Get ready for the first annual Northern Virginia KidFest 2005. Featuring professional children's entertainers, music, art, moonbounces, face and hair painting, it's a whole day of fun in Clifton's Town Park.
The event is slated for Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and includes a gift bazaar, raffle and silent auction for adults, plus food and beverages.
Entry fee is $5, and then all the shows and activities are free. Parking on the flood plain at the entrance to town is free. Proceeds from KidFest go toward renovating the playground in the town park.
"We're hoping to have 1,000 or more people come, over the course of the day," said event chairperson Jacquie Lambertson, owner of Clifton toy store, Noodles & Noggins. "It's a great way to take the family out for the day and have a lot of fun for a good cause."
The Clifton Betterment Association (CBA) is hosting KidFest, and major sponsors include Noodles & Noggins, Outback Steakhouse, Peterson Cos., see mommy run, Our Kids, Shopper's Bazaar and Washington Parent. Tickets may be purchased online at www.novakidfest.com, at Noodles & Noggins (in the Heart in Hand restaurant parking lot) or at the event.
Since Lambertson's store focuses on creative and educational toys and games, plus musical instruments, it's become "the hub of these instruments for children's performers in Northern Virginia," she said. "They came to us because they knew we had a good selection of children's instruments, like shaker eggs, maracas and boomwhackers — plastic tubes that play specific notes when you bonk them. You can also put two or three tubes together to make chords and to harmonize."
IN THE SPRING, Lambertson and these performers talked about how neat it would be if there were a showcase where they all could entertain together. "But there was no such venue in Northern Virginia — it all seemed to be in Maryland and [Washington], D.C.," she said. "So we all came up with the idea of the Northern Virginia KidFest."
Taking things a step further, Lambertson spoke with Clifton resident Aileen Mitchell — heading fund-raising efforts for the playground — and they realized KidFest would be a great way to help get money for new playground equipment.
"Jacquie came to us with this fund-raising idea," said Trish Robertson, playground-committee chairman. "We're thrilled that she's doing this for us, and it'll be a fun event."
Besides moonbounces and face-painting, also planned are an obstacle course, plus 4-foot-high by 16-feet-long mural boards where children may paint whatever they'd like.
Children's performers include singer/songwriter Oh Susannah, alias Susan McNelis, whose children's album won an award; Banjo Man Frank Cassel; Wammie-award winner Eileen Joyner, a singer known to her young fans as EJ; Mister Don, award-winning children's entertainer and songwriter Don Bridges; Milkshake, singer Lisa Mathews and guitarist Mikel Gehl, whose videos "Happy Songs" and "Fingers & Toes" air on the satellite and cable TV Noggins Network.
A silent auction will take place in the souvenir tent. Participants will vie for items such as: A bicycle donated by Washington Bike Center, large toys donated by their manufacturers and auto-detailing certificates donated by Farrish Motors.
Adding to the festivities, costumed merry pranksters will offer raffle tickets for sale and make balloon animals. Attendees may also purchase hot dogs, pork-barbecue sandwiches, soda, water and other treats and snacks. (Coolers are not allowed).
"It's an opportunity to experience the best children's music the D.C. Metropolitan area has to offer — all in one place," said Lambertson. "And there'll be a stand selling the performers' music CDs, T-shirts and other merchandise, as well as musical instruments for children. We're going to have a great time."
For more information or to be a vendor or exhibitor, e-mail info@novakidfest.com or write to Northern Virginia KidFest - Gift Bazaar Coordinator, P.O. Box C, Clifton, VA 20124.