CALENDAR

EASTSIDE Purim Carnival. Carnival games, onsite food trucks, inflatables, and more family fun! 11 am to 2 pm. FREE. Stroum Jewish Community Center, Mercer Island. www.sjcc.org

NORTH SOUND Little Red. StoryBook Theater presents a charming retelling of the tale in which friendship triumphs over our own immediate needs. Today at 11 am and 1 pm; various times and locations through Mar. 21. $$. Everett PUD Auditorium, Everett. www.storybooktheater.org Family Mini Golf. Golf with your family in a relaxed setting, or compete to see who reigns as champion! 1 to 3 pm. FREE. Everett Family YMCA, Everett. www.ymca-snoco.org

SOUTH SOUND

Mini Maestros: Wacky, Wild World

of Percussion. Listen along as the symphony performs music from Pink Panther. An instrument petting zoo one hour before the show, where kids can try them out. 2:30 pm. $-$$. Schneebeck Hall at University of Puget Sound, Tacoma. www.tacomaartslive.org

FARTHER AFIELD Winter Discover Walk. Join a naturalist for a one-mile exploratory nature and use microscopes to discover hidden surprises in nature along the way. Wear layers and sturdy shoes. Pre-register. 1:30 to 3:30 pm. FREE. Cedar River Wa- tershed Education Center, North Bend. www.seattle.gov

Thursday, March 12

SEATTLE AREA Emerald City Comic Con. This is the destination comic and pop culture show for the Pacific Northwest. A Family HQ for young superheroes has workshops, brick building, stories and more. 10 am to 7 pm through Sat; 10 am to 5 pm Sun. $$$. Washington State Convention Center, Downtown Seattle. www.emer- aldcitycomiccon.com Moisture Festival. A showcase of com- edy/varietè artists includes acrobats, dancers, musicians, clowns, aerialists, comedians, magicians, jugglers and more. Most shows are all-ages (espe- cially 3 pm shows). Tonight at 7:30 pm, various times through March 21. $$ to $$$. Hale’s Palladium, Seattle (Fremont). www.moisturefestival.org

SOUTH SOUND Neighborhood Night at TAM. Stop in for performances, artist demonstra- tions, Drawing Jam, and more. 5 to 8 pm every Thursday. FREE. Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma. www.tacomaartmuseum.org

Friday, March 13

SEATTLE AREA

BIG Sister Act at 5th Avenue

KID Theatre. This musical comedy,

PICK based on the 1992 hit movie, features original music and disco diva Deloris, who brings new life and music into the convent. Caregivers should check content advisory. 8 pm today,

June 15 – August 21 3 – 14 years old Learning & Enrichment Outdoor Education Performing Arts Fine Arts Sports Day Camps summertime fun!

Find registration information online: www.evergreenschool.org

various times through April 5. $$$. 5th Avenue Theatre, Downtown Seattle. www.5thavenue.org Leprechaun Hunt. There are four things that attract leprechauns: shamrocks, mischief, rainbows and gold. Find all four to win a prize, and possibly glimpse a leprechaun. 10 am to 5 pm today through Sun. and March 20-22. FREE. Krukeberg Botanic Garden, Shoreline. www.krukeberg.org Les Miserables (School Edition). Heroes, redemption, award winning music, and iconic Broadway songs. Performed by a cast of 7th-to-12th-graders, his show is great for audiences ages 4 and older. Tonight at 7 pm, various weekend times through March 29. $-$$. Whidbey Children’s Theatre, Langley. www.wctmagic.org

EASTSIDE Wild Weather. Take a stroll outside with a ranger to learn about the crazy March weather conditions and how they occur. Learn about rain, wind and snow, and do a weather experiment! 10 to 11 am. FREE (pre-register). Lake Hills Greenbelt Ranger Station, Bellevue. www.bellevuewa.gov The Wizard of Oz. An International Ballet Theatre children’s production, the classic Oz characters come to life on stage through storytelling, dance and movement. 7 pm today, various times through March 15. $$$. The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue. www.ibtbellevue.org

