’ll remember forever! Music, holiday train display, refreshments and face painting are all part of the festivities. Reindeer Photo Opportunities (bring your camera) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 12-27.

*Christmas At The Old Cannery – Sumner; 12/17-12/18; 11:00am to 4:00pm;  Enjoy FREE Santa pictures, free carriage rides.  They do accept cash donations for local food bank.

*Breakfast With Santa - Demoines; 12/17; 9:00am to 10:15pm or 10:15om to 10:45pm; Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast with Santa. Kids have the opportunity to participate in holiday activities and visit with Santa about their Christmas wish list, picture opps available too. Children with an adult. $8 child, $4 adult, free ages 2 and younger. Registration required.

*Free Wing Luke Museum Entrance – Seattle; 12/17; 10:00am to 8:00pm; The Wing Luke Museum offers free admission on the third Saturday of each month, for family day.

*Gingerbread Architecture at Bellevue Art Museum – Bellevue; 12/17; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission. With graham crackers, icing and a range of materials for decoration available, come and create your very own architectural piece – whether it be a house, sculpture or something different altogether.

*Santa at Leavenworth Lodge - Leavenworth; 12/17 to 12/24; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Everyone can visit Santa. Kids will enjoy holiday treats and hot cocoa. Parents can warm up by the fireplace and take pictures of their kids with Santa. Visiting Santa and the town are free, you can also enjoy their Ski Hill activities: Tubing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Nordic Skiing, and Snowshoeing for a fee.

*Hanukkah Under The Stars - Mercer Island; 12/17; Features the Seattle kids rock band The Not Its with opening acts PJ Library and The Sababas. Dinner available from Stopsky’s Delicatessen, Island Crust Pizza or Kosher Chinese. FREE with donation of a bottle of oil for the JFS food bank

Monday December 19th:

*Warm Beach Lights Of Christmas, Pay What You Can Day – Stanwood; 12/19;5:00pm to 10:00pm; (open Dec. 1-4, 8-11, 15-23 and 26-28. $15, $10 seniors and military, $9 ages 4 to 12, free ages 3 and younger, but 12/19 is Pay-what-you- can day!). Huge Christmas lights display that includes jaw-dropping light displays, live music and drama, pony rides, nativity, Bruce the (talking) Spruce and more.

Thursday December 22nd:

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 12/22; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday December 16th:

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 12/16;10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 6 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Peacock Lane’s ‘Pedestrian-only’ nights -  Portland; 12/15 – 12/16 6:00pm – 11:00pm, free. This is the last opportunity to visit Peacock lane when no vehicles are allowed. Since the 1920s, each house in this quaint southeast neighborhood has been decorating for Christmas. Mostly Tudors, the houses are adorned with not only beautiful sparkling lights, but also nativity scenes, rotating Christmas trees and stunningly life-like replicas of Santa and Frosty.

*Christmas Ship Parade - Portland; 12/16-12/17; This parade of boats, each one decorated with holiday lights, sets sail every evening through December 20 on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 12/16;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 12/16; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!  This is the second to last weekend of the season to enjoy this nature walk.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  12/16; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 12/16 & 12/17; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday December 17th:

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 12/17; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

*Family Day At The History Museum – 12/17; 11:00am to 3:00pm; Enjoy the spirit of the holidays at the OHS December Family Day! View and learn more about our featured exhibit, Red Shield of the Rose City: 125 Years of the Salvation Army in Portland. A historic model train display, holiday carolers, and crafts for kids are just a few more of the wonders that await you! Two children admitted free with one paid adult admission. All Multnomah County residents are now FREE.

*2011 Christmas Ships and Winter Solstice Bonfire -Milwaukie Riverfront Park; 12/17; 4:00pm – 6:00pm. Free. Come view the Christmas Ships around 5:30 p.m.,  purchase hot cocoa, coffee, hot dogs & desserts,  listen to the Dickens Carolers and warm by the bonfire.

*Oregon Maritime Museum Family Saturday - Saturday; 12/17;  11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Families are invited to discover Portland’s maritime history with a craft project to take home. Museum Family Saturdays, on the third Saturday of every month, are free to families with children under 18.

* Weekend Guided Walk of the Leach Botanical Gardens - Portland; 12/17; 11:00am; Check out what’s blooming!  Free, and for all ages.  Thanks PDX Kids Calendar!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 12/17; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;12/17; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission. You can also download a coupon while schools out (12/18 – 1/2 for 2 Skate for $8 ($4 ea)).

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 12/17; 10:00am to 11:30am; Join park rangers for a free guided nature hike.

Monday December 19th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 12/19; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 12/19; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Wednesday December 21st:

*Honeybee Happenings – Portland – Leach Botanical Society; 12/21; 10:00am to 11:00am; Weekly nature-related story time and craft activities for young children (Ages 1-6)and their parents with short outdoor explorations if weather permits. $2 per child. No pre-registration required.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 12/17; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a playful penguin puppet.

*Lowes Build And Grow Clinic - Saturday 12/17; 10:00am; Come join Lowes Build and Grow Clinic to build the final piece of the Build and Grow Train. Register here.

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/17; 10:00pm to 12:00pm; Make a duct tape luggage tag.

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/17; 12:00pm to 2:00pm; Make a poinsettia card.

* Bass Pro – National - Now through December 24th Bass Pro is offering free 4×6 studio quality photos with Santa in store.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime – The Polar Express – Friday 12/17 at 7pm- Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 12/16 -12/22 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

There are a number of fun holiday events & a few bazaars still happening this weekend as well  - so make sure to check out our large roundup of holiday events & bazaars around the Northwest. You can also check out our list of Christmas tree farms around the Puget Sound area.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday December 9th:

*Ivars Clam Lights – Seattle; 12/9; 5:00pm, to 9:00pm; Twinkle, twinkle little clam…Ivar’s hosts the 18th annual Clam Lights at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park! As one of the largest lighted public displays on the Eastside, park greenery, holiday scenes and, of course, Ivar’s famous Dancing Clams, will be covered in thousands of twinkling lights to kick-off the holiday season.

*Fantasy Lights – Spanaway; Ongoing;  Drive through 2.5 miles of animated displays at Spanaway Park. 5:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. $13 per car or van.

