2012 Newport News Children's Festival of Friends
Saturday, May 5, at Newport News Park

New for 2012: Preschool Playzone, Imagination Station, and “Wacky Chad”

See here for the 2012 Newport News Children's Festival of Friends Program

Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism will present the twenty-third Newport News Children's Festival of Friends on Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Newport News Park. Children visit seven themed areas featuring over 100 free hands-on activities, rides, entertainment, and food ($). New additions for 2012 include a Preschool Playzone with special activities for our youngest guests, Imagination Station with enough Duplo blocks that kids can build their biggest dream creations, and performances by Stunt Comedian “Wacky Chad.”

A day full of activities and entertainment will be offered at seven theme areas:
Community Friends- displays and activities from organizations that serve children; Discovery Friends- educational exhibits and activities, the new Imagination Station with Duplo building blocks, the Discovery Friends Stage (Newport News Filpateers Gymnastics, Virginia Living Museum’s “Mother Nature’s Traveling Road Show” animal show, Newport News City Arts Dance, and Stunt Comedian “Wacky Chad”), and costumed characters from children’s books with storytelling by Newport News Library System; Fearless Friends - law enforcement/public safety displays; Furry Friends- farm animals, exotic animals, animal organizations, and pony rides; Healthy Friends - health and fitness activities; Playful Friends – Gymnastics “Fun Bus,” train ride, rock wall, kiddie carousel, moon bounce, and obstacle course; and Recreation Friends- exhibits and activities by Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism including “Fiesta” theme activities by Youth Programs, make-and-take crafts, body art, and games.

There is a $5.00 parking fee per vehicle. Festival admission and all activities (including all rides) are free. Food vendors on site ($). Kids can purchase ($) and color their own festival t-shirts. No pets permitted in the festival area. Newport News Park is located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Ft. Eustis Boulevard. From I-64E, take Exit 247 and turn left onto Jefferson Avenue. From I-64W, take Exit 250B and follow the signs to Newport News Park.

For more information, call (757) 926-1400.

2012 Children’s Festival of Friends
Activities and Entertainment

$5.00 per car parking fee, all entertainment and activities are free.
Food vendors on site ($).

Color Your Own Festival T-shirt ($)
Use fabric markers to color the design on the 2012 festival t-shirt

Festival Presented by: Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Festival Corporate Sponsors: CSX, Anthem Healthkeepers Plus, Daily Press, Kids’ Directory, Bath Savers, Farmers Insurance

FURRY FRIENDS
-Gum Tree Farm -petting zoo and sheep shearing demonstrations
-Pony Rides- pony rides for children of all ages
-Zoo Pro- Native and exotic animals “WHERE FUN, ANIMALS AND EDUCATION MEET”
-Newport News Animal Services

RECREATION FRIENDS
-Newport News Youth Programs FIESTA!- games, face art, maracas craft, limbo to the Macarena
-Newport News Instructional Programs- scratch art craft, face painting, gymnastics obstacle course, baseball/softball
-Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center- sandcastles, beach mosaic art
-Doris Miller Community Center- make and take crafts
-Newport News Visitor Center – coloring pages and crafts
-Newport News Aquatics- sand art craft, water safety coloring sheets

DISCOVERY FRIENDS
-Newport News Library System-Storytelling with your Favorite Costumed Characters, Bookmobile
11:45 am- Scuffy the Tugboat
12:45 pm- Fly Guy
1:45 pm- Corduroy Bear
2:45 pm- Curious George
3:45 pm- Pancake Pig
-IMAGINATION STATION- thousand of DUPLOS’s at your fingertips!

Discovery Stage Schedule:
11:00 am- Newport News Flipateers (gymnastics performance)
12:00 pm- Virginia Living Museum’s “Mother Nature’s Traveling Road Show” (animal show)
1:00 pm- Newport News City Arts (dance performances)
2:00 pm- Wacky Chad (stunt comedian)
3:00 pm- Newport News City Arts
4:00 pm- Wacky Chad

PLAYFUL FRIENDS
-Fun Bus- fitness fun on wheels
-Inflatable Rides (rock wall, giant slide, moonwalk, obstacle course, kiddie carousel, trackless train)
- Preschool Playzone- Created especially for the younger fans of the Festival, the PlayZone engages pre-school aged children in fun age appropriate activities where imagination and play never end!
-3D Sports Aim for Excellence Foundation- sports clinics
-The First Tee of the Virginia Peninsula- golfing activities
-Mystiques Synchronized Swimming- learn about synchronized swimming and get your picture taken with a Mermaid

FEARLESS FRIENDS
-Newport News Fire Department- fire and safety house
-Newport News Neighborhood Watch- bean bag toss
-Newport News Sheriff’s Office- kids handy prints, fingerprinting kids
-Newport News Citizen Police Alumni Association

COMMUNITY FRIENDS
-Newport News Waterworks
- Girls Inc. of the Greater Peninsula-
-The Family Center of HOPE- face painting, bubbles
-Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast- science activities
-The Roc Solid Foundation- customize your own construction helmet
-Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum- agriculture and forestry activities

HEALTHY FRIENDS
-American Red Cross-
-Virginia Cooperative Extension- horticulture and nutrition information
- Newport News Healthy Families- games and family activities
- WIC
-National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)- fishing game
-Ra’Gene B. Myrick Foundation, Inc.- children’s activities, stickers, toys
-Restorer of Broken Walls- hula hoop contest
-Relay for Life- face art, egg toss and egg race