Saturday, March 14

SEATTLE AREA

BIG Teen Action Fair. Connect with youth

KID working to make a difference through

PICK social justice campaigns, art and more. The theme is “In Community We Flourish.” 10 am to 3 pm. FREE. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, Seattle. www.discovergates.org Irish Festival. Celebrate Irish arts and culture with music, dancing, food, kids’ activities and more. Noon to 6 pm today, 10 am to 6 pm Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Armory, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.irishclub.org St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Individuals are welcome to join the parade. The route follows Fourth Avenue starting at James Street, ending at Westlake Park. Monorail is free 1:30 to 2:30 pm. 12:30 pm. FREE. Downtown Seattle. www.irishclub.org

Family Fun Storytime at SAM: PNW Pictures.

Explore Pacific Northwest landscapes in art throughout the galleries. Then create your own art piece, inspired by art and stories. 10 am to noon. $$. Seattle Art Museum (Education Resource Center), Downtown Seattle. www.seattleartmuseum.org

Friends of Seattle Public Library Book Sale.

More than 100,000 items are up for sale, including books of all kinds, CDs, DVDs and more. Prices range from $1 to $3. 9 am to 5 pm today, 11 am to 4 pm Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.friendsofspl.org Opera Time for Kids. Every second Saturday of the month, The Opera Center hosts this musical event where kids can get a taste of the opera with songs and stories. 10:30 to 11 am. FREE (RSVP requested). The Opera Center (Mercer Street), Seattle. www.seattleopera.org

EASTSIDE Eastside Symphony Winter Concert. Bring your young musicians to see classic works. $ to $$, free ages 12 and younger. 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Redmond Performing Arts Center, Redmond High School. www.eastsidesymphony.org Finaghty’s St. Patty’s Day Run. A chip-timed 5K includes a 1K kids’ run. 9 am. $$ to $$$. Finaghty’s Irish Pub, Snoqualmie. www.runsnoqualmie.com

Irish Festival

Kirkland Shamrock Run. 5K run/walk, plus a kids’ dash. Dogs and strollers welcome. 9 am. $$ to $$$. Marina Park, Kirkland. www.kirklandshamrockrun.com Wetland Waddlers: Mud Appreciation. Enjoy art, play and story time. Today is all about mud: Jump in puddles, make mud cakes, and get messy. 9:30 to 11:30 am. $$$. Pre-register. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Bellevue. www.pacificsciencecenter.org St. Patrick’s Day at Kelsey Creek. Adult and child team up to make crafts, play with farm animals, and hunt for a pot of gold! 1:30 pm. $$$. Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue. www.bellevuewa.gov Step Softly, Mountain Goats. Walk with a ranger and learn more about mountain goats, and the “leave no trace” principles when observing nature. 2:30 to 3:30 pm. Today and March 21. FREE (pre-register). Lewis Creek Park Visitor Center, Bellevue. www.bellevuewa.gov

SOUTH SOUND Women’s Day Celebration. Workshops, discussions, and activities designed to uplift and empower women, and support gender equality. 10 am. FREE. People’s Community Center, Tacoma. www.metroparkstacoma.org Kent Kids’ Arts Day. Annual celebration features hands-on art projects led by professional artists. Kids must be with an adult. Food available for purchase. 10 am to 4 pm. $$, free adults and kids younger than age 2. Kent Commons, Kent. www.kentwa.gov Crossroads Doll & Teddy Bear Show. See a large selection of dolls and teddy bears on display and for sale, including antiques, miniatures, furniture, supplies and accessories. 8:30 to 10 am early birds today ($$), 10 am to 4 pm through Sun. $. Free parking. Washington State Fairgrounds and Event Center, Puyallup. www.dolls4all.com St. Paddy’s Day Run Tacoma. Half marathon (8:10 am), 10K (8:40 am), 5K (9 am) and kids’ dash (11 am). Walkers and strollers welcome on the 5K course. $$$. Pre-register. South Eighth Street and Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. www.stpaddyruntacoma.com

