This community events calendar is the place to find fun activities and things to do throughout Lewis County, including Centralia, Chehalis and beyond.
Delight in the fragrance of delicious gingerbread cookies you will bake with Makayla Roberson of Mak’s Snack Shack! While your cookies are baking in the oven, you will decorate previously baked gingerbread cookies with royal icing and fun toppings! One adult chef and one child chef (age 5-8) per registration can enjoy this winter celebration that is sure to awaken your internal baking show contestant!
Meet and get a photo taken with the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who from Part of Your World Princesses!
Free with admission or membership. Online reservations are recommended.
Have you ever wondered what to do with Christmas trees and broken holiday lights at the end of the season? You can reduce the impact on your local landfill by having them recycled! Bring your trees and lights to the Lewis County Transfer station in Centralia December 26th – January 7th, 10am-4pm. Be sure that all decorations and tinsel have been removed from the trees. Trees can also be brought to the East Lewis County Transfer station in Morton. Sensitive Document Shredding will also be available at the Lewis County Transfer station in Centralia January 6th from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
No flocked or artificial trees will be accepted. You may dispose of flocked, artificial or decorated trees at the transfer station where regular fees will be charged ($15 minimum for 280 pounds or less). Wreaths must be free of ribbon, wire and decorations. No trees or wreaths from commercial operations will be accepted.
Donations gladly accepted to support WSU Lewis County Master Composter and Master Gardener programs.
Meet and get a photo taken with the Tinker Fairy from Part of Your World Princesses!
Free with admission or membership. Online reservations are recommended.
Ring in the new year early at our Noon Year’s Eve Party on December 31. Celebrate with a family countdown, Times-Square style ball drop, and bubble dance party every hour from 10 am – 4 pm!
Experience the enchanting Winter Wonder Faire and discover the magical Fairy Hollow where kids can make wands, wings, and tiny things, create teacup cozy homes, investigate toadstools and fairy rings, craft a woodland crown, and even meet costumed fairy characters. Capture the magic of this special day with a family photo in our photobooth.
This is a popular one-day event, be sure to get your tickets online!
Winter Wonder Faire
• Meet costumed Tinker and Pirate Fairies and watch wacky Dr. Science experiments
• Make wands, wings, and tiny things
• Create tiny teacup cozy homes
• Silkscreen a shimmery souvenir in the printshop
• Craft a woodland crown in the Art Studio
• Skate in your socks
• Investigate toadstools and fairy rings at the Science Table
• Go on a scavenger hunt
• Snap a keepsake picture in our photobooth
Costumed Characters Provided By: Emerald Kingdom Parties
Celebrate winter at Hands On with three days of frozen fun at Ice Adventures Frosty Fables, Jan. 12-14, 9am-5pm! Explore Yeti and Bigfoot lore, meet costumed characters, use real tools to shave ice, skate in your socks, learn how to snowshoe with Olympia Mountaineers, investigate an ice cave hideout, and see exciting Dr. Science experiments with ice and fire.
Plus, special activities honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 15.
Online reservations recommended. Get your tickets online and save!
Special Guests & Activities
• Melt Arctic ice to see what’s inside
• Use real tools to shave ice
• Investigate Yeti versus Bigfoot lore and discover the differences between these large legends
• Skate indoors in your socks
• Meet and take a photo with costumed characters the Winter Queen, Summer Queen, and Ice Master from Emerald Kingdom Parties (Jan. 13-14, 10:00am-3:30pm)
• Learn how to snowshoe with Olympia Mountaineers (Jan. 13-14, 11:00am-3:00pm)
• Explore Puget Sound sea creatures and look at specimens who can tolerate the ice-cold waters with the Estuarium
• See Dr. Science experiment with setting Ice on Fire (Jan. 13-14)
• Craft your own Bigfoot or Yeti slippers
• Explore an ice cave hideout and find a Yeti
• Create an Abominable Snowman to race (Jan. 13-14)
• Silkscreen a print or special keepsake (Jan. 13-14, print a free poster or purchase and make a tote bag, apron, onesie, or t-shirt for $12.)
• Go on a scavenger hunt
• Take a picture at the photo booth (Jan. 13-14)
Winter Queen, Summer Queen, & Ice Master Costumed Characters presented by Emerald Kingdom Parties.
Snowshoeing activity presented by The Olympia Mountaineers.
Celebrate winter at Hands On with three days of frozen fun at Ice Adventures Frosty Fables, Jan. 12-14, 9am-5pm! Explore Yeti and Bigfoot lore, meet costumed characters, use real tools to shave ice, skate in your socks, learn how to snowshoe with Olympia Mountaineers, investigate an ice cave hideout, and see exciting Dr. Science experiments with ice and fire.
Plus, special activities honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 15.
Online reservations recommended. Get your tickets online and save!
Special Guests & Activities
• Melt Arctic ice to see what’s inside
• Use real tools to shave ice
• Investigate Yeti versus Bigfoot lore and discover the differences between these large legends
• Skate indoors in your socks
• Meet and take a photo with costumed characters the Winter Queen, Summer Queen, and Ice Master from Emerald Kingdom Parties (Jan. 13-14, 10:00am-3:30pm)
• Learn how to snowshoe with Olympia Mountaineers (Jan. 13-14, 11:00am-3:00pm)
• Explore Puget Sound sea creatures and look at specimens who can tolerate the ice-cold waters with the Estuarium
• See Dr. Science experiment with setting Ice on Fire (Jan. 13-14)
• Craft your own Bigfoot or Yeti slippers
• Explore an ice cave hideout and find a Yeti
• Create an Abominable Snowman to race (Jan. 13-14)
• Silkscreen a print or special keepsake (Jan. 13-14, print a free poster or purchase and make a tote bag, apron, onesie, or t-shirt for $12.)
