Fun & Frugal Family Events 3/2

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 March 2nd:

*Special Olympics Washington - Wenatchee; 3/2 – 3/4; Washington State Winter Games is the culmination of the Special Olympics winter season. Nearly 1,500 athletes converge on Wenatchee and Leavenworth Washington to compete over three days in basketball, skiing, speed skating, figure skating and snow boarding.

*Free Entrance To Hands On Childrens Museum – Olympia; 3/2; 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; 3/2; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Friday evening of the month offers free admission.

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

*Northgate Malls Story Time With Clifford – Northgate; 3/2; 10:30am to 11:30am; Northgate Mall Kidgits Club members, get ready to meet the Big Red Dog at a special Clifford Story Time event. All ages are welcome to attend this event at the Children’s Play Area. Listen to stories, enjoy a snack, and meet Clifford, plus the first 25 Kidgits® members to show us their membership card receive a free Clifford book! Local celebrity author, Marsi Gorman, is hosting this event courtesy of Barnes & Noble at Northgate. Marsi will read some of your favorite Clifford books as well as her own, “Night of the Plunger Knight”! Visit Barnes & Noble before the event and purchase one of Marsi’s books for personalization. Not a Kidgits member yet? Join the club and join the fun for only a $5 annual membership fee at the event, or at Simon Guest Services near JCPenney. FREE for Kidgit members.

*Black Holes – Bellevue; 3/2; 7:30pm to 8:30pm; This planetarium show, presented by the Science and Math Institute at Bellevue College, features 3-D simulations of black holes and the strange physical and visual effects they can create. Ages 8 to adult. Event is free, but tickets are needed.

*Multi-cultural Night Market – Othell; Every Friday and Saturday from 2/17 – 3/10; Come celebrate the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon at the Othello Public Market. In addition to dozens of multicultural vendors, enjoy live entertainment, games, and contests! This series of family-friendly weekend events will be held .

*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 3/2; 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; 3/2; 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 March 3rd:

*Free Family Days At Seattle Asian Art Museum - Seattle; 3/3; 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.

*Winter Volksmarch at NW Trek - Eatonville; 3/3; 9:00am to 4:00pm; Annual 5K or 10K on the hiking trails at Northwest Trek. Registered participants can visit the park for FREE and receive a half-price tram tour (must finish walk by 3 p.m.). Registration 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 3, 9 a.m. to noon March 4, walk ends 4 p.m. March 3, 3 p.m. March 4. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*Read with the Princesses – Pierce County Libraries ; 3/3; 11:00am and 1:00pm; Free event where your kids can get up close & get to know this year’s Daffodil Princesses!

*You Are Remarkable/Kids’ Fest – Kent; 3/3; 10:00am to 2:00pm; Free event sponsored by Multicare with Kids’ entertainment, crafts, bounce houses, helmet fittings, and much more. Free, though you’re asked to register. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!

*East King Co Rock & Gem Show - Issaquah; 3/3-3/4; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 4. Exhibits, vendors, demonstrations, crafts and hands-on activities. Free.

*Concerts For Kids – Northgate; 3/3; 11:00am; Simple sing-along music for children and parents from Caspar Babypants. Ages 4 to 12 with an adult. Free.

*Pond Boat Sailing – Seattle; 3/3; 11:00am to 2:00pm. Join The Center for Wooden Boats at the Model Boat Pond in Lake Union Park for pond boat sailing. Free. First Saturdays.

*Family Day at the Karshner Museum – Puyallup; 3/3; 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!

*The Childrens Museum Sensory Sensitive Hours – Bellevue; 3/3; 8:30am to 10:30am; The Children’s Museum, Seattle opens its doors early for families with children on the autistic spectrum. During the early open time the Museum does not run normal music or sounds and will not use the PA system. 8:30 to 10 a.m. first Saturdays. $3, tickets may be pre-purchased online.

*Star Parties - Greenlake & Shoreline; 3/3; 7:15pm; 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; 3/3; 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!

Thursday March 8th:

*Free Admission To NAAM - Seattle; 3/8; 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; 3/8; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Second Thursday of the month SAAM offers free admission to the museum.

*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 3/8; 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 March 2nd:

* 24th Annual Ski for Sunshine - Mt. Hood; 3/3; 9:00am to 4:00pm; Get a free day lift ticket at Mt. Hood’s Ski Bowl when you donate eight cans of non-perishable food to the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division. Look for them in the Ski Bowl parking lot.

*22nd Annual Cascade Festival of African Films - Portland; Last weekend of the film festival, it ends 3/3; See website for schedule details. Free and open to the public on a first-come, first-seated basis.

*Free Admission To The Children’s Museum - Portland; 3/2; 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.

*First Friday Art Walk - SE Portland; 3/2; 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

* Camas First Friday - Portland; 3/2; 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!

*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 3/2; 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; 3/2; 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 . Due to popular demand you must pre-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; 3/2; 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.

*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 3/2 & 3/3; 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 March 3rd:

*90-Second Newbery Film Festival - Portland; 3/3; 3:00pm – 5:00pm at Multnomah County’s Central Library, free, all ages welcome. Free tickets available 30 minutes in advance.

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

*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 3/3; 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; 3/3; 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 ; 3/3; 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 – 3/3; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger.

Sunday March 4th:

*$2 OSMI Days – Portland; 3/4; 9:30pm to 5:30pm; OMSI offers $2 admission on the first Sunday of each month.

* Portland State University’s Percussion - Portland; 3/4; 3:00pm; Free concert on Sunday, 3:00pm in Lincoln Recital Hall, Room 75.

* SE Area ARTWalk - Portland; 3/3; 10:00am to 5:00pm; Take a self-guided tour of artists’ studios, home workspaces, galleries, host homes, and businesses within the “walkable/bikeable/busable” boundaries of SE 9th to SE 41st & SE Hawthorne to SE Powell Blvd. Saturday and Sunday.

Monday March 5th:

*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 3/5; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.

*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 3/5; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.

Thursday March 8th:

*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 3/8; 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. 3/3; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a mirror craft.

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

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

* Michaels The Knack Events - 3/2; 2:00pm to 4:00pm; Read across America, Kids can make a Dr. Seuss pencil cup holder with purchase of foam cup. While supplies last, 3 and up.

* Michaels The Knack Events - 3/3; 3:00pm to 4:00pm; My first Science Fair demo. Learn how to think like a scientist.

‘*Pottery Barn Read Across America Day – 3/2 & 3/3; 3:30pm; Dr. Seuss storytime and activities for all to enjoy.

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

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