*Snowflake Ball Father Daughter Dance – Kirkland; 12/9; Ages 3 to 10 years with Dad. Start an annual tradition for a fun Father/Daughter Dance with an enchanted evening of music and dancing; create a princess craft, and enjoy beverages and goodies. Dress up in your finest clothes or princess gowns since this will be a magical night spent with Dad! Adult attends with daughter – no additional cost. $23 Resident/$28 Non-Resident 2nd child $12 Resident/$15 Non-Resident.

*Free Holiday Concert – Kenmore; 12/9; 7:00pm Annual concert features Northwest regional choir Breath of Aire performing seasonal and holiday favorites.

*Free Christmas Movie – Kent; 12/9; 7:00pm; Free movies to watch, free popcorn to munch and coffee and tea to keep you warm.Dec 9: Chronicles of Narnia – Lion, witch 10 a.m. Dec 10: Elf 7 p.m. Dec 10: Nutcracker 1 p.m. Dec 11: Miracle on 34th Street 7 p.m. Ask about Kids Free Book program while you are there.

*Seattle Art Museum Free To Teens – Seattle; 12/9; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; The Seattle Art Museum is free to teens 13 to 19 with school ID on the second Friday of each month.

*Gingerbread Village Open – Seattle; through Jan. 1, 2012;  This is a free annual Christmas favorite exhibit held in the lobby of the Sheraton. Seattle architectural firms, trade associations and Sheraton Seattle culinary staff team up to design, bake and build fantastic gingerbread creations. 24 hours daily. FREE, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 12/9; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 12/9; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday December 10th:

*Reindeer Festival - Seattle; 9:00am to 6:00pm; From November 12th until Christmas Eve, Swansons will feature Santa’s Live Reindeer every day! Dasher and Blitzen will be here every day for your viewing pleasure until Christmas. Join them for feeding times for more activity. Bring the family for a magical moment they’ll remember forever! Music, holiday train display, refreshments and face painting are all part of the festivities. Reindeer Photo Opportunities (bring your camera) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 12-27.

*Christmas Ship & Beach Bonfire – West Seattle; 12/10 – 12/12; Enjoy a bonfire and holiday carols with the Argosy Christmas Ship at various locations in West Seattle. Individual community centers will be serving warm beverages at each event.

*Christmas At The Old Cannery – Sumner; 12/10-12/11; 11:00am to 4:00pm;  Enjoy FREE Santa pictures, free carriage rides.  They do accept cash donations for local food bank.

*Santa Palooza – Northgate Mall; 12/10; Santa’s elves are taking over Calfornia Pizza Kitchen and preparing a fabulous Santa breakfast! Enjoy hot breakfast pizzas, check out the brand new Children’s Play Area (Santa will be cutting the ribbon), rock out with Radio Disney and enjoy holiday karaoke caroling, dancing, and prizes. Plus, decorate ornaments and make reindeer food for Rudolph and the gang! Kidgit Members Free (new members $5)

*Make a Gingerbread House at Bellevue Art Museum – Bellevue; 12/10; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission. This week you can get crafty by making Gingerbread architecture!

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

Monday December 12th:

*Garden d’Lights – Bellevue; 5:00 to 10:00pm through Dec.31st. Bellevue Botanical Garden creates a winter garden with hundreds of thousands of mini-lights in three-dimensional plant and critter shapes. Cost is $5 but free days are 12/12-12/14.

Thursday December 15th:

*Tacoma Art Walk – Tacoma; 12/15; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Visit Tacoma’s downtown galleries during the third Thursday artwalk. FREE, includes the Museum of Glass, Washington State History Museum (free 2 to 8 p.m.) and Tacoma Art Museum.

*Westfield Family Fun day –  Tukwila; 12/15; 10:00am to 11:00am; Come dressed in your favorite pajamas for a morning of fun. Listen to a story from Mrs. Claus, snack on tasty treats from PinkaBella Cupcakes & Jamba Juice, enjoy a make & take craft, plus if you’re very good there might be a special visit by Santa himself.  Its a free event for members (free to join).

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 12/15; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday December 9th:

* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 12/9;10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 6 hr/per parent and child, new to Monkey Studios register here.

*Soul’d Out In The Square – Portland; 12/9; 5:30-6:30pm; Free concert in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Don’t miss out on the sounds of the A Cappella group, Soul’d Out who were recently contestants on NBC’s hit show, The Sing Off!

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 12/9;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 12/9; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!  This is the second to last weekend of the season to enjoy this nature walk.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  12/9; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 12/9 & 12/10; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday December 10th:

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 12/10; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

*Family Day at the Washington County Museum - Portland; 12/10; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Free admission to the museum for family day, make ornaments, paper bags and puppets this month.

*Holidays At Nob Hill - Portland; 12/10; Enjoy free photos with Santa at Homestreet Bank 11am-1pm. Carolers and elves will also bring cheer and small gifts to the neighborhood. Free Parking at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital

*Country Christmas At Foster Farms – Portland; 12/10- 12/11; 11:00am to 4:00pm; Free event. Santa’s in the parlor, free hot cider in the dining room, live music and hosts in period clothing give you the authentic Pioneer Christmas experience. Trees, wreaths, books, games and toys for sale in the store.

*21st Annual Tuba Christmas – Portland; 12/10; 1:30pm; Downtown will pulse with the melodic sounds of big brass led by Chuck Bolton as over 225 tubas play in unison at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

* Weekend Guided Walk of the Leach Botanical Gardens - Portland; 12/10; 11:00am; Check out what’s blooming!  Free, and for all ages.  Thanks PDX Kids Calendar!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 12/10; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 12/10; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;12/10; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission.

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 12/10; 10:00am to 11:30am; Join park rangers for a free guided nature hike.

Monday December 12th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 12/12; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 12/12; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Tuesday December 13th:

*$4 Admission To Oregon Zoo – Portland; 12/13; 9am to 6pm; Oregon Zoo offers $4 admission on the second Tuesday of each month (children 2 and under are always free, $4 tickets available at the gate only).