Pi Day Celebration. Hands-on activities, plus a showing of “Chaos and Order: A Mathematical Symphony.” Noon to 4 pm FREE. Pierce College Science Dome, Lakewood. www.pierce.ctc.edu/science-dome Daddy Daughter Princess Ball. An event for male role models to create special memories with the little girls in their lives. Includes refreshments, a DJ, and dancing. Ages 3-6 from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, ages 7-13 from 7 to 9 pm. $$$. Auburn Community & Event Center, Auburn. www.auburnwa.gov

FARTHER AFIELD Winter Fireside Storytime. Cozy up by the fireplace to hear stories about flying squirrels, read by a naturalist. Coloring sheets will be available afterward. Pre-register. 1:30 to 2:30 pm. FREE. Cedar River Watershed Education Center, North Bend. www.seattle.gov

Sunday, March 15

SEATTLE AREA PNB’s Beauty & the Beast. A great way to introduce youngsters to ballet, this classic tale of adventure, friendship and love is tailored to young audiences. Today at 11 am, 2 pm and 5 pm. $$-$$$. McCaw Hall, Lower Queen Anne. www.pnb.org Leprechaun Lap. Kids ages 10 and younger can do the nearly 1K Leprechaun Lap at the start of the St. Patrick’s Day Dash 5K. Then enjoy post-run fun at the Seattle Center Armory. 8 am. $$$. Pre-register. Seattle Center, Lower Queen Anne. www.stpatsdash.com

EASTSIDE Holi Festival. Participate in this Hindu festival in which revelers throw colored powder on each other, plus enjoy music, dance performances and vegetarian Indian food. 11 am. FREE (color & food for purchase). Lake Sammamish State Park, Issaquah. www.facebook.com/EastsideHoli

SOUTH SOUND Donut Dash. 5K run with donuts at the end. Prizes for top finishers. Free 1-mile kids’ run. 8:15 am kids’ run, 8:30 am 5K. $$$. Hands On Children’s Museum, Olympia. www.clubolyrunning.com

St. Patrick’s Day at the Zoo. Talk with zookeepers and watch as animals (many green!) receive “lucky” enrichment treats. 9:30 am to 4 pm. Included with admission. $ to $$. Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma. www.pdza.org

Thursday, March 19

Free State Parks Day. Celebrate the State Parks’ 107th birthday by visiting Washington’s beautiful state parks for free. More than 100 parks to choose from. www.discoverpass.wa.gov

SEATTLE AREA The Best Summer Ever! A young girl’s loss and small lie lead to a summer filled with complications. Experience childhood through the eyes of a 9-yearold, whose feelings are front and center. Best for ages 8 and older. 7 pm tonight, various times through April 19. $$ to $$$. Seattle Children’s Theatre, Lower Queen Anne. www.sct.org

NORTH SOUND

Musical Trip Around the World with

Miho & Diego. Enjoy free music at the library from a variety of genres and cul- tures. 6:30 pm. FREE. Edmonds Library, Edmonds. www.sno-isle.org

Friday, March 20

SEATTLE AREA March Madness. Families with kids of all ages can enjoy some March Madness basketball fun. Food, games, prizes and basketball games on the big screen. 5 pm. FREE, donations welcome. Van Asselt Community Center (Beacon Hill), Seattle. www.parkways.seattle.gov

EASTSIDE Rapunzel. Bellevue Youth Theatre performs a comedic version of this classic fairy tale, and breaks down how the whole story happened in the first place. It’s full of surprises! 7 pm tonight, various times through March 29. $$. Bellevue Youth Theatre. www.bellevuewa.gov

SOUTH SOUND Suzette Who Set to Sea. Suzette lives in a mythical village by the sea where men build boats and women do not. She knows that she has a different destiny, and when her chance comes to prove herself worthy, she takes it. Tonight at 7 pm, various dates through April 4. $$. Olympia Family Theater, Olympia. www.olyft.org

Saturday, March 21

SEATTLE AREA Little Red. StoryBook Theater presents a charming retelling of the familiar tale in which friendship triumphs over our own immediate needs. 11 am. $$. Shore- line Conference Center, Shoreline. www.storybooktheater.org

Kids’ Club: Paint a Birdhouse.

