We're already in the midst of this year's festive and colorful Purim celebrations. After we've finished running around in our creative costumes delivering mishloah manot to family and friends, there's still plenty of time left to get out into nature and enjoy the blossoming springtime. Here's a list of fun activities to enjoy with the whole family. 1. AVDAT When was the last time you visited Avdat, the ancient Nabatean city, which functioned as an important way station on the trade route between Petra and Africa? Avdat will come to life this Purim with lots of exhilarating activities. Clowns will welcome visitors and take them on a journey back in time. There will be juggling workshops, a colorful Purim parade, natural makeup stations, hula-hoop contests and lots of other surprises. There will be a traveling show with a Purim twist featuring Nati the Nabatean and Kamai the Musician. Afterward, you can attend a Purim fair next to the fortress and a Nabatean circus. And don't worry – you won't leave Avdat hungry because there will be plenty of Roman pizza for sale on site. Location: Avdat National Park Date: Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 2. OSHICON FESTIVAL If you've always dreamed of spending the day with your favorite superhero or comic character that until now you've only encountered on the computer screen, I strongly recommend attending the OshiCon Festival, which will continue through the weekend. The festival is geared toward young and old comic book, gaming and anime aficionados and will feature guests who are dressed up as iconic characters from Japanese anime and manga. There will be lectures and panels about science fiction and animation, as well as a stand-up show, a meet-and-greet with comic artists, and gaming, board game and virtual reality stations. Entrance is free of charge. Location: Oshiland Entertainment Complex, 4 Atir Yeda Street, Kfar Saba Date: Until March 23 3. STEINHARDT MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY In honor of Purim, the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History in Tel Aviv is inviting the public to come partake in a HakarTeva Workshop, during which participants will be invited to investigate costumes in nature. Visitors will learn how some animals can change their shape, such as a lizard that knows how to masquerade as a snake. In addition, guests will catch a glimpse of unique animals that have strange ears, just like the evil Haman. The workshop, which costs NIS 20, is geared toward adults and children (from age 6). Participants are invited to explore nature independently as they meander from station to station and observe items in the museum's collections. Location: 12 Klauzner Street, Tel Aviv Date: March 22, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.; March 23 at 9 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. Tickets: Purchase at bit.ly/2H5Qh9s OSHICON FESTIVAL. (IGN) 4. SPICE FARM The Spice Way Herb and Spice Farm, located in Beit Lechem Haglilit, is organizing a Purim carnival this weekend with lots of fun activities, including workshops to make masks and groggers out of herbs and spice, as well as and marzipan treats in the shape of clowns. There will also be tractor rides through the spice fields during which participants will learn about the medicinal properties of herbs, and hear a riddle about turmeric, which masqueraded as cumin. Workshops and tractor rides cost NIS 25 to 30, but the rest of the activities are free of charge. Location: Beit Lechem Haglilit Date: Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details: (04) 953-3405 5. JANCO DADA MUSEUM Throughout the weekend, the Janco Dada Museum will be hosting traditional Purim Adloyada events. Devora Tanis and Raisy Mitrani will each be holding mask-making workshops for children, and Yvgeny Regozin will be teaching visitors how to breakdance. The museum will also open a new exhibition displaying masks created by Marcel Janco and there will be special experiential activities. In addition, the Cuckoo Theater will perform a show called Indi Indi and the Spirit Theater will perform a show called Balloons. Location: Janco Dada Museum, Ein Hod Artists Village Price: NIS 50 per person, NIS 140 per family Details: (04) 984-2350 6. ROSH HANIKRA If you were planning to visit Rosh Hanikra during the Purim holiday weekend, you'll be happy to know that the site will be holding special festive activities for the whole family. There will be a circus performance, the Mr. Moreno Show, and juggling and soap bubble workshops. Visitors are of course also welcome to partake in the regular attractions at Rosh Hanikra, which include watching a short film, riding down in the cable car and touring the world-famous grottoes. Date: Saturday, March 23. Performances at noon and 2 p.m. Details: 073-271-0100 SACHNE (PR) 7. SACHNE The Purim holiday is a great opportunity to mix history with nature and one of the best tourist sites in Israel to experience this combination first-hand is at Gan Hashlosha (Sachne) in Emek Hama'ayanot. On Purim, there will be guided tours and along the way, visitors will be greeted by actors dressed up as famous historical characters. If you're a water-lover, you might be interested in joining a popular tour that will take you right into the stream and lead you to the ancient flour mill. Afterwards, guests can watch a wonderful multimedia presentation that brings to life the daily events Jewish immigrants experienced while constructing the tower-and-stockade communities in the 1930s. There will also be a lively circus and lots of other fun Purim activities, and the water bubbling up from the Nahal Amal Spring is warm all year long and a fun place to splash around. Date: Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 8. HAR SHALMON The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) will be organizing a guided tour for families with small children in Har Shalmon, an area in the hills west of Jerusalem that is full of natural streams and lush greenery. During the hike, participants will pass by lots of tall trees, springs, ancient terraced fields and fruit trees. The guides will tell interesting stories about the natural surroundings and if you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a porcupine, hedgehog or wild boar that live in the region. Tour will be led by Yaniv Alon of the Shikmim Field School. Date: Saturday, March 23, 9 a.m. to noon Details: (03) 638-8688 Translated by Hannah Hochner.