• Go on a scavenger hunt
• Take a picture at the photo booth (Jan. 13-14)
Winter Queen, Summer Queen, & Ice Master Costumed Characters presented by Emerald Kingdom Parties.
Snowshoeing activity presented by The Olympia Mountaineers.
Celebrate winter at Hands On with three days of frozen fun at Ice Adventures Frosty Fables, Jan. 12-14, 9am-5pm! Explore Yeti and Bigfoot lore, meet costumed characters, use real tools to shave ice, skate in your socks, learn how to snowshoe with Olympia Mountaineers, investigate an ice cave hideout, and see exciting Dr. Science experiments with ice and fire.
Plus, special activities honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 15.
Online reservations recommended. Get your tickets online and save!
Special Guests & Activities
• Melt Arctic ice to see what’s inside
• Use real tools to shave ice
• Investigate Yeti versus Bigfoot lore and discover the differences between these large legends
• Skate indoors in your socks
• Meet and take a photo with costumed characters the Winter Queen, Summer Queen, and Ice Master from Emerald Kingdom Parties (Jan. 13-14, 10:00am-3:30pm)
• Learn how to snowshoe with Olympia Mountaineers (Jan. 13-14, 11:00am-3:00pm)
• Explore Puget Sound sea creatures and look at specimens who can tolerate the ice-cold waters with the Estuarium
• See Dr. Science experiment with setting Ice on Fire (Jan. 13-14)
• Craft your own Bigfoot or Yeti slippers
• Explore an ice cave hideout and find a Yeti
• Create an Abominable Snowman to race (Jan. 13-14)
• Silkscreen a print or special keepsake (Jan. 13-14, print a free poster or purchase and make a tote bag, apron, onesie, or t-shirt for $12.)
• Go on a scavenger hunt
• Take a picture at the photo booth (Jan. 13-14)
Winter Queen, Summer Queen, & Ice Master Costumed Characters presented by Emerald Kingdom Parties.
Snowshoeing activity presented by The Olympia Mountaineers.
Celebrate kindness & community! Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with special art activities and collaborative projects, January 15th.
• Children’s book readings by Merritt D. Long, Author of My View from the Back of the Bus
• Create faux stained glass art pieces and add them to the collaborative art project
• Share your stories with bookmaking and cards
• Follow the timeline of MLK’s life
• Write notes of kindness on our helping hands yew tree
• Silkscreen a peace print
• Learn about Black History STEAM Heroes
• Enjoy a quiet and reflective reading room
Online reservations recommended. Get your tickets online and save!
This Spring Break, the Hands On Children’s Museum will chomp, stomp, and roar with awesome dinosaur-themed activities and exciting special guests from March 23 – April 14. Examine real fossils with experts from the Burke Museum and Fossil Team PDX. Meet the Raptor Ambassadors with The Falconer and learn about birds of prey and their dinosaur ancestors. Explore epoch extinction events, create prehistoric cave paintings, dig for dino bones, watch wacky Dr. Science demos, join the dino stomp dance party, and more!
Special events and activities vary daily–see dates and times below. HOCM is open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and will be closed Sunday, March 31.
Buy your tickets online to save $1 per ticket, get guaranteed admission, and enjoy quick check-in.
Exciting Spring Break Activities & Special Guests
· Build dinosaur skeletons
· Make dino feet, hats, and enjoy dinosaur coloring sheets in the Art Studio
· Make Pterodactyl flyers for the wind tunnel
· Draw with chalk and walk with giants as we compare ourselves to dinosaurs in the ODC
· Examine feathers, skins, and scales at the science table (March 25–30)
· Design dinosaur decorated rumble bots (March 25–30)
· The Museum will be closed for Easter, March 31
· Uncover ice cube archeology (April 1–4)
· Create prehistoric cave paintings (April 1–4)
· Explore epoch extinction events and make volcanoes erupt (April 1–7)
· Examine dinosaur fossils at the science table (April 1–7)
· Play with loose parts and learn about dino eating habits (April 1–7)
· Meet paleontologist and fossil preparator Kelsie Abrams and see real fossils from the Burke Museum (April 3–4, 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
· Meet paleontologist and founder of Fossil Team PDX Nico Spadafora and enjoy their fossil collection (April 5–6, 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
· Meet the Raptor Ambassadors with The Falconer and learn about birds of prey and their dinosaur ancestors (April 5–6, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
· Launch comet catapults & design colorful asteroids (April 5–7)
· Silkscreen dino prints (April 6–7)
· Watch wacky Dr. Science demos (Intermittent)
· Join in the dino stomp dance party (Intermittent)
· Excavate dino bones in the ODC (weather permitting)
· Learn about the total solar eclipse (April 8)
· Examine fossils of the deep at the science table (April 8–14)
· Design dino pop up cards (April 9–14)
· Create tinfoil dino sculptures (April 9–14)