Wednesday December 14th:

*Honeybee Happenings – Portland – Leach Botanical Society; 12/14; 10:00am to 11:00am; Weekly nature-related story time and craft activities for young children (Ages 1-6)and their parents with short outdoor explorations if weather permits. $2 per child. No pre-registration required.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 12/10; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a Jolly Snowman.

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/10; 12:00pm to 2:00pm; Write a Santa Letter

* Bass Pro – National - Now through December 24th Bass Pro is offering free 4×6 studio quality photos with Santa in store.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime – The Polar Express – Friday 12/9 at 7pm- Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

*Barnes & Noble – Angry Birds Day - Sunday 12/11 from 11am – 3pm

Fun & Frugal Family Events 12/9 -12/15 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I have a special discount for local Thrifty NW Mom readers who live near the Puyallup area. The Images & Events company is offering a 20% discount on your entire purchase for Santa pictures at the South Hill mall in Puyallup. This discount is available only today December 5th  thru Thursday December 8th. You’ll need to make sure to bring this printable coupon along with you to the mall to receive your discount.

If you’re looking for FREE pictures with Santa, Centsible in Seattle has a list of free Santa picture opportunities around the Puget Sound area. There is also a great place called the Old Cannery in Sumner, WA (near Puyallup) that offers FREE Santa pictures on the weekends (AND free carriage rides – how cool is that?)

20% off Santa Photos – South Hill Mall in Puyallup, WA is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Red Tricycle is one of my favorite resource sites for the Northwest as they feature a number of family-friendly events & activities each week plus great parenting articles. They have websites specific for Seattle & Portland (as well as San Diego, San Francisco, & Los Angeles) & you can sign up to receive their weekly e-newsletters filled with information for your area.

Right now, Red Tricycle is having 12 Days of Giveaways where they will be featuring 12 prizes each worth $500 or more for a total value of over $7000. You have from now thru December 13th to sign up to win your favorite prize out of all the ones that are featured. Starting on December 14th through the 25th, they will draw one winner for each of the prizes. See the full list of prizes.

Here are just a few of the prizes you can enter to win:

• $500 See Kai Run gift card
• Springfree Trampoline
• Phil & Teds Explorer Stroller
• Mountain Buggy Duet Stroller
• Squaw Valley Family Fun Ski Pack

Red Tricycle 12 Days of Giveaways – 12 Prizes, Each Worth $500 or more! is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

For my Oregon readers, there’s a great deal on waterpark admission today in McMinnville: buy 2 passes to the Evergreen Wings & Waves indoor waterpark + you’ll get a $10 Sharing Spree credit for $39.

This place looks amazing: it’s an educational waterpark with ten waterslides (including one that drops out of an actual Boeing 747), a wave pool and a hands-on science center to teach students about the power of water.Wow, I didn’t know such a thing existed – we might have to check this out the next time we’re in the Portland area.  I think this could be a great experience gift for your kids or grandkids, too!

This is up to a $60 value (children 3 & under are free). Make sure to check the rates yourself on the website as some days are cheaper & it may be a better deal to purchase the tickets directly if you’re going during the week.

Fine Print:

• May purchase up to 2 vouchers per person, for a total of 4 entrances.
• May purchase additional vouchers as gifts.
• No cash value.
• Not valid with any other offers or discounts. No change given.
• Entire voucher must be used in one visit.
• Voucher expires 2/28/12.
• $10 in Sharing Spree credits are limited in quantity.

Thanks to FB Fans Bethany & Emily for sharing!

2 Passes to Evergreen Wings & Waves Waterpark + $10 Sharing Spree Credit for $39 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

There are a number of fun holiday bazaars happening this weekend as well  - so make sure to check out our large roundup of holiday events & bazaars around the Northwest.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday December 2nd:

*Christmas In The Country- Bainbridge Island; 12/2-12/4; 10:00am to 5:00pm (opens at 11:00am on Sun.); Arts and crafts in classic homes and farms on Bainbridge Island. Includes food, Santa photos, live music and free pony rides.

*Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition – Seattle; 12/2; 5:00pm tp 8:30pm; Zany annual event involves more than 40 teams of carolers competing in various categories, in and around Westlake Center. (entertainment 5 to 6 p.m. features Caspar Babypants and cast members from 5th Avenue Theatre’s Cinderella; 7:15 p.m. Seahawks Blue Thunder Drumline). FREE, monetary donations encouraged.

*Story Time With Mrs. Claus – Northgate; 12/2; 10:30am to 11:30am; Story Time with Mrs. Claus at Northgate Mall’s Santa Set. Come listen to the lovable Mrs. Claus read holiday favorites that delight and amaze the little ones. She’ll also hand out her freshly baked sugar cookies and sing holiday carols at our lovely Sherman Clay Grand Piano.

*Christmas Tree Lighting Festival - Lakewood; 12/2; 4:00pm to 7:00pm; Tree lighting, entertainment, Christmas crafts, kiddie parade and Santa visit.

*After Hours At The Conservatory – Seattle; 12/2; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Live music, holiday displays and shopping in the gift shop at Volunteer Park Conservatory. Free. To celebrate the centennial anniversary in 2012 of the Volunteer Park Conservatory, the Friends of the Conservatory have sponsored the installation of energy-efficient lighting which will frame the Conservatory and remain installed through 2012.

*Ivars Clam Lights – Seattle; 12/2; 6:30pm to 9:00pm; Winkle, twinkle little clam…Ivar’s hosts the 18th annual Clam Lights lighting ceremony at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park! As one of the largest lighted public displays on the Eastside, park greenery, holiday scenes and, of course, Ivar’s famous Dancing Clams, will be covered in thousands of twinkling lights to kick-off the holiday season. While there, spectators will be treated to the Argosy Christmas Ship parade and festive tunes from a local choir.

*Lenin Lighting - Freemont; 12/2; 5:00pm; The 20-foot-tall Fremont statue of Lenin is lit for the season, in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk.

*Free Entrance To Hands On Childrens Museum – Olympia; 12/2; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Free entrance for the evening on the first Friday of each month.

*Free Childrens Museum Of Tacoma Entrance – Tacoma; 12/2; 10:00am to 7:00pm; First Friday of the month The Children’s Museum of Tacoma offers free admission.

