Mat-Su Valley's big to-do list

Here's a list of activities happening in the Mat-Su Valley this weekend.

Holiday tours at the reindeer farm

The Reindeer Farm in Palmer will offer holiday tours from noon to 9 p.m., through Dec. 24. Tours include Christmas lights timed to music, reindeer tours, hay rides, s’mores and photos with Santa. Open Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the Holiday Season. For more information, contact Denise Hardy at hardyof5@yahoo.com, or visit online reindeerfarm.com.

Santa Claus is coming to town

Wasilla’s Sportsman’s Warehouse, 1901 E. Parks Hwy., will host a Christmas with Santa event from noon to 5 p.m., Dec. 18-19. Co-sponsors of the event include Devery Prince Allstate Agency and Valley Radio KMBQ 99.7. The festival will feature free photos with Santa Claus from 1 to 5 p.m. both days, local school choir performances singing Christmas Carols, a Iditarod dog sled team on exhibit, kids’ games and prize raffles. Santa will arrive via the Life Med Alaska helicopter, and a free raffle will be held for rides on the helicopter as well.

Homesteaders artists’ bazaar

Homesteaders Country Store’s last artists’ bazaar of the holiday season is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Meadow Wood Mall at the corner of Big Lake Road and the Parks Highway.

Meta Rose Christmas Bazaar

Meta Rose Christmas Bazaar is open seven days a week through Dec. 24. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. To add information about your holiday bazaar event, send e-mail to news@frontiersman.com.

Avalanche training offered Saturday

Join NAOI from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday at Fox Run Lodge, 4466 S. Glenn Hwy, to learn practical skills for safe travel in avalanche terrain. Includes classroom, field exercises and interactive games. Topics include terrain assessment and management, snow behavior, weather and human factors. Space is limited. Early registration is $25 and $30 at the door. For more information, send e-mail to info@naoiak.org, or visit naoiak.org.

Christmas ice show Saturday

More than 60 skaters will perform at Brett Memorial Ice Arena’s free Christmas ice show, “The Polar Express,” is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday. For more information, call 376-9261.

Lights, music set tone for holidays

The Mitchell family is back this year with its Christmas Light Spectacular. The family invites the community to enjoy holiday lights that dance to music and donate to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Alaska. The lights are on from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Find the house at 5270 S. Tennyson Court in Wasilla. Take Knik-Goose Bay Road to Mile 8.1 just past Settler’s Bay and turn at the first right, which is Kathlyn. Take Kathlyn to Gladstone and turn right, then an immediate left onto Tennyson. The family asks those enjoying the display not block the driveways of neighbors and turn radios to 91.5 FM to hear the music that goes with the dancing lights. For more information, visit christmasinak.com.

King Island Christmas fund-raiser Saturday

Tickets to the Saturday performance of King Island Christmas are on sale now at Family Promise Mat-Su. Proceeds from the performance benefit the non-profit, which focuses on helping homeless families in the Mat-Su Borough. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 357-6160.

‘Berry Fairy’ book signing Saturday

Teresa Ascone, local author and artist, will sign her books, The Berry Fairies of Alaska and Book 2, Lizzie Scarlet at Fireside Books from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 18. Come and meet the author and artist and have your book personalized. For more information, visit alaskaberryfairies, or contact Fireside Books at 745-2665, or online at goodbooksbadcoffee.com.

Santa Cop wrapping party Saturday

A wrapping party is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Wasilla Senior Center. The event is open to anyone who wants to bring a dish and help Santa Cop participants wrap gifts for senior citizens. For more information about Santa Cop, visit www.matsusantacop.org.

'King Island Christmas' production ends Sunday

Valley Performing Art's production of King Island Christmas is at Machetanz Theater in Wasilla at 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m., Sundays. The final performance of this holiday show is Sunday. The musical is a uniquely Alaskan holiday story based on the book written and illustrated by Alaskans Jean Rogers and Rie Munoz. The performance tells the true story of 150 residents of a tiny island in the middle of the Bering Sea overcoming adversity to achieve the impossible. The Mat-Su Special Santa Program also is collecting unwrapped toys to be distributed for the Toys For Tots Program. Toys can be dropped off during any performance of King Island Christmas. Tickets cost $16 for youth and seniors and $18 for adults. To purchase tickets, call 373-0195 or visit www.valleyperformingarts.org.

Matanuska Valley Christmas bird count Sunday

The 31st Matanuska Valley Christmas Bird Count is Dec. 19. Valley field counters will attempt to count every bird seen inside of the Matanuska Valley Count Circle, a 15-mile diameter circle centered at Four Corners on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway at Trunk Road. Valley residents who live within 7.5 miles of Four Corners and have bird feeders in their yard can participate in our local count by counting the birds that visit their feeders on Dec. 19. For more information, visit matsubirders.org.

Book signing in Palmer

Lee Fuller will be at Fireside Books in downtown Palmer Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. to sign copies of her book, “A Rocking Chair, a Wig, two Kids and a Husband.”

Dorothy G. Page Museum presents free Fridays

Admission to the Dorothy G. Page Museum, 323 North Main St., Wasilla, is free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays for Mat-Su Borough residents. Bring a state-issued ID that shows a Mat-Su Borough address to qualify. For more information, contact 373-9071.