Decorate a wooden bird feeder or bird- house with paint, and learn about local birds from ambassadors on site. Today and Sun., 10 am to 2 pm. $$. Swansons Nursery, Seattle (Blue Ridge). www.swansonsnursery.com

Discover Dance. More than 700 elementary and junior high school students will perform the works they’ve created with their peers. 11:30 am. $$. McCaw Hall, Seattle Center (Lower Queen Anne). www.pnb.org

EASTSIDE Sensory-Friendly Night Walk. Learn about nocturnal animals during a guided evening walk. Begin in the lab by examining skulls and conducting experiments to discover how animals survive at night. Then head outside to call owls, listen for nocturnal creatures and do sensory-friendly activities. 7 to 9 pm. $$. Pre-register. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Bellevue. www.pacificsciencecenter.org Festival of Color. All are welcome to participate in the Hindu traditions of Holi, which include music, vegetarian cuisine and throwing colored powder at revelers. Prepare for a mess! Noon to 5 pm. FREE (colors, shirts, food available for purchase). Marymoor Park, Redmond. www.festivalofcolor.us Spring Into Action Run. Magnuson Series fun runs including 5K, 10K, 15K, duathlon and kids’ dash. Kids’ dash 9:45 am, all other events 10 am. $ to $$$. Magnuson Park, Seattle (Sand Point). www.magnusonseries.org Caspar Babypants. Dance and sing along with this kindie-rock favorite. 10:30 am. $ (babes in arms free). North Bend Theater, North Bend. www.babypantsmusic.com Dinner & Dancing. Join Evergreen City Ballet for a special preview performance of the ballet “The Little Match Girl.” Have a pizza party and play with the ballerinas after the show. 5:45 to 8 pm. $$$. KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Bellevue. www. kidsquestmuseum.org

SOUTH SOUND

Family STEAM Day: Biofuels & Bioproducts.

Explore the world of biofuels through fermentation, experimentation, and the development of bio-compostable materials. Noon to 4 pm $$. America’s Car Museum, Tacoma. www.americascarmuseum.org

Sunday, March 22

SEATTLE AREA French Fest. This annual event features music, dance, food and fashion highlighting the influence of French-speaking cultures around the world. 11 am to 5 pm. FREE. Seattle Center Armory (Lower Queen Anne). www.fenpnw.org

EASTSIDE Mercer Island Half Marathon. Half marathon (7:30 am walk, 9 am run), kids’ dash (8 am; ages 10 and younger), 10K (8:30 am), and 5K run/walk (9:30 am). Benefits Mercer Island Rotary and colon cancer prevention. $$ to $$$. Mercer Island Community and Event Center, Mercer Island. www.mercerislandhalf.com

Friday, March 27

SEATTLE AREA Hot Java Cool Jazz Concert. This annual benefit concert features award-winning jazz bands. Past performing bands include Garfield, Roosevelt, Edmonds-Woodway, Mountlake Terrace, Shorewood and Newport, to name a handful. All money from ticket sales benefits the schools’ music programs. 7 pm. $$$. The Paramount Theater, Downtown Seattle. www.stgpresents.org

Saturday, March 28

SEATTLE AREA

Saturday Family Concert: Gustafer Yellowgold.

Discover Dance

Dance along to a one-of-a-kind music and animation show, featuring the story of a little guy from the Sun who lands in the Minnesota woods. There is plenty of adult crossover appeal, too. 11 am. $, free for 22 and younger. The Forum at Town Hall, Seattle. www.townhallseattle.org

An English Renaissance & Baroque Double Bill.

