It's easy to love most aspects of the holiday season. Great food, reunions with family members and plenty of quality TV movies on the Hallmark Channel if you're into that sort of thing. But even the jolliest among us needs to step away from the roasting chestnuts and mistletoe once in a while and have a good time completely devoid of holiday cheer. Here are a few suggestions on how to do just that this year.
ANY TIME
VISIT THE MAC
Braving the cold (and maybe also snow) for a quiet afternoon at the museum is a great way to beat cabin fever, and to keep kids entertained during winter break. Currently, the MAC offers five exhibits to explore at your leisure, from a retrospective on legendary glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany to a display of historic and contemporary dugout canoes made by the United Tribes of the Upper Columbia. Visitors can also view American Indian art from the personal collection of Omak artist Joe Fedderson, plus a selection of recently acquired pieces from the Pacific Northwest-focused Safeco Art Collection. "What We Make: Nature as Inspiration," meanwhile, is an interactive exhibit designed with families in mind that explores the role nature plays in handcrafted objects. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave., open Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm, $7-$12, northwestmuseum.org (CHEY SCOTT)
DEC. 3-5
JURASSIC QUEST
Aspiring fossil hunters and dinosaur lovers get an early holiday treat at this immersive, three-day experience that's all things dinos. The touring event boasts more than 100 photorealistic, animatronic dinosaur replicas, plus live shows, interactive science and art activities, rides, and more. Tickets to the self-guided, walk-through event are sold for timed entry slots, so don't wait until the last minute if you and the family plan to go. Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., $19-$33, all ages, jurassicquest.com (CS)
DEC. 17
JO KOY
This long-delayed Spokane appearance by stand-up comic Jo Koy could be the perfect antidote to when you hit holiday overload. Since starting at open mics at coffee shops in his hometown of Las Vegas, Koy has built one of the more impressive resumes in modern comedy. After establishing himself in Vegas, he made his way to LA and became a regular panelist on Chelsea Lately, started a couple of podcasts including the ongoing The Koy Pond, and has recorded standup specials for Comedy Central and Netflix, full of material touching on his family and American-Filipino heritage. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., $40-$80, 8 pm, firstinterstatecenter.org (DAN NAILEN)
DEC. 18
TRIVIA: DISNEY IN THE WINTER
Spend a cozy Saturday afternoon at home with the family testing your memories on all things Disney with the latest installment of the Spokane County Library District's online trivia series. Specifically, you'll want to brush up on your knowledge of winter-adjacent (not all holiday-themed) Disney-made movies, although make sure to look beyond the mega-hit Frozen franchise. According to the library, anything set during winter, about winter sports or with characters who thrive in the cold is fair game. They've even name-dropped some titles you might want to rewatch if your team is uber-competitive, including the Narnia series, Anastasia and even live-action films like Cool Runnings and Eight Below. Online, free, all ages, 2-3 pm, scld.org (CS)
DEC. 18
BRUCE COCKBURN
Bruce Cockburn is serious songwriting royalty in some circles, thanks to a career that spans a whopping 50 years now. The artists who've covered his tunes through the years are a diverse lot, including k.d. lang, Barenaked Ladies, Jerry Garcia, Anne Murray and Jimmy Buffett. In 2020 the Canadian was set to tour for the 50th anniversary of his debut album, but of course COVID put the kibosh on that. So now he's back on the road giving it a go again, just as a double-album of his greatest hits arrives in stores in December, an expansive look at his topical folk and jazz-influenced rock sure to make up much of the setlist when he drops by Spokane a week before Christmas. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague, $35-$45, 8 pm, bingcrosbytheater.com (DN)
DEC. 28-JAN. 2
ANASTASIA
