Kent Station is celebrating the holidays with a 30 day holiday countdown: 30 days of deals starting Friday, November 25 through Christmas Eve. Kent Station merchants will offer different deals each day throughout the holiday season. These one day special offers will be posted to Kent Station’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/kentstation, so be sure to visit often.

Kent Station will expand its shopping hours from Nov. 25 through Dec. 24: Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm; and Christmas Eve, 10 am to 5 pm. Many merchants will be open extended hours on Friday, November 25. Check http://www.KentStation.com for details.

Kent Station is full of holiday cheer and activities:  Santa arrives on Saturday, November 26 at 11 am; the annual Winterfest parade through Kent Station is on Saturday, Dec. 3 (approximately 4:30 pm) which is immediately followed by the Kent Lions’ tree lighting at Town Square Plaza (approximately 5:30 pm); and on Saturday, December 10 the WOLF 100.7 will have a remote broadcast featuring Microsoft’s Kinect and its newest games.

Want to give back this season? Kent Station supports local families in need by accepting donations at Santa’s House for food, clothing or cash – all donations go to the Kent Food Bank.  Next to the Santa House in front of AMC is Kent Station’s Giving Tree benefiting children and their siblings who receive services from Children’s Therapy Center. From November 25 through December 19, the tree will be decorated with hosting “mittens.”  Each mitten is dedicated to a child and lists the child’s age, clothing and shoe sizes, along with a wish (a basketball, baby doll) and a need (a warm jacket, blankets, socks).

Kent Station encourages shoppers to take a mitten or two to brighten a child’s Christmas.  Simply bring back the gifts unwrapped, attach the mitten, and drop in the Big Red Box, located inside AMC Theatres’ lobby.

As always, hop by our hip Santa House for holiday wishes and photos. A photo CD is available for $20. Prints can also be purchased in varying sizes, ranging in price from $15 to $40. Santa’s hours are:

Nov. 26 – 27:               11 am – 8 pm
Nov. 30 – Dec. 2:        4 – 8 pm
Dec. 3 – 4:                   11 am – 8 pm
Dec 7 – 9:                    4 – 8 pm
Dec. 10 – 23:               11 am – 8 pm

“The holiday season is our favorite time of the year, with our additional decorations, lights and, of course, Santa. We invite our customers to join us in celebrating the season.” says Sommer Ueda, marketing and property manager for Kent Station. “It’s a special time to share with family and friends. We enjoy making it fun, while also giving back to the community with our giving tree and food drive.”

For additional details about Kent Station’s Holiday Countdown or holiday events, call the Kent Station management office at 253-856-2301 or visit Kent Station’s website at http://www.KentStation.com or Facebook page at http://Facebook.com/KentStation.

About Kent Station

Located on 18 acres in the heart of downtown Kent, Kent Station is an urban shopping village developed by Tarragon a Seattle based company. The 470,000 sq. ft., mixed-use development features locally-owned and national retail stores, professional office space, and dining and entertainment, including a 14-screen AMC Theatres Cineplex and a branch campus of Green River Community College.

In addition to Kent Station merchants and dining and entertainment venues, the popular outdoor shopping center hosts free, family-friendly events throughout the year as well as nonprofit fundraisers to support the community. For more information, visit the Kent Station website at http://www.KentStation.com or call the management office at 253-856-2301.

About Children’s Therapy Center:

Since 1979, Children’s Therapy Center, a Dynamic Partner organization, has provided quality therapy services for infants, children, and adolescents ages birth to 21 with the mission to maximize the potential of children with special needs by providing individualized, family-centered therapy services.

Children are referred to CTC with a variety of developmental delays and disabilities including cerebral palsy and neurological disorders, torticollis, speech and language disorders, brachial plexus injuries, spina bifida, Down syndrome, feeding disorders, sensory processing difficulties, autism and dyspraxia. For more information about Children’s Therapy Center, visit http://www.DynamicFamilies.org.

For a spooky good time, join the staff of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle at the “Tricks & Treats Funfest” in Federal Way this Saturday, October 29 from 6 to 8:30 pm. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® will be on hand to entertain kids ages 2 to 12 with their haunted truck, complete with a Halloween-themed scarecrow and spooky lighting. Located next to the s’mores station, kids are encouraged to come in costume with their parents.

“We love participating in community events like this,” said Tera-Rose Layton of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle. “Being next to the s’mores station is a bonus!”

