FARMINGTON – Attention to all kids and parents: the annual Franklin County Children’s Task Force Children’s Festival is back.
This year’s event will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the University of Maine at Farmington’s Olsen Student Center in “snowy, slushy” or sunny weather, said Deb McGrane who, along with Renee Blanchett, is organizing the festival.
According to McGrane, the Children’s Task Force started the event to provide something fun for kids and parents to do together during the seemingly never-ending cold winter months.
“It was designed years ago to bring families out and together – cabin-fever breaker sort of thing,” said Children’s Task Force Organizational Manager Janice Crandall.
She said she has been bringing her own children to the event since her eldest daughter, now in college, was a child.
Families usually turn out in droves for the festival, McGrane said – last year 1,200 people showed up.
Kids’ favorite activities usually include spending time in the Hands-On Room, where children (and parents) can play with clay, paint and draw, use the “sensory table,” tumble on mats, read and act in the puppet theater.
This year, McGrane said, event organizers are especially excited about new Hands-On Room activities for Tweens, kids ages 9-12.
There will be karaoke and an interactive video soccer game, she said, to keep older kids occupied.
The festival also boasts four performers and one clown, Kochese, whose balloon animals are usually a big hit with the kids, McGrane said.
“In the middle of the winter there’s not a lot to do,” McGrane said, “and if you don’t ski,” the winter can get boring, fast.
She said organizers “provide an outlet for families to go and let your hair down,” she said, “and it’s a very low-cost festival, for the families.”
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