Sundance Film Festival-Locals' Secrets

by: Elizabeth Sedway, Famplosion.com

The 2010 Sundance Film Festival will officially be underway on January 21st. While the festival is a popular tourist event, we've uncovered some of the locals' secrets for this year's festival.

The Park City Box Office, located in the Gateway Center on the corner of Heber Avenue and Swede Alley, officially opened on Jan 9. The 2010 Film Guide is now available at the box office as well as at merchants throughout the Gateway Center.

Tickets to the festival are available online or at the box office starting Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. through Jan. 29. If you aren't able to get the tickets you want because a screening is sold out, your best bet is checking again on the day-of-show. Each morning, the main box offices in Park City and Salt Lake City release a limited number of tickets to that day's screenings at 8 a.m. These tickets must be purchased in person and are not available online or by phone.

After the festival is over each year, the Sundance Institute Film Series presents free screenings of the award-winning films. "Best of Fest" tickets will be distributed, free of charge, to locals Jan. 16-17 at each city's main box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. There is a limit of two tickets per person per screening, with a maximum of four tickets total.

Summit County residents are also invited to pick up free tickets to the Jan. 26 screening of "The Tillman Story" to be shown at the Library Center Theatre at 8:30 p.m. Tickets will be distributed on Monday, Jan. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Park City Main Box Office. A legal Utah ID with a Summit County zip code or a utility bill must be presented. The film is a documentary about professional football star and decorated U.S. soldier Pat Tillman, whose family takes on the U.S. government when their beloved son dies in a "friendly fire" incident in Afghanistan in 2004.

The Secret-Get Polar Express Train Tickets This Year

by: Elizabeth Sedway, Famplosion.com

This past Christmas season in Sacramento, California, many families that wanted to ride on the The Polar Express Train at the California State Railroad Museum were unable to get tickets. This article unveils the secret to making sure you have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2010 Polar Express Train, before these tickets are even available to the general public.

During the Christmas season, the California State Railroad Museum offers a magical ride on the Polar Express Train. This event is patterned after the classic childrensstory, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg.

This past year, tickets for this special holiday event went on sale October 1st. By the end of the day, all 15,000 tickets were sold out. Here's the secret to making sure you and your family secure a ticket for next year.

Museum members are afforded the priviledge of purchasing Polar Express tickets before they are offered for sale to the general public. Museum members purchased a staggering 9,000 tickets during the 2009 presale offering. A museum official stated that many people became members solely to be allowed to purchase Polar Express Tickets early.

In 2009, a family did not need to purchase a museum membership for each member of their family in order to purchase tickets in advance of the general public. If a family purchased a $20 children's membership to the museum this year, they then had the opportunity to purchase, in advance of the general public, an unlimited number of Polar Express tickets.

Membership to the musem offers much more, however, than the mere chance to purchase these tickets early. All memberships include:

Free Admission at the California State Railroad Museum
Free Excursion Train Rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad*
10% Discount at the Museum Store in Old Sacramento+
15% Discount on Photographic Reproduction Orders from the California State Railroad Museum Library.
Invitations to Members-Only Events
Subscription to the Museum's publication, On Track!
Annual Membership Pin
Donor Book Recognition

*During the regular operating season April through September and excluding special ticketed events and train rides

Get your California Railroad Museum Member now and enjoy an entire year of membership benefits, including a chance to pre-purchase the coveted Polar Express Train tickets.

New Year's Eve in New York City

by: Elizabeth Sedway, Famplosion.com

Worldwide Time Square in New York City is synonymous with New Years Eve. Just to give you an idea of the epic nature of this event, event organizers confirm that one ton of confetti will be dropped on Times Square revelers. The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball descends from a flagpole at the top of One Times Square. It can best be seen along Broadway, from 43rd Street to 50th Street, and along Seventh Avenue, as far north as 59th Street.

To get the best view of the ball as it descends, arrive early. The earlier you arrive, the better your view and the closer you will be to the action. The sound system is set up in the Bowtie area (where Broadway and Seventh Avenue cross), and the video screens on One Times Square (where the Ball is lowered) are easily visible. There are additional screens set up at Broadway and 50th Street, Broadway and 52nd Street, Broadway and 54th Street and Broadway and 58th Street. The following Times Square restaurants have a view of the ball:

• DoubleTree Guest Suites
• Marriott Marquis
• TGI Fridays
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
• Sbarro Pizza
• Olive Garden
• 2 Times Square

The best way to get to Times Square is via public transportation. To get to Times Square, the # 1, 2, 3, 7, A, B, C, D, E, F, N, Q, R, W, V and S shuttle trains all service the Times Square area. The MTA has advised revelers not to use the 42nd Street Subway Station on New Year's Eve, due to crowded conditions - instead, exit at one of the surrounding stations and enter Times Square by foot. It is expected that the MTA will keep all subway stations open on New Year's Eve. Some entrances and exits may be closed as crowd conditions require. After 7 p.m. on December 31st, the N and R train station at 49th Street and Seventh Avenue may be closed until after midnight. Trains may also bypass some stations, depending on how the crowds build.

