Kids and families can clown around as a couple circus acts and two days of fun are set to amuse.
The North Okanagan Children’s Festival is back with even more fun for the whole family Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25.
The festival offers toddlers, school aged children and their families live performances, workshops and interactive play.
Performances and workshops will take place each morning and afternoon with free activities in and around the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre (VDPAC) with roving entertainers, outdoor activities and food trucks.
The Children’s Festival was created by VDPAC Artistic Director Erin Kennedy in March 2022 to help bring families together and introduce little ones to the joy of live performance in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
“The North Okanagan Children’s Festival holds a special place in my heart,” said Kennedy. “There are many new people moving to our community and we’re looking forward to bringing people together and getting to know each other.”
This year, three acclaimed artistic companies will delight festival-goers of all ages.
The GoldenCrust Family will be in Polson Park May 24 at 5:30 p.m., setting up an RV camp along with the artisan night market.
The two snowbirds have some highly unusual talents and invite families to gather around their RV to witness their circus comedy show.
The Uzume Taiko Drummers kick off the fun May 25 at 11 a.m. at the VDPAC.
Using a diverse collection of percussive and melodic instruments as well as taiko drums, Uzume Taiko brings a vibrant, contemporary sensibility to the ancient art of drumming.
With the choreographed physicality of martial arts, the heart-stopping pulse of the O-Daiko, and the rhythmic sensitivity of a jazz ensemble, the drummers create an exhilarating experience.
Catch a “supercharged urban circus” as the 360 All Stars perform Saturday at 2 p.m. at VDPAC.
The All Stars connect the street with the elite with its international cast of world champion and world record-holding athletes and artists.
In addition to the performances, families can participate in a variety of workshops, including Baby’s First Concert, Nursery Land Adventure 2.0, Movement and Rhythm Jamboree, and the Erikson Family Hootenanny on Friday in the Marie Fleming Studio at the VDPAC.
The festival’s Fun Zone will host outdoor activities provided by local organizations such as the Okanagan Science Centre, North Valley Gymnastics, Vernon Community Arts Centre, Allan Brooks Nature Centre, Okanagan Regional Library, Community Safety Office, and CCRR Vernon in conjunction with BGC Okanagan.
Food truck vendors will be on-site, while local performers will perform on the outdoor community stage.
All workshops and performances are pick-your-price. This means that families choose how much they pay for workshops and tickets to performances from a range of prices ($0, $6, $10, $15, or $20).
“Having price choices is important so that all families can afford to attend the festival,” said Kennedy. “This lets families pick the price that works for them while still supporting our non-profit theatre.”
Workshop space is limited. Families are encouraged to get registrations and tickets in advance by calling 250-549-SHOW (7469) or visit vdpac.ca.
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