Dec 21 Sunday
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® returns to brighten your holidays! Experience the sparkle, dancing, music, and magic that only The Nutcracker can bring. We’ll be decking the halls (McCaw Hall, that is) and putting on the greatest show in town, all you need are your tickets. Gather your friends and family for the Northwest’s favorite holiday tradition, a treat you’ll savor all season long.
Supported by KNKX. In 1965, the first ever “Peanuts” animated special took place. It was a landmark event and it was the start of a tradition that would continue year after year. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a tradition enjoyed around the world by fans of all ages. Now, over 50 years later, Contemporary Jazz Piano Legend, David Benoit along with distinguished Vocalist, Courtney Fortune, is paying tribute to this incredible piece of entertainment history.
This inspirational tribute concert features the classic music of Vince Guaraldi along with “Charlie Brown Christmas” originals from David Benoit, who took over the helm as music composer for the new Charlie Brown Christmas TV Specials more than a decade ago, as well as classics from David Benoit’s illustrious career as a Multi-Grammy Nominated Solo Artist. The heart-warming show is sure to get the audience in that Christmas Spirit and bring out the ‘kid’ in all of us this holiday season.
A “founding father” of contemporary jazz, Benoit has as wide-ranging musical resume as anyone in music. Influenced by jazz, Broadway, symphonies, and more, he has scored more than 20 chart-topping radio hits, created the wildly popular soundtracks for the Peanuts television movies, scored music for films produced by Clint Eastwood and Sally Field, and created themes for popular soap operas such as All My Children. He has collaborated with such diverse artists as The Rippingtons, Faith Hill, David Sanborn, and CeCe Winans, among many others as well as working with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Philippine Philharmonic. Having recorded over 40 albums, Benoit’s wide-ranging musical vision and talent has been one of the great stories of contemporary jazz.
Stroll through a magical world with over 1.5 million sparkling lights. A classic holiday tradition, Zoolights has dazzled our community for 39 years. Online timed tickets are required. Our aquariums are closed and animals are sleeping during Zoolights. Visit during the day to see your favorite animals. Closed Dec. 24 & 25.
See the zoo transform into a colorful winter wonderland with over 1.5 million lights. From the giant Pacific octopus to the Narrows Bridges, the Flame Tree to the Seahawks tree, and a magical tunnel of lights, come find your favorite displays... and don’t forget to hunt for Sasquatch!
Meet our magnificent herd of goats! During this one-of-a-kind holiday-themed private animal encounter, you’ll get up close and personal with our playful goats. Give the goats festive enrichment and then head into the zoo to enjoy all the sparkling lights. Space is limited.
This year's Dog Nights are sold out!
Take your family and friends on a magical journey through the marvelously detailed world of model railroads at the Washington State History Museum! The Model Train Festival brings railroad clubs from around Puget Sound to share their incredible, room-sized layouts in the History Museum! Every floor of the museum comes alive with trains, from the Kitsap Live Steamers 7.5-inch gauge railroad engines to the Mount Rainier N-Scale layout featuring miniature scenery of Western Washington and so many more.
Plus, the largest permanent model train layout in Washington is always on display at the museum on the fifth floor, operated by Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers. Train operators will be on hand for questions and conversations. Enjoy trains on the big screen in our auditorium, where I Love Toy Trains and I Love Big Trains, from filmmaker Tom McComas will screen throughout the festival. The auditorium lobby will serve as a family room with toy trains, Legos, and more.
Climb aboard the Imagination Express for train-themed fun December 20th through January 4th! Young engineers can go full steam ahead with hands-on engineering, art, and dream building. Each stop brings brand-new adventures. Go full STEAM ahead in the MakeSpace, get crafty in Art Studio Junction, and visit the Tinker Toyland at East Bay Depot. From crafty conductors to future inventors, everyone’s ticket includes imagination and discovery!
• Craft heartfelt, handmade gifts for loved ones • Explore how trains move people, goods, and ideas• Meet costumed characters, The Grinch & Cindy Lou Who (Dec. 20)• Meet unicorns with PNW Unicorns (Dec. 27)
We close at 3 pm on Christmas Eve Closed on Christmas
Childhood's End Gallery presents "Animal Dreams", a solo exhibition of Olympia artist Kristen Etmund. Known for her work bridging the precision of traditional relief printmaking with the organic textures of nature, Kristen draws her inspiration from the flora, fauna, and shifting atmospheres of the Puget Sound region.
November 21, 2025 – January 11, 2026Artist Reception: November 22, 2026 3-5pm
childhoods-end-gallery.com
Childhood’s End Gallery222 4th Ave WOlympia WA 98501
FREE
Echoes of the Floating World features a striking collection of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century Japanese woodblock prints from the Tacoma Art Museum and others, displayed alongside works by contemporary Northwest artists. This exhibition honors the rich legacy of ukiyo-e while exploring its cultural impact on today’s artistic expressions.
Hours-
Monday CLOSEDTuesday CLOSEDWednesday 10 am – 5 pmThursday 10 am – 8 pmFriday 10 am – 5 pmSaturday 10 am – 5 pmSunday 10 am – 5 pm
We are protesting project 2025. TacomaRama marching band will join us for the next 4 years. We will meet each month on the Saturday closest to the 18th each month. Always 10am, always Reconciliation park. Feel loved and supported.
The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.
Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.
Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.
Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.
