It was blue skies and sunshine at the first-ever Oakville Children’s Festival held on Sunday, July 27 at Coronation Park.More than 15,000 visitors enjoyed free live performances and events brought to Oakville to capture the curiosity of young minds and encourage participation and discovery.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better day for the Oakville Children’s Festival,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. “The Oakville Transit shuttles were full, the bike corral was overflowing, and most importantly the little ones were having a blast. A special thanks to our presenting sponsor Tim Hortons, town staff for organizing such a quality event, and families who chose to spend a great day with us.”
Festival-goers enjoyed performances by multi-award-winning Sharon, Bram & Friends, Sheesham & Lotus, Jack Grunsky, IncrediBrent, and Safari Science. Corpus’ Les moutons (actors dressed as sheep) caused some curious stares and infectious giggles as they were guided across the park. The Fantasy Fables Snow Queen and Ice Princess made dreams come true as they posed for photos with their little royal subjects to ensure lasting memories.
Exciting opportunities for fun and learning continued throughout the park with interactive building and art activities, story times, reptile and science shows, kids’ play zone and obstacle course, face painting, balloon artists, and more.
The Kinsmen Club of Oakville kept families energized with a pancake breakfast, followed by a barbecue lunch. And even with long waits, the food trucks proved to be popular attractions, serving up great gourmet eats for both adults and kids.
“We’re overwhelmed by the success of the Oakville Children’s Festival,” said Robin Howarth, Oakville Children’s Festival Chair. “We tripled our estimated number of visitors and have good insight on how we can enhance the event in the future. It was definitely a pleasure to introduce a children’s festival to Oakville.”