Arboretum class teaches kids about worms

WORM COMPOSTING FOR KIDS | Grade 2 and up. Learn benefits of worm composting, examine a healthy worm bin and how to setup and care for a worm bin. Meets from 9:30 a.m. to noon April 25. Cost is $12 for Yakima Area Arboretum members, $15 non-members; includes starter worm bin, worms and instructional materials. Registration deadline is April 17; call 248-7337.

Updated 4/6 with lower fee.

Baby Lapsit

BABY LAPSIT. 10 a.m. Selah Library, 115 W. Naches Ave. 698-7345.

Baby & Me Swim

BABY & ME SWIM. 10-11 a.m. Drop-in playtime for parents and tots, 6 months to 3 years. Cost: $3.75 adults; kids 3 and younger are free. Lions Pool, 509 W. Pine St., Yakima; 575-6046.

‘Dinosaurs’ keeps getting bigger

By Kim Nowacki
Yakima Herald-Republic

The upcoming “Walking With Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular” event at the Yakima Valley SunDome is billed as the biggest show to ever play Yakima.

Now, officially, it is.

SunDome officials announced Tuesday that “Walking With Dinosaurs,” which comes to town the end of this month, is the highest grossing ticketed event in the venue’s 19-year history.

And it isn’t even sold out.

Tickets are still available to the five previously announced performances, plus tickets to two added shows — 7 p.m. April 23 and 3 p.m. April 24 — go on sale at noon Friday.

“We’re far from being sold out,” Greg Lybeck, SunDome assistant general manager, said in a news release. “In fact, we still have plenty of good seats for most of the shows. But sales are brisk and we obviously are expecting huge crowds at each performance. We are really pleased with the response to this show.”

“Walking With Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular” is a mix of animatronics, puppetry, science and theater magic that brings to life 15 full-size dinosaurs, including a 36-foot tall Brachiosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus Rex that’s 18 feet tall at the shoulder. It’s based on the Emmy Award-winning BBC television series “Walking With Dinosaurs,” originally broadcast in 1999.

Tickets for all shows — which are now 7 p.m. April 23; 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 24; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 25; 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. April 26 — are available through TicketsWest, 800-325-7328, www.ticketswest.com, or the State Fair ticket office, 509-248-7160. Tickets range in price from $19.50 to $47.50.

College planning workshop for parents

A college planning workshop for parents will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 14 at the Harman Center, 101 N. 65th Ave. Cost: $40 per family. Presented by Insight College Solutions. Info: Carol Wagar, 509-972-4502.

Program prepares families for teen years

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PROGRAM FOR PARENTS AND YOUTHS 10-14 — Seven sessions on Tuesdays beginning April 14, Wilson Middle School, 902 S. 44th Ave. Free program. Dinner will be provided and childcare available. Prepare for teen years, avoid problems with drugs and alcohol and strengthen family communication. Info: Renee Slaven, 509-965-7100, ext. 1165.

Children’s festival celebrates trees

Take “A Walk in the Woods” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 11 at the Yakima Area Arboretum’s 10th annual Arbor Festival.

The free event features more than 30 kid-oriented activities celebrating nature: build a bird house, see snakes and raptors, and plant one of more than 300 trees that will be given away during the event.

The 46-acre Arboretum is a nonprofit tree museum and garden located at 1401 Arboretum Drive in Yakima; access the drive across Nob Hill Boulevard from Kmart. For more information, call 248-7337.

Preschool Story Time with Craft

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME WITH CRAFT. 10 a.m. Selah Library, 115 W. Naches Ave. 698-7345.

Terrace Heights Story Time

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME. 10:15 a.m. Terrace Heights Library, 4011 Commonwealth Drive, Yakima. 457-5319.

Preschool Story Time

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME. 10:30 a.m. Downtown Yakima Library, 102 N. Third St. 452-8541.

Toddler and Preschool Art Studio

TODDLER AND PRESCHOOL ART STUDIO. 10 a.m. to noon. Drop-in open studio for children age 5 and younger. Cost: $5. Red Art Gallery, 30 N. Third St., Yakima. 469-2766.

Circus coming Tuesday to Yakima

Circus Gatti will perform two shows at the Yakima Valley SunDome on Tuesday, April 7. Shows begin at 4:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The circus features elephants, trained dogs, acrobats and motorcycle stunts.

Tickets are $22 for adults, $16 for seniors over 60 and juniors ages 13-17, $10 children 12 and under. All seating is general admission, available on a first-come basis. Ticket booths will open one hour before the show. Or, purchase tickets online for early entry at circusgatti.net. The Web site also has a link to download and print a free children’s ticket to the afternoon performance.

Sign up for Youth Environmental Summit

“We do not inherit the earth from our forefathers, we borrow it from our children.”
- Native American proverb

Yakima County Solid Waste will hold a one-day Youth Environmental Summit for students in grades 6-12 on April 23. The free summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Yakima Armory. Preregistration is required; the deadline is April 15.

The summit will provide an opportunity for students to learn about environmental issues that effect their homes, schools and communities, and how they can make a difference. Open to all junior, middle and high school students in Yakima County. Teachers and advisors are encouraged to attend.

To register, call Yakima County Solid Waste, 509-574-2450 or visit yakimarecycles.com.

Funky Friday Night

FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHT. 7-8:30 p.m. Rockin’ recreational swim featuring loud ’80s music. Cost: $1 adults, $0.50 youth, or $3.25 family. Lions Pool, 509 W. Pine St., Yakima. 575-6046.

Home Depot Kids Workshop

HOME DEPOT KIDS WORKSHOP. 9 a.m. to noon. Free drop-in projects for kids 5-12. The Home Depot, 2115 S. First St., Yakima. 452-3016.

Ace Kids Club

ACE KIDS CLUB. 10 a.m. to noon. Free drop-in projects for kids ages 3-12. Hometown Ace Hardware, 3700 Tieton Drive, Yakima. 972-4400.

The Knack: Finger Puppet

THE KNACK. Kids ages 5-12 can make a 3D mini poster and “far out” finger puppet. Free. Michaels store, 1729 S. First St., Yakima. 452-6484. theknackkids.com

Borders Story Time

BORDERS STORY TIME. 11 a.m. Free. Borders Books, 1700 E. Washington Ave., Union Gap. 248-4018.

Author Day at Out On A Whim

AUTHOR DAY AT OUT ON A WHIM. 1 p.m. Guy Brooke, “Pepper the Preschool Puppy”; Ren’ae L. Boehler, “The Unicorn Fish are Having A Party”; and “Secret Messages” author Ardith Carrattwill will introduce her latest book.

Saturday Nite Live

SATURDAY NITE LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. Free drop-in program open to youth ages 7-15, in partnership with Yakima Valley Young Life. Swimming, sports, games, Christian message. Yakima Family YMCA, 5 N. Naches Ave.; 248-1202.

Next Page »