* Free Admission To KidsQuest Children’s Musuem – Factoria; 12/2; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Friday evening of the month offers free admission.  This month you can celebrate early settlers life. Celebrate Bellevue’s history and learn about early settler life. Help do household chores by rolling dough, washing clothes, beating rugs and more. Sponsored by Eastside Heritage Center.

*Free Entrance To Bellevue Art Museum – Bellevue; 12/2; 11:00am to 8:00pm. First Friday of the month Bellevue Art Museum offers free admission.

*Gingerbread Village Open – Seattle; through Jan. 1, 2012;  This is a free annual Christmas favorite exhibit held in the lobby of the Sheraton. Seattle architectural firms, trade associations and Sheraton Seattle culinary staff team up to design, bake and build fantastic gingerbread creations. 24 hours daily. FREE, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 12/2; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

On the first Friday of the month Children’s stories are brought to life with movement and play in the Frye Art Museum galleries by Frye educators or librarians from The Seattle Public Library. Visit the galleries after story time. Ages 3 to 5 with adult. Both museum entrance and story time are free.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 12/2; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday December 3nd:

*Santa Parade & Tree Lighting in downtown Puyallup – Puyallup, starts at 5pm with the parade & then afterwards will be the Tree lighting & ice skating at Pioneer Park

*Winterfest – Burien; 12/2; 10:00am to 4:00pm; Horse and carriage rides, hayrides, treats, santa photos and more.

*Vashon Islands Winterfest – Vashon Island; 12/3 -12/4; Santa Parade and Tree Lighting, Gingerbread house contest and more. See website for schedule of events.

*Free Family Days At Seattle Asian Art Museum - Seattle; 12/3; 11:00am to 2:00pm; Admission to the Seattle Asian Art Museum is free on the first Saturday of each month for families.

*Reindeer Festival - Seattle; 9:00am to 6:00pm; From November 12th until Christmas Eve, Swansons will feature Santa’s Live Reindeer every day! Dasher and Blitzen will be here every day for your viewing pleasure until Christmas. Join them for feeding times for more activity. Bring the family for a magical moment they’ll remember forever! Music, holiday train display, refreshments and face painting are all part of the festivities. Reindeer Photo Opportunities (bring your camera) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 12-27.

*Family Day at the Karshner Museum – Puyallup; 12/3; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Small museum with lots of things kids can touch as well as special activities. It’s 3.00 a person/max of 10.00 a family (website not current, but event has been verified as current for this Saturday). Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Star Parties - Greenlake & Paramount Park; 12/3; 7:00pm; Dress in warm clothes to view celestial objects through instruments provided by Seattle Astronomical Society. Dusk at two locations, event canceled if rain or cloud cover. Free.

*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 12/3; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

Monday December 5th:

*Garden d’Lights – Bellevue; 5:00 to 10:00pm through Dec.31st. Bellevue Botanical Garden creates a winter garden with hundreds of thousands of mini-lights in three-dimensional plant and critter shapes.  Cost is $5 but FREE nights are 12/5-7.

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday December 2nd:

*Multnomah Village Holiday Gala- Multnoham; 12/2-12/3; The tree will be lit at 6:42 pm on Friday night. Stay around for horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, hot chocolate, and more. Festivities continue on Saturday with Santa breakfast and more.

*Camas Hometown Holidays Celebration – Camas; 12/2, 6:00pm to 8:30pm; Festivities include the tree lighting, visit from Santa, crafts for the kids, hayrides, free photos with Santa (donations accepted for windows on life), and more.

*West Linn Holiday Tree Lighting Event - West Linn; 12/2; Starts at 6:00pm; Festivities include tree lighting, Chugga Chugga Choo Choo train that will provide rides for children, Little ones can warm up inside with cookie decorating and a movie at City Hall.

*Free Admission To The Children’s Museum - Portland; 12/2; 4:00pm to 8:00pm; The first Friday of the month you Target sponsors free admission to the Childrens Museum. This month you can make a book.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 12/2;  11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.

* Milwaukie Art a la Carte First Friday & Free Piano Concert - Portland; 12/2; 4:00pm to 8:00pm; Milwaukie’s monthly First Friday event. Businesses in historic downtown Milwaukie host art shows and music. Piano concert starts at 7:00pm.

*First Friday Art Walk  - SE Portland; 12/2;  6:00 pm to 9:00 pm; Hosted by Portland’s Eastside art galleries and alternative art venues, First Friday provides arts enthusiasts the opportunity to wander from gallery to gallery for artist receptions and openings during extended hours on the First Friday of every month.

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 12/2; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!  This is the second to last weekend of the season to enjoy this nature walk.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  12/2; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 12/2 & 12/3; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday December 3rd:

*Gresham Tree Lighting and Holiday Events - Gresham; 12/3; 9:00am to 6:30pm; Bring your family and spend the day enjoying entertainment, in-store specials, a visit from Santa and a tree-lighting ceremony in the city’s.

*Hillsboro Holly Days - Hillsboro; 12/3; 1:00pm to 5:30pm; Festivities include 35 vendors including artists, crafts, local food and drinks and fresh winter produce, visit with Santa, enjoy arts and crafts and holiday music, explore the full-size indoor playground. Get a free cup of cocoa and a cookie provided by Costco and enjoy the tree lighting and more.

*Sherwood Winter Festival - 12/3; Starts at 4:00pm. Festivities include a parade that starts at Post Office Plaza at 4:00 pm, free hot dogs and hot cocoa, entertainment, tree lighting, and more.

*Milwaukie Umbrella Parade and Tree Lighting Event - The parade will start at Waldorf School at 4:00 pm. Decorate an umbrella in the theme of your choice and join us for the Milwaukie Umbrella Parade and Tree Lighting. Santa Claus will join the festivities and treats will be served!

*Oregon City Holiday Tree Lighting - Oregon City, 12/3;  4:30pm to 6:00pm; Holiday music, a visit from Santa, refreshments and more.

*Christmas Ships Parade Preview - 12/3;  7:00pm, the fleet of boats, each one decorated with holiday lights, will assemble in front of the Port of Camas/Washougal and parade in the area of the docks for about an hour. The fleet will then return to Portland on the Washington side.