In addition to the haunted truck, “Tricks & Treats Funfest” will feature carnival games, a costume contest, an outdoor s’mores station, prizes, candy and more. Admission is $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Accompanying adults and children under two are free. Sponsored by the City of Federal Way, the event will be held at 876 S. 333^rd St. in Federal Way. Call 253-835-6900 for more information or to register for the event.

About TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle:

The Seattle area franchise of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is owned by husband and wife team Rick and Glenna Clendenen. The firm serves the Seattle area out of offices located in Kent and Kirkland and actively participates in the communities it serves. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK© offers a full-range of residential and commercial moving services, senior move management, packing services, supplies and workshops. To learn more about TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® of Seattle, visit them online at http://twomenandatruckseattle.com or call 253-656-4322.

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to sip, shop and sparkle at the sixth annual Wine, Women, WOW! celebration, hosted by Kent Downtown Partnership. This year the event moves to Saturday, September 10 and features pampering, shopping, wine sipping, beer tasting, food sampling, live music and more.

Wine, Women, WOW! will be held at the Kent Senior Activity Center (600 E. Smith St., Kent) from 5 to 9 p.m. It will include many new features. One exciting addition to the event is the ManCave, a 32-foot mobile game theatre with the latest in video games, six 50-inch TVs, a cigar bar, cocktails and more. Sponsored by Clowns Unlimited and Games2U, the ManCave is open to both men and women.

In addition, Wine, Women, WOW! will include a one-hour VIP event preceding the main event. Sponsored by Heritage Bank, the VIP hour will run from 5 to 6 pm and VIP ticket holders will enjoy complimentary appetizers, a hosted cocktail hour, and the opportunity to preview the pampering and shopping vendors, along with a few extra goodies including a color-changing “blinky” glass.

The main event runs from 6 to 9 pm and will include a variety of pampering services and shopping opportunities, as well as wine sampling, beer tasting provided by Airways Brewing Company, hors d’oeuvres and delicious treats. As an added bonus, guests may purchase raffle tickets to win a beautiful diamond ring donated by Bonaci Jewelers, a getaway weekend from Hawthorne Suites and gift card trees featuring gift cards and other items from local businesses. Guests will enjoy live music jazz and blues by the Still Got It Band, sponsored by Hanis Irvine Prothero.

“Wine, Women, WOW! has always been a fun event, but we wanted to bring back that ‘girlfriend feel’ this year with more pampering and shopping,” explains Barbara Smith, Executive Director for Kent Downtown Partnership. “We’ve also added a VIP event and a ManCave to make our guests – men and women alike – feel extra special!”

Bonaci Jewelers is the presenting sponsor for Wine, Women, WOW! Other sponsors include Clowns Unlimited, Games2U, Kent Station, Hanis Irvine Prothero, Heritage Bank, Airways Brewing Company, Tents & Events Party Rentals, Kent Reporter, Virtually Yourz, Café Pacific Catering, Teresa Clark of Silpada Designs, Pearson Chiropractic, Marti Reeder of John L. Scott Kent-Covington, Judy Woods, Valley Bank and MultiCare.

VIP tickets and tickets to the main event, including the ManCave, are available by calling Kent Downtown Partnership at 253-813-6976. VIP tickets are $50 and tickets to the main event are $25 in advance, or $5 additional at the door. Raffle tickets will be available for $5 with special pricing for multi-ticket purchases. For more information about the event, including a current list of sponsors and vendors, please visit http://winewomenwow.com.

All proceeds from the event benefit Kent Downtown Partnership, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. KDP’s mission is to develop and promote a vibrant downtown. To learn more about KDP, call Executive Director Barbara Smith at 253-813-6976 or visit http://kentdowntown.org.

Contributed by Book It Northwest

Free Poetry Writing Workshop with Author Erik Korhel
Event date: April 12, 2011
Location:  Covington Regional Library

Write a poem (or more) with help from King County poet Erik Korhel who will lead a Poetry Workshop for ages 7 and up April 12 at 7 p.m. at the Covington Branch of the King County Libraries, 27100 164th Ave. S.E., (253) 630-8761. Free.

More information at http://tinyurl.com/3u75g6v

ADDITIONAL FREE PERFORMANCES

April 9th at 3 p.m. – Sammamish Regional Library

May 14th at 2 p.m. – Kenmore Regional Library

The City of Kent is looking for one or two strong, committed nonprofits to operate the Morford Family Carousel (at Town Square Plaza in downtown Kent) for the summer.

