Holidays in Space at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center is celebrating the holiday sights, sounds and tastes of ISS partner countries as it presents its first-ever “Holidays in Space” now through to 1st January 2012. It’s a chance to learn as well as celebrate the holiday traditions of each of the ISS international partners: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States.
While weightlessness is difficult to simulate on Earth, the invigorating rush of ice skating is easy for even non-astronauts to enjoy. Throughout the Holidays in Space celebration, a section of the Rocket Garden will be transformed into a Space Skating Rink with a synthetic, all-weather polymer surface. Guests may rent ice skates, $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and enjoy a 20-minute session around the 40′ x 40′ rink with new sessions beginning on the hour and half hour.
Santa Claus will also be visiting and greeting guests, hearing wish lists and posing for photos in Santa’s Launch Control Center. Onsite elves, i.e., Kodak representatives, will snap the perfect family photo and provide prints for sale, or guests may capture the moment with their own cameras. Mrs. Claus will be on hand for some special space-themed story times for kids of all ages, including “The Cat in the Hat – There’s No Place Like Space” and “What the Moon is Like.” Wherever Santa goes, cookies are a requirement. The Cookie Space Station will feature holiday cookies from around the world for a nominal fee with a different “Cookie of the Day” showcased daily. Due to their busy holiday schedules, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available five times daily through Dec. 24.
Immersing guests in the sounds of the holidays, a team of international carolers clad in astronaut flight suits will perform traditional holiday songs including favorites like “Silver Bells,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Let it Snow,” “Feliz Navidad,” and many more.
Holidays in Space wouldn’t be complete without festive space-themed décor. A towering, 42′ ISS-themed Christmas tree located in the Rocket Garden will be adorned with colorful bulbs and 600 miniature flags from the 15 ISS partner countries. The International Space Station mural just outside the Rocket Garden will be swathed in holiday candlelight and supplemented with information about the holiday customs of each partner country. Decorative wreaths and garland throughout the Visitor Complex add to the international holiday vibe.
To help guests enjoy all that Holidays in Space has to offer, a special Guest Holiday Guide will provide a schedule of activities and information about each of the ISS partner countries. Prior to every IMAX film, guests will have the chance to see actual images of ISS crews celebrating the holidays in space. Making the celebration truly meaningful, guests will be invited to e-mail the current crew of the International Space Station to send them a holiday greeting. Those who want to remember their international holiday experience at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex may purchase a commemorative “2011 Holidays in Space” ornament from the Space Shop.
With the exclusion of ice skating, cookies and photo prints, all activities for Holidays in Space are included in admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which is $43 + tax for adults and $33 + tax for children ages 3-11. Tickets are available from FloridaLeisure.com
