AO Discover! is thrilled to announce our inaugural holiday event, ‘Tis the Season to Discover’ presented by Kali Chadick State Farm. This holiday event will be the public's first glimpse into the space that will become East Alabama's first children's hands-on science center! Your support brings us one step closer to meeting our fundraising goals. Thank you!
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Join us for socially distanced photos with Santa Claus & his friends Llama Claus & The Christmas Unicorn every Friday, Saturday, & Sunday beginning November 27 through December 20. Explore our whimsical winter wonderland of trees decorated by local businesses and organizations. And check out some STEM demonstrations as you explore the space that will one day be East Alabama's first children's hands-on science center!
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In addition to holiday portrait sessions, The Great Indoors will host holiday movies inside our whimsical winter wonderland. Enjoy your favorite holiday movies with families & friends in designated spaces to for a safe, comfortable, & unique theater experience. Tickets for holiday movies must be purchased in addition to ‘Tis the Season to Discover’ family passes. Tickets for movies will go on sale Monday, November 16.
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‘Tis the Season to Discover’ Family Passes will be purchased in 30-minute time blocks, with a limited number of tickets available every 30 minutes. Each family pass allows access for up to six people from the same household to attend ‘Tis the Season to Discover! Each family pass allots an exclusive five-minute visit with the holiday celebrity in attendance for the specified date. Please note which holiday celebrity will be at AO Discover! on the event day you choose.
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During your ‘Tis the Season to Discover’ visit, you will wander through our Whimsical Winter Wonderland of trees with an engaging STEM scavenger hunt. Santa’s elves will perform STEM experiments to dazzle & amaze you while being serenaded by local choirs & artists.
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You will only be allowed to enter the building 15 minutes before your ticketed time slot. Your designated time slot will be determined based on the order you arrive to AO Discover! [Five family passes will be sold per 30-minute time block. The first family to arrive for that time block will be the first to spend 5-minutes with the holiday celebrity. The second family will be given the second time block, and so on.] You may take as many photos on your device as you would like during your 5-minute visit. We will have a volunteer available to assist with taking portraits as well.
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COVID SAFETY | In an effort to maintain the safest event possible, masks will be required for all attendees aged 5 years and older. Masks can be removed during portrait sessions, but must be worn at all other times. To minimize contact risks, you will only be allowed to enter the building 15 minutes before your ticketed time slot. All Santa Claus portraits will be no-contact portraits. Children will visit with Santa by sitting on “presents” while Santa sits safely in his chair.
While participating in events held or sponsored by AO Discover! “social distancing” must be practiced and face coverings worn at all times, aside from taking portraits, to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID-19. Because COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is spread mainly from person-to-person contact, AO Discover! has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, AO Discover! cannot guarantee that its participants, volunteers, partners, or others in attendance will not become infected with COVID-19.
In light of the ongoing spread of COVID-19, individuals who fall within any of the categories below should not engage in AO Discover! events and/or other face to face fundraising activities. By attending an AO Discover! event, you certify that you do not fall into any of the following categories:
1. Individuals who currently or within the past fourteen (14) days have experienced any symptoms associated with COVID-19, which include fever, cough, and shortness of breath among others;
2. Individuals who have traveled at any point in the past fourteen (14) days either internationally or to a community in the U.S. that has experienced or is experiencing sustained community spread of COVID-19; or
3. Individuals who believe that they may have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are not yet cleared as non-contagious by state or local public health authorities or the health care team responsible for their treatment.
DUTY TO SELF-MONITOR:
Participants and volunteers agree to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (symptoms typically include fever, cough, and shortness of breath) and, contact AO Discover at morgan@aodiscover.org if he/she experiences symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days after participating or volunteering with AO Discover!
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Why should I participate in ‘Tis the Season to Discover? AO Discover is East Alabama’s first children’s hands-on science center and we are a 501©(3) non-profit completely funded by philanthropy. Attended fundraisers like ‘Tis the Season to Discover’ brings us one step closer to opening our doors to the public in 2021.
How much does ‘Tis the Season to Discover’ cost? Family Passes are $25 and include access for up to six people from the same household. Children 2 and under are free. If you have additional family members, they may attend for $5 per person, but you will still only be allotted five minutes for your visit with Santa Claus, Llama Claus, or The Christmas Unicorn. If you would like more time, you will need to purchase a second family pass.
Where can I purchase tickets? Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Do we need to print tickets? No, you will receive an electronic ticket in your email that you will present to enter. You must have a ticket to enter. Printed tickets are acceptable as well.
Does each person attending need a separate ticket? No, a family pass is intended to accommodate up to six people from the same household.
Can my neighbors & I share a family pass? No, we ask that each family purchase passes. We have done our best to price tickets economically to make our event accessible to families of all budgets. Please do not take advantage of the system designed to help people by including people outside of your household.
My household has more than 6 people, do we need to purchase an additional family pass? Additional people may be added for $5 per person; however, you will still only be allotted 5-minutes with the holiday celebrity. If you would like more time, we recommend purchasing a second family pass to maximize your visit time.
We want photos with Santa & the animals. How can we do that? We will have Santa Claus & The Christmas Unicorn available for portraits November 22. You must purchase two separate tickets to visit with each respectively on November 22. You may purchase tickets for multiple dates as well.
My plans changed and we cannot attend. Are tickets refundable? Currently, we are not able to offer refunds for tickets. You may find someone else to take your purchased time slot & give them your ticket. They must present the electronic ticket at the time of entry.
Do we have to wear masks? Yes, everyone must wear a mask at all times; outside of the portrait session.
Do we have to pay an additional fee for portraits? No, you take photos on your own device. A volunteer will be available to take family portraits on your own device as well.