The club or organization will determine its operating hours, but typically the season begins after Kent Cornucopia Days (mid-July) through the last Sunday in August. Organizations can benefit by accepting donations for rides. One adult and two minors are needed per shift. A strong, committed volunteer work force is needed.

If you are interested, contact Victoria Andrews at Kent Parks at 253-856-5113 or via email by Fri., Mar. 11, 2011

As always, ShoWare Center has lots of family-friendly entertainment coming Kent’s way. Here’s what’s on tap over the next few weeks:

Jan. 7, 7:35 pm
Seattle Thunderbirds Hockey
T-Birds vs. Kelowna

Jan. 17 & Jan. 28
High School Hoops Action
Jan. 17 – Comcast Showcase
Jan. 28 – Les Schwab Shootout

Jan. 22, 2011, 12:30 and 3:30 pm
Disney Live:  Mickey’s Magic Show

Feb. 10, 8:00 pm
Ladies Night Out, Vol. @ – Valentine’s Day Edition
Featuring Bell Biv DeVoe, Al B. Sure and SWV & Jon. B.

Feb. 17, 7:00 pm
Harlem Globetrotters 2011 World Tour
Celebrating 85 years of storied history

Feb. 24, 7:00 pm
Hillsong United – Aftermath Tour

For a complete schedule or to buy tickets to any event, visit ShoWare Center’s online box office.

The Kent/Covington My Little Gym location (24030 132nd Ave SE, Kent, WA 98042) offers parents a bit of a break on Black Friday. Drop off your child from 9 am to 1 pm the day after Thanksgiving, so you can do a bit of shopping – or relaxing – while your child has fun and gets some indoor exercise – climbing, swinging, tumbling and more! See the My Little Gym website for details.

Kent Station celebrates the 2010 holiday season with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus this Saturday, November 27. The jolly couple will welcome shoppers and visitors at 10 a.m. at the Fountain Stage outside Kent Station’s AMC Theatres.

Following their official welcome, Santa and Mrs. Claus will hold court at the Hip Santa House where children and well-behaved pets may have their photos taken, and adults can take Santa’s patented “naughty or nice” test. Photos are offered at a discount in exchange for donations of nonperishable food items and new, unwrapped toys for the Kent Food Bank. A complete list of Santa’s hours and photo packages is available at the Kent Station website.

Beginning at noon, Kentwood High School’s Royal Court from the Madrigal Feast will sing Christmas tunes from their upcoming performance, adding to the festive atmosphere. In addition, the community is invited to participate in the Giving Tree on display at Kent Station Plaza. The Giving Tree benefits Kent Youth and Family Services, a nonprofit organization that serves kids, teens and families in South King County.

Sponsored by BECU and supported by Calvary Community Church of Sumner, the Giving Tree will feature tags with needs (e.g., coats, hats, shoes) and wants (e.g., books, toys) for 400 area kids, along with tags asking for board games for Kent Youth and Family Services’ Head Start/ECEAP program. Shoppers may drop off their donated gifts through December 15 inside AMC Theatres near the arcade.

“The holidays are a time of celebration and giving, and Kent Station wants to be a part of that by giving back to the community,” said Kent Station general manager John Hinds. “We encourage shoppers to join us by donating to the Kent Food Bank and Kent Youth and Family Services this holiday season. We can all help by making a sad time for some a little merrier.”

For more information about Kent Station or its holiday festivities, visit the Kent Station website at www.kentstation.com or contact Sommer Ueda at 253-856-2301. For more information about Kent Youth and Family Services, visit KYFS online at www.KYFS.org. Visit the Kent Food Bank online at www.skcfc.org/kentfoodbank/ for more information about its hours and offerings.

Located on 18 acres in the heart of downtown Kent, Kent Station is an urban shopping village developed by Tarragon a Seattle based company. The 470,000 sq. ft., mixed-use development features locally-owned and national retail stores, professional office space, and dining and entertainment, including a 14-screen AMC Theatres Cineplex and a branch campus of Green River Community College.

Support Kentwood choir students by attending the Kentwood Madrigal Feast on Fri., Dec. 10 and Sat., Dec. 11 (beginning at 6 p.m.). The annual Madrigal Feast will be held at Kent Covenant Church (12010 SE 240th St., Kent, WA 98031). You’ll enjoy an evening of feasting, drama and music.

Tickets:  $25 adults, $15 for seniors, active military, and children under 12

Visit Kentwood Choir Boosters online for more info. or email Daisy Emans.