FORT WORTH (AP) - Hundreds of children and spouses of fallen U.S. military are flying into North Texas for some all-expenses-paid holiday fun for the next few days.

From Friday through Tuesday, American Airlines and American Eagle will fly more than 1,700 children and surviving spouses into the Dallas-Fort Worth area for events organized annually by Snowball Express. Since 2006, the all-volunteer nonprofit program has provided the fun for the survivors of U.S. service members killed in action since Sept. 11, 2001.

Among this year’s events are a tree-lighting ceremony at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, participation in the Dallas Children’s Parade, a trip to Six Flags Over Texas and a private concert at Billy Bob’s Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

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