Family-friendly Festival September 29, 2024!!!
Held again this year at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. There’s aways a lot of music, singing, and shaking going on for kids and families at the festival. More details about the festival appear here.
2024 Children's Tent Schedule
Here's the schedule for this year's Children's Tent. And of course, kids are welcome at all the workshops, performances and other activities that include our Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, giant puppets, and more! Spark an interest in your kids while introducing them to a wide range of folk traditions in music, song and dance! It'll be fun for everyone!
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Interactive Folk Tales & Songs | Helen Stein | Come be part of the story! Sing songs with movement and gestures! |
| 11:30 AM | Corn Husk Dolls | Ursula Kelly | A corn husk doll is made out of the dried leaves or "husk" of a corn cob. Maize, known in some countries as corn, is a large grain plant domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. Making corn husk dolls was adopted by early European settlers in the United States of America. In some cultures, corn dolls are magical charms thought to protect the home, livestock, and personal wellness of the maker and their family. They may be a home for the spirit of the crop. The tradition pertains to the idea that the crop of grain has a spirit that loses its home after the final harvest and it is therefore to be invited and housed in the home over the winter before being returned to the earth in spring for the next crop. Corn husk dolls do not have faces, and there are a number of traditional explanations for this. One legend is that the Spirit of Corn, one of the Three Sisters, made a doll out of her husks to entertain children. The doll had a beautiful face, and began to spend less time with children and more time contemplating her own loveliness. As a result of her vanity, the doll's face was taken away. |
| 12:30 PM | Face Painting | Cassidy Williamson | Come and get your face painted with Celtic birth signs and other Celtic symbols. |
| 1:30 PM | Silly Songs | Patty Stephens | Wiggle, waggle, parade and song, where kids and their folk all belong. |
| 2:30 PM | Sing Along for Kids under 5 | Teacher B | Get those kids singing, moving, and shaking! Teacher B leads the group through a variety of engaging music games and sing-alongs. While all kids are welcome, this sing-along is most fitting for kids up to age 5. All kiddos must be accompanied by an adult. |
| 3:30 PM | Drumming | Rachael Baca | Drums and folk songs go hand in hand! Together we will learn basic drumming techniques and sing folk songs! |
OFFCenter Puppets (10am - 12pm)
OffCenter Puppets brings fun family entertainment for kids of all ages to the Folk Festival this year. Be on the lookout as their giant puppets make their way around the festival including Sunny, Mr. Fish, MAB, and more. You and your family and friends are invited to chat with the giant puppets and ask questions, shake hands, and take photos with silly poses. The puppets will be strolling the festival grounds from 10 am to 12 pm. So bring your kids early so you won’t miss them!
A Magical Welcome with Howardini (10-10:45am and 11:15am-12pm)
Look for Howardini near the entrance, under an umbrella, doing Folk Magic from Around the World. Kids (and their parents) can experience, learn and enjoy participating in folk magic from around the world. This hands-on experience is an opportunity for the children to play together in a magical themed way, while experiencing and learning about magic from various cultures.Kids have been enjoying Howardini’s magic in the Children’s Tent since 2014; this year everyone will get a magical start to a magical day at the Folk Festival!
Musical Instrument Petting Zoo (10am - 4pm)
This year, Planet Music with composer/musician Casey Mráz is hosting our interactive display of playable musical instruments of all varieties from all around the globe. The varieties of musical instruments include stringed instruments, reed instruments, and percussion instruments. This perennial favorite allows kids of all ages to go hands-on with different instruments.
