Looking for things to do in Penticton over the Christmas break?

PENTICTON — If you are need to beat the winter blahs, melt away some of those extra Christmas pounds or looking for something for the family, you might find what you need right here

— Recreation Penticton will be offering a free Aqua Fit class on Dec.18 as a way to get fitness buffs into the spirit of the season. The holiday themed class, called “Jingle Bell Rock” takes place at the Community Pool from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and is free with a donation of a non-perishable food item to the food bank.

— Kids winter programs take place through the Christmas break on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30, also from Recreation Penticton. The Kids Winter Fun Program is aimed at ages 7 to 11 and runs from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Qualified instructors take the kids for a snowshoe through the woods, play snow games, go sledding and build snow forts. Cost is $64.

— On Dec. 27, residents can enjoy a guided snowshoe tour through a pine forest, followed by a three course meal in the middle of the woods. It’s a rustic feast, all  presented by a local executive chef. Cost is $107 per person.

— Penticton Recreation is currently running a promotion for fitness memberships with the city.  Residents can save up to $40 on their memberships if they renew between Dec.12 and Jan. 20, 2015.

Register for all these events through the Recreation Penticton website.

— Out of town and up in the hills at Apex Ski Resort, the hockey rink, skating loop and tube park are slated to open Dec.19. Night skiing will also begin on Dec. 19 as the resort prepares for a busy Christmas week. For more information, contact Apex at: 1-877-777-2739.

— Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are other activities available at Nickel Plate Nordic Centre. For up to date information on trail conditions and more, see the Nickelplate website.

— How about a special Christmas concert with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra? On Dec. 20, the Okanagan Symphony will enhance the warmth of the Christmas spirit with a Christmas concert at Cleland Theatre. Local star soprano Dawn Mussellam will join the orchestra’s brass selection, featuring their own "Fish on Five Brass Quintet." Bring the whole family to enjoy this festive show of seasonal favourites as they play selections of Bach, Handel and Verdi. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Wine Country Info Centre Box Office, 553  Vees Drive, or call 250-276-2170, or contact the Okanagan Symphony web page.

— You can also check out a Christmas concert featuring “Destiny” will take place at Cherry Lane Shopping Centre Sat. Dec. 20 and Sun. Dec. 21 from 12 to 2 p.m. on both days. The weekend events are fundraisers by Destiny for the Soupateria Christmas Dinner Fund.

— Although it’s too late to climb aboard the Kettle Valley Steam Train for its annual schedule of Summerland Christmas Express runs this year, it’s not a bad idea to consider booking for next year as soon as possible.

Kettle Valley Steam Railways Marketing Manager advises those wishing to ride on one of the Christmas runs next year should book as soon as they know what their Christmas plans are.

“We were fully booked for the Christmas runs by November,” she said.

The trains run this year on Dec.13, 14, 20, 21 and 22 at 4 and 6 p.m., and once more on Dec. 19 at 5 and 7 p.m.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.