Gingerbread Village at the Fresno Airport

Tomorrow evening, December 1st, 2016 from 6:30pm-8pm you can visit Santa at the Fresno airport to enjoy free photos with Santa and his elves.

Enjoy holiday cookies, hot chocolate, refreshments and entertainment by Clark Intermediate-Sotto Voice Choir and Roosevelt School of Arts Choir.

There will be an appearance by the Gingerbread Man.

Parking is free with validation.

The airport is located at 5175 E Clinton Way Fresno CA 93727

Fresno Christmas Parade

December 3, 2016, is the 87th Annual Downtown Christmas Parade in Fresno, California.

It takes place from 11am-1pm

The parade will begin at H St and Inyo and will travel to Mono, to Van Ness to Kern and then down Kern.

If you have questions you can email events@downtownfresno.org

Merry Christmas!

Chosen Frozen Yogurt and Low Sensory Meeting with Santa

Direct from the Simpletix Chosen Frozen Yogurt Event description:

A visit to Santa at the local mall is a time-honored tradition for most families.  However, if your child has sensory issues or special needs of any kind, you know that the noise, lights, long lines, and crowds, make for a stressful outing.  

Chosen Yogurt is hosting a private event on Saturday, December 10th, beginning at 10 am for families with children who would benefit from a low-key meeting with Santa while enjoying some frozen yogurt! 

The 1 hour time slots are by reservation only and cost just $5 per family including a small cup of frozen yogurt for everyone! We will eliminate crowds, silence the music, lessen the choices, and increase the staffing to ensure a pleasant experience.  Story time, a simple craft, and a take-your-own photo opportunity will also be provided.

Get your Chosen Frozen Yogurt Tickets- $5 per family at simpletix.com

Chosen Frozen Yogurt is located on Chestnut near Shepherd

8967 N Chestnut Ave

Fresno CA 93720 

Phone: (559) 299-2595

Fresno Cultural Arts District Park Grand Opening Celebration

Celebrate the opening of the brand new Cultural Arts District Park with live entertainment, food trucks, artist exhibits, and local beer.  

December 1, 2016 from 4pm-8pm

Starting at 4 PM, Trey Tosh takes the stage, followed by a dedication ceremony at 5 PM with Mayor Swearengin, then Rockville closing out the night until 8 PM. 
This event is open to the public and welcomes all ages. 

Visit Facebook for updates. Questions? Call (559) 320-1120

Cultural Arts District Park is located at 1935 Calaveras St. Fresno, CA 93721

Santa on the Train- a Fresno to Hanford and back again

Sorry this is last minute, if you can't make it, at least you can plan for it next year!

This is the message from the Facebook event.

Bring the kids to meet Santa at the Amtrak San Joaquins Station in Downtown Fresno on November 25! Santa will arrive at 10am for photos, hot cocoa and cookies. Then, go on an adventure with Santa on Amtrak San Joaquins! 

You can board the 710 southbound train with Santa at 11:44am – you will arrive in Hanford at 12:19pm! 
You can head with Santa to the Hanford Carnegie Museum to light the Christmas tree, too! 
If you bring a can of food with you, you'll get a free photo with Santa! Santa will be at the Hanford Carnegie Museum until 2pm. 
Look for Amtrak San Joaquins & Santa at the Downtown Hanford Christmas Parade at 6pm! 

Make sure you purchase your tickets for the 710 southbound train at amtraksanjoaquins.com - this is the train Santa will be on. If you're planning to return back to Fresno by train, don't forget to buy your return tickets, too. There are afternoon and early evening northbound trains from Hanford to Fresno:

717 northbound train departs Hanford at 2:47pm and arrives in Fresno at 3:22pm
719 northbound train departs Hanford at 5:05pm and arrives in Fresno at 5:43pm
703 northbound train departs Hanford at 7:46pm and arrives in Fresno at 8:23pm

Santa Claus Lane

Santa Claus Lane is a 16 house subdivision in Clovis, California, that coordinates their lights to music to put on a fun festive show from 6pm-10pm each night.

The first walking night is tomorrow, November 25, 2016, and this is a nice alternative if your kids are little and you are not up to the time commitment that comes with Christmas Tree Lane (first walking night Saturday,December 3rd, second and last Tuesday, December 13th). Other alternatives for walking and lights include Candy Cane Lane (aka Cindy Lane) and Huntington Blvd along with other smaller displays.

Happy Christmas!

FAMily Day- Fresno Art Museum

Sunday, December 11, 2016, is last Fresno Art Museum FAMily Day of the year.

The event is from 11am-4pm
Santa Claus will be there from 12pm-2pm, along with art projects, cookies, music, and more.

If you have a third grader in Fresno Unified School District, they are likely to have a piece of artwork in the student exhibition ART OF THE WORLD. (Keep in mind most of the pieces are in binders-so don't make this the only reason you come.)

Naturally, the museum is free of admission during the event, so it's a good time to get your kids in for free, especially if you have a big family. It will be crowded, so just mentally prepare for that. It's a great event and worth it.

Service Heals the Heart

I knew this week would be hard on me regardless of the election results, but I found it affected me more than I expected. I know I want to DO to help my community.

Looking for a way to give back to your community this Thanksgiving? Here are a few websites that can link you to non-profits that would love your help. Keep in mind, the earlier you contact each organization the smoother everything will go. If you run out of time to organize volunteer hours, consider making something you can donate. If you have an animal love consider the Zoo or an animal shelter- keep your (or your child's) interests in mind, but don't be afraid to push your comfort zone and come away with all the feels. Love is Service.

JustServe.org

VolunteerMatch.org

HandsOn Central California

~Sarah