The International Children’s Festival of the Arts is set to take place in just a couple of weeks from May 30th – June 4th in St.Albert. What’s even more exciting is that this year they have extended the festival to include Sunday so that more families can enjoy themselves!
Tickets price for the International Children’s Festival
Prices for activities and experiences are as follows – $3 – drop-in site activities, $10 – Shaw’s Toddler Town (for kids 0-4yrs), $13 – Feature performance tickets, and $25 – Festival Finale.
The most affordable and best value is the Kids Butterfly pass for $20 which includes one feature performance (you can buy additional tickets to other performances), a wristband for unlimited access to all site activities and Toddler Town, a caricature trading card and one bag of popcorn.
15 activities that kids can experience at the International Children’s Festival
Eat some pancake – On Saturday, June 3 from 9am-11am enjoy a breakfast of pancakes, sausages, as well as juice/coffee at St. Albert Place Plaza. There will be entertainment on the outdoor stage and the cost is $2/person.
Take in the featured performances – See performances from Johnathan Burns, BAM percussion, Moon Mouse: A Space Odyessy, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure, Niniimi’iwe (she/he gives a dance), Splash’N Boots, and the Festival Finale which includes a lineup of your festival favourites.
Make a bead bracelet or keychain – Children will learn what makes Métis beadwork different from other artwork, hear traditional stories such as how flowers came to be on Earth, and then get a chance to make their own bead bracelet or keychain.
See roving entertainment – Part of the fun of the festival is the roving entertainment and there will be many for you to see, meet, and watch.
Learn about healthy eating – Watch as Save-On-Foods dietitians help their picky puppet-friend discover a rainbow of mouth-watering fruits and veggies. Kids can shop and take what they’ve learned by filling their carts with tasty and healthy treats.
Make Spring inspired paper– A great way to learn about recycling, children will use simple and easy techniques to make paper for a unique greeting card, notepaper or book cover.
Take the design challenge – Using colourful building blocks of every shape and size, The Alberta Institute of Mentors and Builders of Tomorrow will ask teams of kids to put their skills to the test in a fun hands-on design challenge. These innovators of tomorrow will be encouraged to think outside the box and create an original device to solve a problem.
Get an Airbrush Tattoo – Butterflies, flowers, dragons and more kids can let their imaginations guide them for airbrush tattoo artists to create their masterpieces.
Create a masterpiece from upcycled materials – Create just like Mosaic artists from re-purposed CD cases and a wild assortment of buttons, beads and other materials.
Create some chalk art – Children can check out the various sidewalk chalk stations throughout the festival and create their masterpieces.
Take free photos – Create an ENMAX moment with friends and family at the interactive photo booth. While you are there check out the electricity artifacts on display.
Learn about the Birch Bark canoe – Learn about the Aboriginal Peoples birch bark canoe which was a masterful invention built entirely from nature. While taking in some history children can also create their own portable foam boats to try out at home!
Feel the beat – Kids are encouraged to embrace their inner musician and explore their irresistible urge to pound, thwack and boom with an assortment of percussion instruments.
Explore Shaw’s Toddler Town – Activities will include storytelling by St. Albert Public Library, musical performances by Rattle & Strum, story and song performances by Nature’s Ride, as well as colourful stamping stations, an exploration and free play area with hula hoops, balls, and soft tumbling mats.
Create Treasure Trees – Kids will connect with the environment as they explore the treasure trove of nature and creative inspiration around Grandma Willow’s woodland world.
For more information and to purchase tickets you can download the Children’s Festival app (new this year) or visit them online.
Photo credit: Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival Facebook Page