Families will want to take into consideration that no portable toilets will be set up in Times Square, leaving those 'in need' at the mercy of local merchants. On the upside, however, police will set aside a viewing area for the disabled, located on the northwest corner of 43rd Street. However, this area will fill up quickly, and it is advised that disabled visitors arrive early in the day. Alcholic beverages will not be allowed in the area. If you bring it anyway, the Police will confiscate it.

New Year's Eve in Nashville

by: Elizabeth Sedway, Famplosion.com

Nashville is singing out 2009 and playin' in 2010.  Starting at 7:30p, at 1st and Broadway in front of the Hard Rock Cafe, join in the free street party fondly named, Bash on Broadway.  Performing live at the event will be:  Rodne Atkins, Tommy Sims & Friends, with special guests Marc Broussard and Johnny Lang, The Dirt Drifters and Gabe Dixon.  As midnight approaches the crowd with await grand fireworks and the 'Guitar Drop'.  Similar to the 'dropping' of the crystal ball at New York City's Time Square, Nashville lowers its revered symbol, the guitar, as midnight approaches.

Families looking for a more active New Years Celebration?  In Murfreesboro come on down to the Skate Center West for the 'New Year's Eve Late Night Skate'.  From 7:30p until 2:00 skate and celebrate all that 2009 was and all that 2010 will be for you family.  Party includes: Admission, party favors, slice of Perky's Pizza, soft drink, and a glowstick

Winter Break Special at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle

The kids are all out of school for winter break. Now what to do?

Well, you're in luck. The Woodland Park Zoo is offering free admission to kids ages 12 with each paying adult every day until January 3 (except December 25). Just mention "Winter Fun" to get a child in free!

The Zoo has lots of fun events for the holiday season. Enjoy the Zoo's Winter Celebration, where each of the animals receive holiday-themed treats and toys, a program designed to enrich each animal's lives and keep them mentally stimulated.

While the forecast looks sunny for Seattle, the temperatures might require some inside time as well. Check out the Zoo's Zoomazium, a year-round, indoor play space designed for kids. Check out Famplosion.com to find times of specific activities held at the Zoomazium, such as the Nature Exchange.

Find more fun ideas of things to do with the kids during Winter Break at Famplosion.com!

Ice Skating in San Francisco's Union Square for the Holidays

by: Elizabeth Sedway, Famplosion.com

The ice skating rink, located at the heart of Union Square, in downtown San Francisco is filled with holiday spirit this time of year.  Especially exciting is the Menorah Lighting and Hanukkah Celebration.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE.

The last two nights of Hanukkah will be celebrated in San Francisco's Union Square.  On Friday, December 18th, the Chanukah Celebration begins at 12:30p.  The Menorah Lighting Ceremony starts at 3p.  On Saturday, December 19th, the Chanukah Celebration begins at  7p.  The Menorah Lighting ceremony starts at 7:30p, complete with songs and dancing.

Families can visit the Dreidel House and enjoy arts and crafts from 3p to 6p.  Each child attending will be given their own Menorah to light.

The ice skating rink will remain open until January 18th and is available for public skating and private parties.

Happy holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours.

Christmas Events for Families in Seattle

Looking for some great things to do with your family in the Seattle area? Well, here are some of the great activities that we found.

Remember Where the Wild Things Are? Well, the renowned author Maurice Sendak helped create Seattle's one-of-a-kind Nutcracker performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet at the Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall until December 30. Tchaikovsky's classic score will come to life in this wonderful Christmas tradition.

Join one of the thousands of people each year who participates in the annual Christmas Ship Festival. Be on shore with a bonfire and hot chocolate and listen to the concert broadcasted live from the flotilla of lit boats. Or splurge and join the crowd on the boats in the largest holiday floating parade in the world.

Take your family to see one of the many light displays, such as Bellevue Botanical Garden's Garden d'Lights, where thousands of light creations are "planted" every year and lit from 5:00 to 10:00. Or Renton's quirky Clam Lights at the Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.
Light displays are also held at the Seattle Waterfront and Point Defiance Zoo.

Check out Famplosion.com to find more great Christmas Activities!