Administrative and Cultural Center
Rovaniemi, Lapland
Alvar Aalto, architect
Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland in northern Finland. Almost totally destroyed during World War II, today it’s a modern city known for being the "official" home town of Santa Claus, and for viewing the Northern Lights. It is also home to a trio of public buildings, designed by the great Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto, that comprise the city's new administrative and cultural center: City Library, Lappia House (above), and Town Hall. The Library, built in 1966 and pictured below, is a long, single-story structure crowned by a set of upper windows that provide ample natural light. Alvar Aalto designed nineteen libraries in Finland between the 1930's and his death in 1976.

The Library will be open on Saturday, December 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We will be closed on Sunday, December 25. Hope to see you next week at our three special holiday programs. Happy holidays!

Each year, the Children’s Film Festival Seattle curates its Best of the Fest traveling program that includes award-winning and audience favorite films from the most recent festival. This program is intended to let youth audiences gain global awareness through the magic of film! Click here for a preview of the Best of the Fest and please plan to join us!

Best of the Fest Animation Showcase
Tuesday, December 27, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Dive into exciting adventures and vibrant colors with this joyful collection of award-winning and audience favorite short animated films from Children’s Film Festival Seattle. These short films tell big stories about creatures both great and small and will take you on a trip around the world with stop-motion, hand-drawn, and other amazing animation techniques. This program features films from the Netherlands, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, Czech Republic, and Greece. 56 minutes. All ages! Visit here to register.

Best of Fest: Live-Action Shorts
Thursday, December 29, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
See the world through the eyes of the kids featured in this program of award-winning and audience favorite short live-action films from Children’s Film Festival Seattle. The young people in these films go on their own adventures, discover how to be true to themselves, and learn to face their fears! This program features films from New Zealand, India, Canada, United States, Mexico, and Ireland. Ages 8+. 93 minutes. Visit here to register.

Close the year with the exciting sounds of Taikoza. Experience the thunderous rhythms of the ancestral Japanese Taiko drums and the magical sounds of the shakuhachi and the fue (both bamboo flutes). Roughly translated, Taiko means big drums, and that’s exactly what Taikoza brings: big drums, powerful rhythms, and electrifying and room-thumping energy. This exciting group draws from Japan’s rich tradition of music and performance to create a highly visual program with colorful traditional costumes and dynamic motion. The group has toured internationally and has appeared on ESPN, NBC, and the History Channel. Bring the whole family! Registration is appreciated, but not required. Visit here to register.

Many thanks to Charlie Tirrell, who donated our library Christmas tree, and to Shana Bazelmans, for creating wonderful ornaments with her students at Botelle. The ornaments are inspired by the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Visit here to find out more and to register.

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