Seattle-area family weekend fun December 2 – December 3:
Giving Marketplace, Sat 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center. FREE
This is a really fun event and an opportunity to help out with issues you care about. Head to the Bill & Melinda Gates Discovery Center on Saturday for their annual Giving Marketplace. You can shop from a variety of vendors for everyone on your list and proceeds will help support immigrants and refugees, women and girls, global health, education, the environment, and much more. Brazilian guitar musician Marco de Carvalho will be performing. Artist and illustrator Michelle Lassaline will be creating portraits of people as any animal they choose, and much more. Come check it out!
Volunteer Park Conservatory Model Train, Sat 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Volunteer Park. FREE
Come see the Holiday Model Train at the lushly green (and, most importantly, warm!) Volunteer Park Conservatory on Saturday. In addition to finding the Holiday Model Train chugging in the middle of the amazing plant collection, you’ll find a family-friendly activity from 11 a.m. to Noon.
Free admission is offered at the Volunteer Park Conservatory on the 1st Thursday and 1st Saturday of each month. The train engineer just asks that people of all ages are careful as they walk through the exhibit so that it can continue to delight crowds for years to come.
Nutcracker, Sat 7:30 p.m. Sun 2 p.m. Roosevelt High School
The nationally acclaimed Roosevelt Jazz band is proud to present Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s Jazz Nutcracker, which is a fanciful and swingin’ take on the Tchaikovsky suite. This special Seattle holiday tradition is returning for its 24th year to the Roosevelt High School Performing Arts Theatre.
There will be a show on Saturday night and a matinee on Sunday. Get your tickets soon!
Winter Stars Craft Workshop, Sun 1 p.m. Bellevue Botanical Garden
Come create stars out of natural materials at the Bellevue Botanical Garden Winter Stars Craft Workshop this Sunday. This is a great activity for kids in kindergarten and above. All materials will be provided. This is an adult/child class, so an adult must attend the workshop, but their admission is free. Please register for both adult and child online in advance so the Garden will have enough supplies on hand.
Gingerbread House Decorating, Sat 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Town & Country Markets
It’s a winter wonderland at T&C Markets as gingerbread houses are 50% off for one day only this Saturday for their gingerbread house-decorating extravaganza! Pick up one of the premium, pre-assembled kits and then head straight to their decorating table to make it all fancy. They will provide all the icing and candies you could possibly need for decorating, plus they’ll be serving hot apple cider and festive cookies! Participating stores include the markets in Lakemont, Ballard, Shoreline, Bainbridge, Poulsbo, and Mill Creek. Just imagine – you’ll get to leave the store with your holiday table centerpiece all finished!
Find more weekend events on Seattle’s Child Calendar.
