Dec 29 Monday
Weekly Jazz with the Chris Binkley Quartet with guest artists from the cream of Pugetropolis's jazz world.
5-week Portland-Seattle discussion group on the newly reissued Radical Women document on women in the workforce. Be inspired by the power for change that is generated when oppressed people become the majority of the labor force and are strategically placed to make their demands heard!
Register at https://tinyurl.com/LaborSparkplugs
Order the document at https://radicalwomen.org/sparkplugsfor $9.00 including shipping OR download at tinyurl.com/SparkplugsEcopy
Information: RadicalWomenPDX@gmail.com • RW.seattle@radicalwomen.orgRadicalWomen.org • FB: Radical Women Seattle • Insta: radicalwomenseattle
Welcomed by KNKX. Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List:” for the Wall Street Journal.
His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.
Pasquale Grasso - It was the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of, and then some. In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine’s February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who’d impressed him. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult. “Mostly what I hear now are guitar players who sound a little bit like me mixed with a little bit of [John Scofield] and a little bit of [Bill Frisell],” he continued. “What’s interesting about Pasquale is that he doesn’t sound anything like that at all. In a way, it is a little bit of a throwback, because his model—which is an incredible model to have—is Bud Powell. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.”
Dec 30 Tuesday
Kenny G has a way with melody. That’s not necessarily a revelation, but more like a huge understatement, and it really comes into focus at this point in Kenny’s amazing career. This is a musician who has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, owns the best-selling instrumental record of all time with 1992’s 12-times-platinum Breathless, has the number one Christmas record of all time with 1994’s 8-times platinum Miracles, and whose song “Going Home” has, improbably, become the official end-of-work-day anthem in China. At the heart of those achievements is Kenny’s ability to convey deep emotional resonance with his saxophone, a skill never more apparent than on Innocence, his 20th studio album and fifth for Concord Records.
The 12-track project’s theme is lullabies, which have existed for thousands of years not only as a means of soothing babies to sleep but also to impart cultural and familial traditions. “Lullabies are very special to me,” says Kenny, who has been mulling an album with this musical focus for several years and even mentioned the idea in passing in Penny Lane’s acclaimed 2021 HBO documentary on him, Listening to Kenny G. “They hold a special place in my heart. It’s the melodies. They are beautiful and timeless and whenever I hear them, wonderful memories start rushing back to me.”
Experience the wild wonder of the holiday season as you traverse through the Mystical Forest where stunning creatures gleam brightly! Here, behold the magical forest train, mystical tree fairies and fantastical unicorns. Embark on a Journey on a Bright Desert Highway and see desert flora and fauna before discovering Marvelous Mammals where spectacular Northwest animals are vividly portrayed in lantern form. Family-favorite Interactive Lanterns are spread throughout the WildLanterns spaces. Let your imagination take flight in the Birds of Paradise zone, swan into this area where magnificent peacocks flaunt their flamboyant plumes and birds of a feather perch on enchanted branches. Finally, embark on a journey Under the Jungle Canopy and spot all the mischievous monkeys hiding in the foliage!
Sponsored by KNKX. Bundle up in your favorite sweater, put on a cozy hat, tie on your skates, and celebrate the season at the annual Oly on Ice, a pop-up ice skating rink in Olympia. As the days grow colder and holiday season begins residents and visitors of Olympia will see a large white tent pop up in Isthmus Park. Enter the tent and prepare to have a blast as you join the group of ice skaters making their way around the rink. The annual Oly on Ice event brings together people of all ages and skill levels for a memorable winter experience.
The stars are descending from the night sky. Set off across mysterious grounds to discover a celestial pathway of lustrous light, cosmic visions, and astral song. Immerse yourself in illuminating encounters of lighting, projection and sound, and connect with the stars before they return to the sky above.
Astra Lumina at Chinese Garden is the 21st experience in the Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series.
Astra Lumina welcomes you to an extraordinary place, a garden right here on earth that shares a special connection with the sky above. Come nightfall, the garden sets the stage for a phenomenal event: a visit from the stars.
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