Children's Festival 20th Anniversary

As a relatively new parent, it shocked me a little that I hadn’t been to Burlington’s Children’s Festival before, despite living here most of my life.  To be fair, when it first began, 20 years ago, I was already 16 – perhaps a bit too old for the festivities at that age.

Now that I’ve been blessed with a 1 and 3 year-old (although when they wake up screaming at 3 a.m. they don’t exactly feel like blessings), it was time for me to put aside my usual dislike of crowds and show my little munchkins a good time!  I packed up some snacks while my fearless husband loaded the kids and our all-terrain stroller into the car.

This year’s theme was Pirates & Princesses, so I knew we’d be guaranteed to see things that would entrance and impress my 3-year-old daughter Hannah all day long.

Day 1 took place on the Burlington beachfront; a fitting location given the annual “Discover Sandcastles” competition was underway!

Day 2 took place in equally beautiful Spencer Smith Park and brought with it more entertainment, kids activities and freebies than we had the time or energy to take in!  I knew early on that it was going to be very challenging to sum up the whole 2 days in just one article.  You can see tons of photos and video in the clip I’ve included if you want all the stunning highlights!


#20 The memories - Guest Blogger Victoria

To help narrow things down, and in honour of the Festival’s 20th Anniversary, I thought it would be fitting to share with you our Top 20 Favourite Things from this year’s fantastic event!

1. The Weather.  Nothing would ruin an outdoor festival (not to mention a sandcastle) quicker than rain, but Day 1 was full of warm sunshine and the few drops we saw on Day 2 were barely noticed by anyone – least of all the kids!

#3 Balloons!

2. Ample Parking.  All you parents out there with your arms full of strollers and toddlers and baby bags and sippy cups know that the closer you can park to your destination, the better.  Both days we had no trouble at all finding free parking right next to the action.

3. Balloons.  Nothing keeps a small child happily preoccupied better than a helium-filled balloon...and we didn’t even see that many floating away into the sky!  There were also amazing balloon animals by Cindy of Brilliant Balloons to wow kids of all ages!

4. Tattoos.  I didn’t realize they even made “girlie” pirate tattoos, but the proof is still proudly being displayed on my daughter’s right arm 3 days later. 

5. Crafts.  I was in heaven watching my daughter go nuts with popsicle sticks, glue and glitter knowing that I wouldn’t need to clean up anything when she was done! 



#7 Entertainment

6. The Kids Marketplace.  Often, at big events, you can get overwhelmed by sponsors and vendors, but this one was full of local organizations that provide great kids activities, like martial arts, music and gymnastics programs.  We got great ideas, and met the instructors in person, which was a really helpful experience as we decide what makes the most sense for our kids this fall.

7. The Entertainment.  From pirates showing off their swordplay skills, to talented musical acts, to the hilarious Puppet Tamer Pirate Tim, we were entertained non-stop the entire 2 days.  

8. Outdoor Movie Night.  Day 2 finished at night with an outdoor screening of Pirates of the Caribbean.  While it started a little too late for my tots to stay up for, it’s a wonderful way to spend a summer evening along the waterfront.

#10 The Face Painting

9. The Food.  From freshly squeezed lemonade to corn-on-the-cob with dozens of “corndiments”, to the always-popular french fry and ice cream trucks, there were lots of tasty treats to be had.

10. Face Painting.   This was definitely my daughter’s favourite thing about the festival.  The blue eyeshadow gave me 80’s flashbacks of myself that I’d rather forget, but she looked utterly adorable!

11. Exploring.  The kids got to roam around a shiny red firetruck, run through a pirate-themed city bus (I loved seeing my daughter in the driver’s seat), and hop in and out of a real police car.  I’m hoping that’s the only time I see my kids in a cop car!  The huge inflatable pirate ships & obstacles courses were a big hit too!

12. Toy Cars.  The Hot Wheels interactive display was really cool!  Once the kids pushed past all the dads who were reliving their youth, they had a blast seeing the latest and greatest innovations in toy cars & tracks. 

13. Princesses and Pirates.  They were everywhere!  From the entertainers to the sandcastles to festival-goers old and young, everyone was in the spirit and got dressed up in some excellent costumes.  

14. The Parade.  What better way to showcase all the pirate & princesses in their glory than by letting them parade around the Festival on Day 2, waving to the crowds as they walked by!  Letting kids “be” in a parade pretty much guarantees a never-ending sea of smiles, and that’s just what we saw all around us.

#16 The Parks - Beachway Park

15. The Atmosphere.  It was so relaxed, so full of positive energy, and brimming with happy families!  Laughter is contagious and we sure caught our fair share!