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 11/5; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!

* Weekend Guided Walk of the Leach Botanical Gardens - Portland; 12/3; 11:00am; Check out what’s blooming!  Free, and for all ages.  Thanks PDX Kids Calendar!

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 12/3; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 12/3; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;12/3; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission.

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 12/3; 10:00am to 11:30am; Join park rangers for a free guided nature hike.

Sunday December 4th:

*$2 Days at OMSI – Portland; 11/6; 9:30am to 7:00pm; Explore the museum for $2 on the first Sunday of each month.

Monday December 5th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 12/5; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 12/5; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Wednesday December 7th:

*Wondrous Wednesday’s At The World Forestry Center – Washington Park; 12/7; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Reduced admission for The Discovery Museum. Get in for $3 on the first Wed. of each month.

*Honeybee Happenings – Portland – Leach Botanical Society; 12/7; 10:00am to 11:00am; Weekly nature-related story time and craft activities for young children (Ages 1-6)and their parents with short outdoor explorations if weather permits. $2 per child. No pre-registration required.

Thursday December 8th:

* 3D Center of Art and Photography, Free Entrance – Portland; 12/8; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Free entrance on the first Thursday of the month; kids age 14 and under always free.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 12/3; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a magnetic mitten notepad.

*Bank Of America Museums On Us Free Entrance – 12/3 & 12/4; Bank Of America card holders can get free entrance to Museums Nationwide. Check website for participating museums in your area.

*Lowes Build And Grow Clinic - Saturday 12/3; 10:00am; Come join Lowes Build and Grow Clinic to make a build and grow train. Register here.

*Home Depot Kids Workshop – 12/3; 9:00am to 12:00pm; Kids can participate in a workshop making Snowman Napkin Holders.

*Lego Stores Mini Models Build – Tues.  12/6; 5:00pm;  Build a LEGO Turkey, one free for kids 6-14 while supplies last. 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/3; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Learn about Christmas in Australia and Christmas Calendars.

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/3; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Learn about Christmas in Australia and stockings.

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/4; 3:00pm to 4:00pm; Learn about Christmas in Germany and Santa and Rudolphs Treat Bags.

* Michaels Make Passport Adventures - 12/4; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Learn about Christmas in Germany and Rudolphs Kitchen.

*National Geographic Little Explorer– 12/3; 3:00pm & 4:0pm; Kids 3 and up will learn about polar bears, penguins, and other animals through quizzes, hands on activities, songs and more.

* Bass Pro – National - Now through December 24th Bass Pro is offering free 4×6 studio quality photos with Santa in store.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime – Sat. 12/3;  Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

*Reindeer Festival - Seattle; 9:00am to 6:00pm; From November 12th until Christmas Eve, Swansons will feature Santa’s Live Reindeer every day! Dasher and Blitzen will be here every day for your viewing pleasure until Christmas. Join them for feeding times for more activity. Bring the family for a magical moment they’ll remember forever! Music, holiday train display, refreshments and face painting are all part of the festivities. Reindeer Photo Opportunities (bring your camera) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 12-27.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 12/2 -12/8 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

We’re taking a break from the Cyber Monday deals tonight to highlight a very special Food Drive. Starting Tuesday November 29th, the spouses & family members of the 4 fallen Lakewood Police Officers will be remembering their loved ones on the anniversary of their death with a special food drive. They started the Fallen Officers Food Drive last year on the 1st anniversary of their murders & they will be once again offering the Food Drive this year as a way to remember the officers & honor their dedication to their community. All of the donations will go to the Emergency Food Network, which provides donations to organizations & food banks around Pierce County.

Here are the items that are most needed for the food drive: peanut butter, baby food and formula, fruit juices and canned fruits, vegetables, meat, stews and fish. They also could really use cash donations to the Emergency Food Network. This is a great opportunity as couponers to support the efforts of the slain officers’ family members & make a difference by putting our couponing skills to use to benefit the Emergency Food Network.

Don’t forget to check out our roundup of Food Banks in Western Oregon & Western Washington! Find a local food bank & go thru your stockpiles to see what you can donate – don’t forget that they can always use household/toiletry items, too, to give to the families.

Here are the details of the Food Drive:

Dates: Tuesday November 29th – Monday December 5th

Locations:

• Lakewood Police Department (the spouses & significant others will be there collecting food on Tuesday from 8am – 6pm)
• All Pierce County Forza locations
• All Pierce County Library branches
• Lakewood Ace Hardware, 8123 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W.
• Rusty’s Auto and Truck Repair, 19912 Meridian Ave. E., in Graham

Giving Back…Fallen Officers Food Drive – Tuesday November 29th – Monday December 5th is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

This is a great time of year to give thanks for all that we have been blessed with and to help those who may not be as fortunate.  We will be highlighting ways over the next few weeks that you can give back & include your families (even families with young children) so that they can experience the joy in giving back to others  this holiday season.

We recently had a speaker come to our MOPS group, Bill Bowers from the One Another Foundation (awesome speaker by the way – I highly recommend him if you’re looking for a speaker for your local group) & he shared about a variety of programs serving those in the community just here in Pierce County. It really resonated with me that even though I do have young children & think that there are not always a lot of ways that I can serve, there really are so many opportunities out there – just so many people in need within our own community.  I really want to instill in my children the love of service to others & to be generous in our giving, since God has blessed us with so much & we can in turn bless others. If you start teaching your children about giving early on, it will become a part of who they are. So, that is one of our goals for this holiday season & I will be sharing with you the opportunities that we find to hopefully give you some ideas of ways you can help in your local community.

I know for many families, budgets are so very tight & it’s hard to think about giving when you’re barely making ends meet yourselves. However, couponers often have a stockpile of items in their home or can find personal care items for free (or even better than free) and that is one way we can give back even with those tighter budgets. Have you ever thought about donating some stockpile items to a Food Bank?

In this economy, food banks are seeing more and more families utilizing their services and are having difficulties keeping up with the demand.  Maybe your family is one that has been faced by hardships this year & you are in need of a food bank or meal program to be able to food on the table as you struggle to keep up with the bills.  Hopefully this list will be a resource for you to find a location near you where you can go to get help.

