Yulefest runs until 6pm tonight and from noon to 5pm tomorrow at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard.

Yulefest 2006 photo via Johann C. Rocholl on Flickr

Two separate productions of The Wizard of Oz are playing this weekend – Seattle Children’s Theater and Bellevue Youth Theater. Take your pick.

Seven Dancing Sultanas – A bellydance fairytale

“Music, intrique, dancing and martial arts, come together in a magical kingdom far, far, away” in this production by Cause It’s Art featuring martial arts by Seattle Wushu.

Yulefest

It’s Yulefest at the Nordic Heritage Museum. They’ll have decorations, crafts and treats for a Scandinavian holiday, plus kid’s crafts, music, and entertainment.

Italian Story Time

Get them started early with stories, songs, and activities in Italian.

This travelling Smithsonian Institution exhibit about “historical, regional and social traditions that merge in meals at the American table” comes to the Skagit County Historical Museum. The exhibit opens on Saturday with Scandinavian accordion music at noon, food stories at 1pm, and hands-on activities throughout the day.

Kid’s Cabaret

I don’t know much about this, but it’s described as a “G-rated, sequined and stilt walking romp through the exciting world of cabaret” with “music, dance, storytelling, face painting, and a costume table,” so you can’t go wrong really.

11/15 at 3:30, the Theater off Jackson, tickets

IGNITE! Open House at Pratt Fine Arts Center

See glass blowing, bronze pouring and hot steel forging at this free open house. They’ll have activities for the kids, while Mom and Dad can chat with instructors and staff. Maybe you’ll even sign up for that sculpture/printmaking/jewelry/glass blowing class you’ve been thinking about.

11/15, 6-9pm, Pratt

Details on both workshops here.

Glorious chard photo via kendrahw on Flickr

I’ve asked this question many a time since living in Seattle, and nobody seems to have a definitive answer. Of course, nobody seems to be as bothered by it as I am either. But there has to be a definitive answer, right?

Thistle Theater brings their traditional Japanese Bunraku-style puppetry to Mount Baker as part of the Pied Piper Series.

Or see the Zambini Brothers puppets perform “The Fattest Kitty on Earth” at the Alki Bathhouse.

Cultural Crossroads Festival

This 18th annual, multi-cultural festival features music and dance performances, an international bazaar, and an interactive lego display.

11/7:  5pm – 10pm; 11/8:  10am – 10pm; 11/9:  11am – 6pm; Crossroads Bellevue

Family Day at the Tacoma Museum of Glass

The Museum of Glass is always a fun time, and every second Saturday is family day. This Saturday, kids can create a Thai floating lotus flower to celebrate Loi Krathong and participate in a hands-on art activity with light. You can also create a drawing of a design you would like to see turned into glass – one or two designs are selected each month and made into glass.  And don’t miss the live glassmaking demonstrations at the Hot Shop.

The garden was founded in 1927 by Japanese immigrant Fujitaro Kubota who grew it to 20 acres and tended it until his death in 1973 at the age of 94. It is now owned by the City of Seattle and protected as a historical landmark. You can read a brief history of the garden here.

1. Untitled, 2. Green to Red, 3. Very color fall, 4. Early Autumn By The Ship Canal, 5. Seasons change., 6. Japanese Maple, Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle

All photos from the Seattle Metblogs Flickr pool.

As part of the Coast Salish Weaving exhibit, The White River Valley Museum is hosting a family day event, where you can “weave on a Coast Salish loom, create a greeting card for friends and family, and pose for the camera in a authentic Coast Salish woven blanket.”

While you’re there, check out the Mary Olsen Farm, a 19th century, 60 acre farmstead, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Celebrate Dia de Muertos

Celebrate the Day of the Dead with music and dance performances, kids’ crafts (including sugar skulls and paper skeletons), craft demonstrations from Michoacan artisans, traditional altars, and a Tapete (sand painting).

See Dracula, the Ballet

The International Ballet Theater brings you a Dracula “filled with diverse artistic offerings from classical ballet and Eastern European folk rhythms to magicians, acrobats, cloggers, and tappers. Flying bats, moving tombstones, and a bit of humor make this annual Halloween production a touching and unforgettable tradition.” For children 5 and up – costumes encouraged at matinee performances.

E.T. Karate Kid

SIFF Cinema’s Films4Families is running E.T. : The Extra-Terrestrial The Karate Kid. Everybody loves E.T. The Karate Kid, right? (Thanks Zee, for pointing out my inability to read a schedule!)