Buffalo Rising Online

Aug 25th 2005, 12:01am By queenseyes

Kidsfest welcomes children of all ages and abilities to partake in an imaginative array of free hands-on art projects. These projects offer opportunities to work both individually and collaboratively. They will be held in seven spacious tents, and will be ongoing until 4 PM on Sunday when the Parade of the Caterpillar King begins.

Our theme for 2005 is green, not just the color, but the philosophy as well. Green is for everything that grows and lives, everything that is natural, everything that honors the earth. May we ourselves honor the earth by appreciating itis beauty, conserving its resources, and stepping lightly. Kidsfest plans to honor the earth by a strong focus on natural and re-used materials, and by using these materials to their full extent. After the parade we will also plant a tree, which can grow and live long after our parade is over. And our hope is that the participants of Kidsfest can carry their respect for the earth and the joyful and connected feeling of a community celebration within themselves, long after the celebration is over.

As is our tradition, the Kidsfest Performance Tent will be emceed by local music hero Michael Meldrum. Our Caterpillar King and parade puppetry are created by master Franklin LaVoie. And all of the craft tents are organized and run by dedicated volunteers. Of these volunteers, the tent captains in particular show a strong community spirit in their generous sharing of expertise, time and energy. We give them all our heartfelt thanks.

As you enter or exit Kidsfest, be sure to place a fresh flower in our parade float. You will also see a Donation Station. Donations are gladly accepted, and all proceeds go towards funding equipment, supplies and performances. -2005 Festival Committee

*********ACTIVITIES FOR 2005********** THE CATERPILLAR KING Paint all shades of green on Saturday, then add texture on Sunday to make an exotic ninety-foot long body for the Caterpillar King. Or wrap your own designs on a hula hoop, and go hula! SILLY-COOL Bend and curl, shape and bead a wire head piece for this summeris center piece. Then have your face painted to match. TOT TENT Tried and true, universally loved by children in all cultures: balloons, bubbles and play dough. This yearis twist: identify the aroma in the play dough! NOT JUST FOR KIDS Use found objects from nature that you might find in your kitchen or garden to arrange and glue on a mask, then become a character of your own creation. COLLAGE CASTLE Create a colorful collage out of re-used materials you might recognize from the grocery store, and some other colorful elements to wear as a shield. WOODLAND Sand and polish a hand carved wooden sculpture by Cousin Kelly. Or make a jiggle shaker stick of your own.