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This list is by no means an exhaustive list as there are hundreds of food banks around the Northwest. These are actually the food banks that were submitted by you, the readers, a number of months ago when we had you fill out a form with information about local food banks. We’ve finally compiled all of these together & thought that this holiday season was a great time to give you this information so you can think of ways that your family can bless others.

If you’d like to add a location to our food bank list, you can fill out our short form with as much information as you know & we will try to add them to our list (or if any information needs to be updated).

State Resources:

Northwest Harvest.Org:   One of the best resources I found for Washington state was the Northwest Harvest website. They have a list where you can search by county to find a list of food banks & meal programs for your area. This is a great resource for those of you who need these services, as well as a resource for those who want to find out a way to help – either by donating food or money to these programs or even volunteering your time to help out at one of these programs.

Oregon Food Bank - This also is a great resource for those in Oregon providing a list of food banks across the state that are part of their network. They distribute food to 20 local food banks, which then in turn distribute food to 947 agencies & programs around Oregon.

Food Banks in Western Washington and Oregon:

South Sound:

All Saints Parish Food Bank - Puyallup, WA; For more information, call (253) 848-2000.

Emmanuel Food Bank - Sumner, WA; For more information, call Arlene at (253) 350-4899 or email her at arleneevavold@comcast.net.

Families Unlimited Network (aka. University Place Food Bank) - University Place/Fircrest, WA; Donation drop-off: 12:00pm – 3:00pm on Tuesday and 10:00am – 12:00pm on Saturday; If you have a donation and cannot be there during open hours, there are drop-off bins in area churches. For more information, call (253) 460-3134.

FISH Food Banks - Pierce County, WA; For more information, call Marcus (Lakes Area location) at (253) 581-1116 or email him at lakesfish@fishfoodbanks.org.

Free Cakes for Kids South Sound - South Sound region, WA; They donate birthday cakes to children. Visit the website for a list of items needed. For more information, call (253) 267-5686 or email mischell@freecakesforkidssouthsound.com.

Maple Valley Food Bank and Emergency Services - Maple Valley, WA; 8:00am – 4:00pm on Monday – Thursday, 5:30pm – 7:00pm on the second Thursday of the month, and 8:00am – 11:00am on Saturday; For more information, call (425) 432-8139.

Multi-Service Center Food and Clothing Bank - Federal Way, WA; Donation drop-off: 8:30am – 4:00pm on Monday – Friday; For more information, call (253) 838-6810 or email info@multi-servicecenter.com.

Northwest Foursquare Church - Federal Way, WA; This food pantry is open to those who attend Northwest Foursquare Church. The location is open on Wednesdays from 9:00am – 10:00am. For more information, call Sondra at (253) 838-6321 ext. 260.

Plateau Outreach Ministries - Enumclaw, WA; For more information, call Denise at (360) 825-8961.

Real Life Family Center Resource Center - Tacoma, WA; Donation drop-off: 8:00am – 6:00pm daily; This food bank is a part of Real Life Family Center. Donations are taken right inside the church doors. For more information, call Sean at (253) 267-4675.

The Rescue Mission - Tacoma, WA; Donation drop-off: 10:00am – 4:00pm on Monday – Friday and 9:00am – 1:00pm on Saturday; For more information, call (253) 383-4493.

St. Francis House - Puyallup, WA; Donation drop-off: 10:00am – 5:30pm on Monday – Friday and 10:00am – 3:00pm on Saturday; St. Francis House is always in need of monetary donations, as well as good, quality used clothing and household goods.  All of the donation items will go directly to families in need. St. Francis keeps a small emergency supply of food on hand for times when clients can’t access local food banks. For more information, call (253) 848-3618.

Puyallup Food Bank - Puyallup, WA; Donation drop-off: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday between 9:15am and 3:00pm. Call 253-848-5240 to set up an appointment to drop off food. The food bank is located here: 110 23rd St SE; Puyallup, WA 98372

Orting Food Bank - Orting, WA; Hours are Wednesdays 12pm – 3pm (Oct 1 – April 30th) & Wednesdays  9am-12pm from May 1- Sept 30; Call 360 893 3150 for more information

North Sound:

Canyon Hills Community Church Food Bank - Bothell, WA; Donation drop-off: 9:00am – 5:00pm daily; The first trip to the food bank is free. After that, you must show proof of need. There are barrels throughout the building labeled Food Bank. Feel free to bring in any non-perishable items (no food beyond the expiration date). Financial donations are used to purchase fresh dairy, produce, and meat. Address boundaries apply (boundaries do not apply to CHCC members). For more information, call Vicki at (425) 488-4121 or email her at vickis@chccbw.org.

Eastside Baby Corner - Issaquah, WA; Donation drop-off: 5:30pm – 8:30pm on Mondays, 9:00am – 11:00am on Thursdays, and 9:00am – 12:00pm on Saturdays; They help children ages birth to 12. See the website for specifics on items they do or do not take. For more information, call (425) 865-0234 or email ebc@babycorner.org.

Everett Gospel Mission - Everett, WA; Donation drop-off: anytime; For more information, call (425) 252-1297.

His Pantry - Camano Island, WA; Donation drop-off: call the phone number below to arrange a time; Open day for those receiving assistance is 12:00pm – 1:30pm on Mondays. For more information, call (360) 387-7202.

Lynnwood Food Bank - Lynnwood, WA; Donation drop-off: after 10:00am on Monday – Friday; They prefer that fresh and frozen foods be dropped off Monday – Wednesday, as they give out to the public on Wednesday afternoon and don’t have a lot of space to store cold items. For more information, call (425) 745-1635.

Marysville Community Food Bank - Marysville, WA; Donation drop-off: 8:00am – 11:00am on Monday – Saturday; For more information, call (360) 658-1054.

Mount Si Food Bank - North Bend, WA; Donation drop-off: 10:00am – 1:00pm on Mondays, 9:00am – 10:30am on Tuesdays, and 9:00am – 6:30pm on Wednesdays; For more information, call (425) 888-0096.