16. The Parks.  The play areas at both Beachway Park and Spencer Smith Park are truly outstanding.  There are swings and slides and unique climbing challenges for kids of all ages.   On a hot day, nothing beats the water-jets at Discovery Landing.

17. It’s Free.  Free!  Enough said.

#19 The Sandcastles - AMAZING

18. It’s Local.  Nothing’s better than taking the kids to a 2-day event full of fun that is just a few blocks away from your own home.  Especially these days with the price of gas putting a serious dent in many summer travel budgets!  

19. The Sandcastles.  Amateurs and professionals equally impressed us with amazing sand sculptures, castles, pirates, and more!

20. The Memories.  As any parent will tell you, finding quality time to spend with the family seems to be the hardest struggle we all face these days.  The memories we made over these 2 days will definitely last a lifetime. 

We can’t wait until next year! 



Update for 2012 - Theme is Jungle Safari & information can be found here

Lots left to do in Burlington before summer ends

Although it’s already halfway through August (and who can believe it?), there is still plenty to do in Burlington before the summer ends. 

There are two great events running in August at the Royal Botanical Gardens.  Food lovers should be sure to check out their “Edible Weekends” featuring cooking demonstrations, educational workshops, special menu items, taste-testings and more!  A different taste is highlighted each weekend, with tomatoes and salsa featured August 20th and 21st, garlic highlighted August 27th and 28th and gourds showcased September 3rd to 5th.  With so many flavours, this event certainly promises to be delicious! 

Music lovers should also visit the RBG for Red Hot Jazz and Cool Blues  which takes place Wednesday nights from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Hendrie Park.  Performances run until September 7th, so you still have lots of time left to enjoy the music!  Enjoy a cold drink, some barbecue and the lovely garden while listening to award-winning jazz and blues musicians.  Concerts take place rain or shine.      

If you’re up for something a little spookier, then Ghost Walks at Bronte Creek’s Spruce Lane Farmhouse are definitely for you.  Staff members will guide you through the house and barn, providing an educational tour highlighting occurrences, beliefs and unexplained happenings.  The walks take place Sunday evenings beginning at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. and last 45 minutes.  Meet at parking lot F to join the tour which is included with regular admission to the park.  Although the walks are more educational than scary, they are best suited for children over seven.     

Looking for something fun to do with the whole family?  Look no further than this weekend’s Children’s Festival!  This fabulous two day event is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and promises to be filled with fantastic activities and entertainment that kids will love.

The festival kicks off Saturday August 20th at 10 a.m. with the 4th Annual Discover Sandcastles Competition at Beachway Park.  There are four categories in which you can compete: child (ages 4-12), youth (ages 13-17), adult (ages 18+) and family (all ages with a maximum of 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children).  Simply visit the event’s web page to register using RecExpress.

Love sandcastles but don’t necessarily want to compete?  There is plenty for you to do too!  Come and watch Master Sand Sculptor demonstrations, listen to live music, take part in fun activities, grab a bite to eat and enjoy a marketplace all on Burlington’s beautiful beach.  Local children’s book author Sylvia McNicoll will be emceeing the day, so bring your books down to be signed.  Also be sure to vote for your favourite sandcastle for the People’s Choice Award and stick around to watch the award ceremony at 4 p.m. to see the winners.   

The fun continues on Sunday August 21st at 10 a.m. with the Children’s Festival in Spencer Smith Park.  Come on down and enjoy play zones, pirate ship inflatables, a SpongeBob SquarePants meet and greet, talking parrot shows, entertainment and more!  From 12:30 until 1 p.m., kids are encouraged to participate in the Promenade Parade.  Come dressed as a pirate, prince or princess and join the fun!  Although the day’s activities end at 4 p.m., you can come back to the park at 7 p.m. to join the Amazing Captain Corbin for a magical Pirate show followed by a 9 p.m. outdoor screening of a pirate movie.  Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the show! 

Speaking of fabulous festivals, who can resist the deliciousness that is Canada’s Largest Ribfest?  Come down to Spencer Smith Park September 2nd to 5th and sample some of the best ribs from 18 of North America’s top ribbers.  Visit their website for a $3.00 off ribs coupon, valid Friday September 2nd from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Ribfest isn’t only about the ribs though!  You can get all sorts of food including chicken, hot dogs, pizza, corn, French fries, fried onions, doughnuts, ice cream and more!  There is also fantastic musical entertainment, crafters and activities and games for kids of all ages.  It is definitely not to be missed!

So shake off those end of summer blahs and go out and enjoy all that Burlington has to offer!      

TC Kat