Kids Fest features Great Outdoors

The Budbreak wine and craft beer festival won’t be the only “game” in town Saturday for Mount Airy, where another event promising fun and games for a younger crowd is planned.

Kids Fest 2024 will unfold at Riverside Park, just down the road from the Budbreak venue.

Now in its 14th year, Kids Fest — scheduled Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — originated as a way to get youths to unplug themselves from video games, computers and TVs and go outside where a wondrous world awaits.

A variety of free, family friendly activities will be offered at Riverside Park aimed at convincing them that the Great Outdoors is a wonderful alternative.

“A few highlights are that the police department was able to bring back the bike rodeo, which kids have loved in the past,” advised Kim Wilson, family services supervisor for Mount Airy Parks and Recreation.

It stages Kids Fest in partnership with other city government departments and local organizations including the Surry Arts Council, Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, Surry County Master Gardeners and others.

“We will also have the fire department with their ladder truck, which is always a hit,” Wilson mentioned.

“The climbing wall and bounce house will be back,” she added regarding regular features of Kids Fest, “along with the Surry County Master Gardeners to help plant some tomato plants.”

Plants, soil and containers are to be provided for kids to take home this weekend in an effort to teach them about the importance of agriculture and growing healthy foods.

Another popular activity of Kids Fest is fishing in the Ararat River that borders Riverside Park.

Rods and tackle will be provided for participants along with instruction by local Boy Scouts.

“We will have some performers — balloons, face painting, a magician, someone doing some crafts,” Wilson reported in further detailing the slate of activities, with a DJ also to be part of the Riverside Park scene.

A “Kids Zone” will be in place on the courts there, organizers say, with basketball and soccer to be part of Saturday’s mix along with interactive shows. Book giveaways additionally are on tap.

“We will have food and drinks for sale by the Women’s League of Mount Airy,” according to Wilson.

“Everything else will be free.”