One of the city’s newest holiday attractions will host a free, sensory-friendly day for children with autism and other sensory or cognitive issues.
On December 17, from 11:30am to 2:30pm, Hou-Ville will welcome 100 children with sensory or cognitive issues , accompanied by a parent, to enjoy the whimsical H-Town Holiday City free of charge.
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“Families with special needs children often face a different set of challenges when it comes to exploring public exhibits and holiday events,” said Sherrie Handrinos, the co-owner of Hou-ville. “Kids have been having a ball exploring the life-sized sets, taking photos and playing the faux snow at Hou-Ville. We wanted to offer the same unique experience to children with special needs, free of charge, in a comfortable, welcoming setting and we are so grateful to BioTek reMEDys for helping us make it happen!”
The Hou-Ville Free Sensory Day is open to any autistic or special needs child and an accompanying parent or guardian. To participate, parents need to RSVP via email at HouVilleevents@gmail.com to receive a special promotional code for tickets to the event. Tickets will be limited to the first 100 children who have a parent or guardian RSVP in order to safely accommodate guests with proper social distancing protocols.
At the exhibit, located at 520 Texas Avenue near downtown Houston, the holiday fantasy town of “Whoville,” (the Christmas-obsessed village from Dr. Seuss’s 1957 children’s classic, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”) springs to life, with some Houston-themed flourishes.
The exhibit, aptly dubbed “Hou-Ville,” offers “Christmassy fun the entire family with photo opportunities at each stop along the life-size Hou-Ville City sets, from Santa’s Houston Workshop to an Astro’s-themed Gingerbread House Bakery,” according to a release.
“Christmas is my FAVORITE time of year and when speaking with our team at Color Social, we knew we had something special we could bring to the city of Houston to spread a little cheer after a really trying year,” said Sherrie Handrinos, co-owner of Hou-ville, in a statement.
Houston food truck The DoughCone will offer festive treats for purchase and Houston-based toy maker Cubby Love Bears will be on site giving away their stuffed toy Auzy Bear, which was created for non-verbal children and their families.
Need a muncle for your uncle or a fant for your aunt? A gift shop on-site will sell all sorts of Suessian souvenirs perfect for the Christmas-obsessed Cindy Lou Who’s on your holiday shopping list.
For the safety of the staff and guests at Hou-Ville, masks will be required and temperature checks will be conducted upon entry.
For additional information, visit hou-ville.com.
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