Salvation Army Renton Rotary Food Bank - Renton, WA; Donation drop-off: 8:30am – 11:30am and 12:30pm – 3:30pm on Monday – Friday; During Thanksgiving and Christmas they give complete meals, including a turkey or a ham. For kids, they offer gifts for holidays. For more information, call (425) 255-5969.

Sky Valley Food Bank - Monroe, WA; 8:00am – 11:30am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and 5:30pm – 7:00pm on Monday evenings; There are alternative donation drop-off points at Cascade Community Church, Windermere Realty, and Monroe Glass – all in Monroe. For more information, call (360) 794-7959.

Westgate Chapel Food and Clothing Bank - Edmonds, WA; Donation drop-off: 8:00am – 5:00pm on Monday – Friday; Dry and canned goods and clothes can be donated at drop boxes any time the church building is open. To donate perishables, please contact the Emergency Services phone number to arrange a drop-off. For more information, call (425) 977-4500.

Vancouver/Portland:

Help Warehouse - Longview, WA; For more information, call (360) 425-3430.

Share of Vancouver - Vancouver, WA; For more information, call (360) 695-7658.

The Helping Hand of Oregon - Portland, OR; Donation drop-off: anytime; This small non-profit makes lunches for people who are waiting to find work. See the website for a list of items typically used. For more information, call Julie at (971) 221-6366.

Oregon Food Bank - Portland, OR; For more information, click here and contact the food bank branch of your choice.

Other Western Oregon Locations:

Barney’s Pantry - Gresham, OR; This was set up by the Associated Student Government at Mt. Hood Community College to help students. For more information, call Associated Student Government at (503) 491-7224.

The Father’s Heart - Clackamas, OR; Donation drop-off: 9:00am – 3:00pm on Tuesday – Friday; There’s an extensive list of needs on their website. Sack lunches are provided Tuesday – Friday, and hot lunch is provided many days. In the freezing weather, doors are open all night and up to 100 people spend the night. Lots of resources are available – showers, clothing, computer resources, haircuts, etc. For more information, call Teri or Troy at (503) 722-9780.

Food for Lane County - Eugene, OR; Donation drop-off: 8:00am – 5:00pm on Monday – Friday; You can also drop off packaged and canned foods at Goodwill stores and Northwest Community Credit Unions in the area. For more information, call (541) 343-2822.

Jubilee Food Pantry - Hubbard, OR; Donation drop-off: anytime; The Jubilee Food Pantry was opened in May of 2010 to serve the small rural community of Hubbard, OR and surrounding areas. The food pantry is open for distribution of food at 4:00pm – 8:00pm on Tuesdays. You can drop off donations at any time by leaving them on the porch. For more information, call Andy at (503) 819-5941 or email him at andy@sterling.net.

My Father’s House - Gresham, OR; Donation drop-off: 1:00pm – 4:00pm on Monday – Saturday; The Donation Center is located at 5003 W. Powell Blvd. in Gresham, near the intersection of SE 175th and Powell Blvd. For more information, call (503) 492-3046.

If you know of a food bank local to the Northwest that we could add to our list, please fill out the Food Bank form with as much information as possible for us to include. Or if you know of any updated information that needs to be changed, let us know as well in the comments section. I’m sure this information is changing all the time. 

Photo Credit

Giving Back…Ways Couponers Can Help! Food Banks in Western Washington & Oregon is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country. Thanks to Sia from Centsible in Seattle for providing this extensive list of activities for us.

Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events  local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.

There are a number of fun holiday bazaars happening this weekend as well  - so make sure to check out our large roundup of holiday events & bazaars around the Northwest.

If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.

PUGET SOUND AREA::

Friday November 18th:

*Holiday Tree Lighting at The Bravern – Bellevue, 11/18; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Santa arrives at 6:00pm, and enjoy you can  enjoy fireside beverages, The Dickens Carolers and pony rides for the kids all evening. Donations will be accepted for fireside beverages and the pony rides. All proceeds benefit The Moyer Foundation.

*Friday Night Live - Everett; 11/18; 5:30pm to 9pm; Admission is FREE to Imagine Children’s Museum on the third Fridays of each month.

*Free Wing Luke Museum Entrance – Seattle; 11/18; 10:00am to 8:00pm; The Wing Luke Museum offers free admission on the third Saturday of each month.

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 11/11; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.

*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 11/11; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.

Saturday November 19th:

*Reindeer Festival - Seattle; 9:00am to 6:00pm; From November 12th until Christmas Eve, Swansons will feature Santa’s Live Reindeer every day! Dasher and Blitzen will be here every day for your viewing pleasure until Christmas. Join them for feeding times for more activity. Bring the family for a magical moment they’ll remember forever! Music, holiday train display, refreshments and face painting are all part of the festivities. Reindeer Photo Opportunities (bring your camera) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Nov. 12-27.

*Yulefest - Seattle; 11/19; 10:00am to 5:00pm; The Nordic Heritage Museum is transformed into a holiday marketplace with craft booths, Nordic food, music and dance, Santa and kids’ craft activities. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 19-20. Suggested donation $3, $1 ages 6 to 12, free ages 5 and younger. Limited parking ($2 suggested donation).

*Northgate Mall Kidgits Club Santa Arrival- Northgate; 11/19; 1:00pm to 3:00p; On this very special day, the one and only Santa Claus will be hopping out of his magical sleigh and coming to Northgate Mall! Kidgits Club members can help create some holiday cheer to make Santa feel at home. Meet jolly old Saint Nick at the Kidgits Santa Arrival event at the Santa Set in the Ben Bridge Court. Decorate cookies, making festive holiday ornaments, and there will be a special meet and greet with Santa Claus himself, exclusively for Kidgits members! Free with $5 annual Kidgits membership.

*Great Train Expo – Puyallup; 11/19-11/20; 10:00am to 4:00pm; Everything to do with model railroads – operating model railroad and toy layouts, workshops and hundreds of train dealers.  $7 for ages 12 and over, free ages 11 and younger with adult.

*Jam with Jamtown Rythms – Seattle; 11/19; 10:30 am to 11:30 am; Experience the joy of hands-on music and art for children, families and music lovers of all ages. Become a part of a percussion instrument ensemble as we explore the music of Africa using handcrafted indigenous musical instruments. $3, $5 day of event, $15 max for families.

