Holiday Events for Kids Starting This Weekend!

The snow is coming and Bing Crosby is all over the radio, which means...the holidays have officially arrived. Since many of us are scrambling to come up with ways to make this year's holiday season a memorable one for our loved ones, we thought we'd help out by providing you with a list of some of the kids and youth events and activities we're most excited about...

Theater:

Babes in Toyland
Presented by Theater Arts for Children
        Dates:  December 7-16
        Times:  Fridays 7pm
                     Saturdays 4pm and 7pm
                     Sundays 2pm
        Cost: $10 adults, $8 seniors, students, and military
                 *Advance purchasing through TicketsWest is recommended.

The Nutcracker
Presented by the State Street Ballet and the Spokane Symphony Orchestra
        Location: Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox
        Dates:  December 6-9
        Times: Thursday-Friday 7:30-9:30pm
                    Saturday 2-4pm, 7:30-9:30pm
                    Sunday 2-4pm
        Cost: $16-65 depending on seating. See the above link for more details.

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Presented by Interplayers 
        Dates:  Now through December 30
        Times: Wednesday-Saturday 7:30pm
                    2pm showings on select Saturdays and Sundays
        Cost: $28 adults, $22 seniors and military, $15 students

An Evening of Theatrical Music at the Bing

 On Friday, November 30, at 7:30 p.m., Eastern Washington University's music faculty will present "An Evening of Theatrical Music at the Bing Crosby Theater.

Produced by pianist and impresario Kendall Feeney, this event will feature fourteen members of the EWU music faculty. Performances will include: tango music; songs from Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods," a musical based on the Brother's Grimm fairy tales; and a fully narrated performance of Stravinsky's A Soldier's Tale, the story of a fiddle-playing soldier who makes a deal with the devil. Elvis plans to make an appearance during Michael Daugherty's over the top piece, Dead Elvis, and EWU English Professor Anthony Flinn will join vocal faculty members, Randel Wagner and Steven Mortier, in the narration of A Soldier's Tale.

That's quite a line-up. Don't miss out!

What: An Evening of Theatrical Music

Where: The Bing Crosby Theater

When: November 30, 7:30 p.m.

Cost: $15 general admission, $8 for students. 

Tickets are available through TicketsWest.

4th of July Events

I can already see it: couples and families spread around the flowing waters at Riverfront Park. The delicious aroma of grilled meat, pastries, and and other edibles wafting its way enticingly past my nose. The sound of barking dogs, children's laughter, and park rides as they tilt and whirl with their trusting riders. And later on, of course, the sky will light up with the annual Larry H. Miller Fireworks Display in bedazzling colors that thunder through the air.

This is what the annual 4th of July Celebration at Riverfront Park can offer you. Wednesday, July 4 brings in the Spokane Jazz Orchestra beginning at 11am. The Numerica Credit Union Free Children's Meadow is a place for the kiddies to run crazy. Combine all of that with greasy, delicious foods, more great music, arts and crafts, park rides, and other family events, and you can be sure that Spokane will be celebrating the holiday in style. The aforementioned fireworks will light up around 10:30pm, so make sure to get some great seats. Admission and viewing of the fireworks are free, but for a couple of extra bucks ($8 to be exact), you can reserve a special place.

For more information on rides, events, or reserving a spot, ring up 509.625.6601, or visit the Riverfront Park official webpage.

The 8th Annual Elkfest

In 1995, three friends came together with a single purpose in mind: dish out some mouth-watering grub, pair it with an array of sweet microbrews, and serve it in an atmosphere complete with warm smiles and friendly faces. This concept brought about the opening of Moon Time in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Soon after, John Grollmus, Brad Fosseen, and Jeff Meagher opened up three other restaurants: The Elk right here in Spokane, The Two Seven over on the South Hill, and The Porch in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

"Great music. Good beer. Corn pasta." That's the mantra so modestly placed at the center of this year's Elkfest poster, promoting Spokane's 8th annual Elkfest, the creative baby of The Elk restaurant. This true indie music festival caters to those looking to make some sweet summer memories and party on the streets of downtown Spokane. Friday, June 8th at 5 pm kicks off the start of the good times, beginning with the BBBBandits and some Northwest rock and roll. The line-up continues until 9 pm, but no worries... It continues Saturday, June 9th at 1pm, and again Sunday, June 10th at 1pm. Show up to get a taste of artists like My Goodness (a two man garage-blues band with tones akin to the Black Keys); Real Life Rockaz (cue the easy beats of reggaeton, hip-hop soul, and jazz ); and Whiskey Dick Mountain (for those throngs of hipsters and aging punks).

Whatever your tune of choice, Elkfest is sure to have something for you to rock out to. Join the festivities on the streets of Browne's Addition, and get a taste of history along with the good chow and great music. Here's a toast to seein' you there!

Rick Bass and Stellarondo Performance

Stellarondo will be performing while Rick Bass reads some of his work during the Get Lit! Festival at the Masonic Temple.

Rick Bass is a well known author of twenty one books of both fiction and nonfiction. His books include Where The Sea Used To Be, Winter: Notes on Montana, In The Loyal Mountains, and The Book of Yaak. Bass has lived in the Yaak Valley for over twenty years, serving both on the Yaak Valley Forest Council and the Round River Conservation Studies. 

Bass won the 1995 James Jones Literary Society First Novel Fellowship for his novel in progress, Where the Sea Used to Be. He was a finalist for the Story Prize in 2006 for his short story collection The Lives of Rocks. He was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award (autobiography) for Why I Came West (2009). He was also awarded the General Electric Younger Writers Award, a PEN/Nelson Algren Award Special Citation for fiction, and a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. His latest novel, Nashville Chrome, is the fictional story of a family of country singers.  

Stellarondo is a folk/indie rock band from Missolua, Montana. Their name is taken from Eudora Welty's story "Why I Live at the P.O." After Rick Bass first encountered the band, he felt he had found a rejuvenating oasis and never wanted to leave. After a couple months of Bass sitting in on rehearsals, a collaboration was born.

Brian Schott, the founding editor of the Whitefish Review noted that, "Rick Bass and Stellarondo mesmerized the audience from the first note to the last vibrations of the weeping saw. Start with the haunting voice and lyrics of Caroline Keys, throw in an astonishingly versatile and talented band, and then mix that up with the poetic story-telling of Rick Bass, and I can confidently say that I've never tasted such a beautiful ensemble of art. It's a magic recipe."

 

What: Rick Bass reading and Stellarondo concert

Where: Masonic Temple, Blue Room (1108 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane)

When: Saturday, April 14 2012 7:00 PM

Cost:

Adults - $15

Students and Kids - FREE!

Visit Get Lit! Box Office

More Information:

Visit Get Lit!