Young performers ages 7 to 15 bring A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Pyramus & Thisbe to life on stage for a musical double feature complete with period costumes. 1 to 2:30 pm. $-$$ (pay as able). Good Shepherd Chapel (Wallingford), Seattle. www.historicalarts.org

Family Fun Workshop at SAM: Young Artists.

Explore the galleries, look at mixed-media works, then make a collage of your own. Two sessions today; 10 am and 1 pm. $$$. Seattle Art Museum (Chase Open Studio). www.seattleartmuseum.org Holi Festival of Colors. Celebrate this traditional Indian festival with entertainment, food and a fun fight with colored powder. 1 to 3 pm. $ to $$. Phinney Center lower parking lot, Seattle (Phinney Ridge). www.phinneycenter.org Maker Day. Tinker, experiment and create alongside some of Seattle’s most innovative makers. Activities range from art to crafts to technology. Check the website for this month’s theme. Noon to 3 pm. Included with admission. $$, free ages 14 and younger with an adult. MOHAI, Seattle (South Lake Union). www.mohai.org Nighttime Frog and Beaver Walk. Explore the Magnuson Park wetlands on an intergenerational walk with Children’s Garden naturalists, Seattle Audubon master birders and experts from Beavers Northwest. 7 to 8:30 pm. FREE. Magnuson Children’s Garden, Seattle (Magnuson Park). www.magnusonchildrensgarden.org

EASTSIDE The Bully Plays. Written to create awareness around bullying, this show helps the audience gain a variety of perspectives on bullying, as well as how to end it. 2:30 pm today and Sun. $$. Studio East, Kirkland. www.studio-east.org Free Family Day at BAM: Under the Sea! Enjoy an afternoon of animals, colors, performances and activities that are all about the ocean. Ages 4 to 10. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE. Bellevue Arts Museum. www.bellevuearts.org

Wetland Waddlers: Wonderful Wetlands.

Explore Mercer Slough with your preschooler. Take an up-close look at the unique creatures living in wetlands, and learn about why they’re so important. 9:30 to 11:30 am. $$$. Pre-register. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Bellevue. www.pacificsciencecenter.org

NORTH SOUND Olympic Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty. See the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty told through dance. A ballet that all ages are sure to enjoy. Today at 2 pm, Sun. at 5 pm. $$$. Edmonds Center for the Arts, Downtown Edmonds. www.olympicballet.org

Sunday, March 29

SEATTLE AREA Baby Shark Live! Pink Frog’s famously popular Baby Shark is live on stage! Sing and dance along with the cast, and learn about shapes and numbers. 3 p.m. $$$. Paramount Theatre, Seattle. www.babysharklive.com Sunday Public Sail. Set sail around Lake Union with volunteer skippers from the Center for Wooden Boats. Try sprit boats, steamboats, electric boats, schooners, yawls, ketches or yachts. Every Sunday, rain or shine. Sign-ups begin at 10 am FREE. Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle (South Lake Union). www.cwb.org

SOUTH SOUND Friendship Run. 10K, 5K and kids’ dash (ages 2 to 8) benefits Westside Cooperative Preschool. 9 am 10K, 9:05 am 5K, 10:15 am kids’ dash. $$$, free kids’ dash. McLane Elementary School, Olympia. www.friendshiprun.org

Monday, March 30

SEATTLE AREA

BIG Lit Wits: A Teen Book Club. On the last

KID Monday of each month, discuss a new

PICK book with fellow book-loving teens. Best for ages 13-17. 7 to 8 pm. FREE. Third Place Books (Seward Park), Seattle. www.thirdplacebooks.com

Tuesday, March 31

SEATTLE AREA Paint Playground. Visit this amazing gallery where old art supplies are re-purposed! Do splatter paint, use homemade playdough, and partake in a new, teacher-led art project each day. For ages 1-5 with an adult. Weekdays from 9:30 to 11:30 am. $$. Seattle ReCreative (Greenwood), Seattle. www.seattlerecreative.org