*Sephira Christmas CD Release Event- Bothel; 11/19; 3:00pm to 5:00pm; Violinists/vocalists Ruth O’Leary and Joyce O’Leary, who together are Sephira, will be celebrating the release of their first Christmas CD with a special west coast release event at the stage at Third Place Commons. Sephira will perform a few tracks from the CD, then will be selling and signing CDs in the open commons area. The album, “Starlight,” features ten tracks including many Christmas favorites such as Oh Holy Night, Carol of the Bells, and Sleigh Ride, as well as Sephira’s luminous cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and a song written by the O’Learys themselves.

*Alex Zerbe – Arts Alive! - Des Moines; 11/19; 10:30am; Wonderful family fun for everyone! You’ll laugh your pants off with Alex Zerbe, professional zaniac as he performs a dynamic array of amazing stunts including mind-blowing maneuvers like mouth juggling and harpooning vegetables launched from a giant slingshot. Tickets $5.

*Drama Story Event - Seattle; 11/19; 11:00am; Experience Frog and Toad from the inside. The current play at Seattle Children’s Theatre is explored using acting, imagination and interactive, multi-sensory props. Free.

*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 11/19; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.

* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more.

Sunday November 20th:

* Festival Of Trees 2011 - Seattle; 11/20; 3:00pm to 5:30pm; View 20 decorated trees, visit Santa, enjoy refreshments, entertainment, the Grand Tree lighting and the season opening of the Teddy Bear Suite. Event is free, there is a $15 charge for Santa Photos.

*Fantasy Lights Walk – Tacoma; 11/20; Walk through 2.5 miles of animated displays at Spanaway Park before it becomes a drive-through only event Nov. 24. Bring flashlights. No dogs, scooters, bikes or skates, but strollers, wagons or wheelchairs welcome. $4, free ages 3 and younger, $12 per family of 4 ($2 per person for groups of 20+).

Monday November 21st:

*Free Admission Food Drive At The Childrens Museum – Seattle; 11/21-11/23; Children with a donation of two or more non-perishable food items for the Queen Anne Helpline will receive free admission to The Children’s Museum.  Children must be accompanied by a paying adult (limit of three free admissions per group).

Tuesday November 22nd: 

*Gingerbread Village Opens – Seattle; 11/22;  This is a free annual Christmas favorite exhibit held in the lobby of the Sheraton. Seattle architectural firms, trade associations and Sheraton Seattle culinary staff team up to design, bake and build fantastic gingerbread creations. 24 hours daily Nov. 22 through Jan. 1. FREE, donations accepted for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Thursday November 24th:

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 11/24; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)

PORTLAND AREA:

Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.

Friday November 18th:

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 11/18; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!  This is the last weekend of the season to enjoy this nature walk.

*Mississippi Pizza Pub - Portland; They offer free music/event each day, check website for event schedule and details.

*Family Day At The History Museum – 11/18; 11:00am to 3:00pm; Discover Treasures of the Vault at the Oregon Historical Society’s November Family Day! Go on a treasure hunt, paint a treasure chest to fill with treasures of your own, and hear stories about the many wonders of The Oregon Vault.  Two kids are admitted free with one paid adult. All Multnomah County residents are now FREE.

*Creative Play At Isobels Clubhouse – Portland;  11/18; 9:30am to 11:30am; As part of creative play, kids can dress up in costumes, play with toys, read stories, play games or create in the art space.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 11/18 & 11/19; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.

Saturday November 19th:

* Santa’s Arrival Parade - Portland; 11/19; 9:00am to 10:00pm; Santa’s coming to Pioneer Courthouse Square at 9:00 am. Join him in a family-friendly procession down SW Morrison to Pioneer Place. Songs, snow, and surprises!

*Oregon Maritime Museum Family Saturday - Saturday; 11/19;  11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Families are invited to discover Portland’s maritime history with a craft project to take home. Museum Family Saturdays, on the third Saturday of every month, are free to families with children under 18.

* Fix-It Fair - Portland; 11/19; 8:30pm to 2:00pm; Workshops on saving money, healthy living, and more. Free lunch, free lead testing, and free professional on-site child care.

* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 11/19; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.

*Lady Bug Nature Walk – Portland; 11/19; 10:00am; Walk through parks, gardens and natural areas. Touch slimy slugs, smell tree bark, feel crinkly and soft leaves, hear musical bird songs etc. Cost is $3 per toddler, adults are free!

* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ;11/19; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission.

*Free Guided Nature Walk –  Portland – 11/19; 10:00am to 11:30am; Join park rangers for a free guided nature hike.

Monday November 21st:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 11/21; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 11/21; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Wednesday November 22nd:

*Honeybee Happenings – Portland – Leach Botanical Society; 11/22; 10:00am to 11:00am; Weekly nature-related story time and craft activities for young children (Ages 1-6)and their parents with short outdoor explorations if weather permits. $2 per child. No pre-registration required.

NATIONAL EVENTS:

*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 11/19; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a terrific turkey centerpiece.

*Kids Day Event at Blockbuster – 11/20;  Prizes, face painting, games, and other fun family events. The event also includes rental and purchase specials. Call your local store for details.

*Lowes Build And Grow Clinic - Saturday 11/19; 10:00am; Come join Lowes Build and Grow Clinic to make a Santas Sleigh. Register here.

* Michaels Make It Take It Event - 11/19; 10:00am to 11:00am; Decorate a gift bag and gift card holder. While supplies last.

* Michaels Make It Take It Event - 11/20; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Make-It Take-It Free Thanksgiving Day Event. Ages 3 & up. While supplies last.

*National Geographic Little Explorer– 11/19; 3:00pm & 4:0pm; Kids 3 and up will learn about polar bears, penguins, and other animals through quizzes, hands on activities, songs and more.

* Thanksgiving Story Time at Pottery Barn– 11/22; 11:00am; Celebrate Thanksgiving with a special story time.

* Bass Pro – National - Now through December 24th Bass Pro is offering free 4×6 studio quality photos with Santa in store.

*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime – Sat. 11/19;  Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.

Fun & Frugal Family Events 11/18 – 11/24 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom