40 Days of PLAY with the International Children’s Festival

Over the last 40 years, the International Children’s Festival of the Arts has entertained, educated, enthralled, and enamored children of Alberta’s Capital Region. Many of us grew up attending the festival in its early years and now we delight in taking our own children to experience that magic of the festival.

While we were disappointed with the cancellation of last year’s event, this year the festival is making up for it in a BIG way with 40 whole days of festival PLAY! Since the festival has to be held virtually this year, it gives us the opportunity to experience the fun over many weeks as we build up our excitement for the closing weekend’s grand finale.

Daily Activities

Each day, from April 28 – June 6, 2021, your family can experience an exciting festival activity such as clowning, dancing, music, storytelling, and crafts. Activities will promote safe, independent, fun and creative play. These creative, arts-inspired activities and challenges are adaptable for a variety of ages and are suitable for completion at home, in schools or even at the office with your colleagues. Many of the daily activities feature the Festival’s iconic butterfly symbol! Activities will be revealed daily on the festival website and on their social media channels, so be sure to give them a follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Family participates in an at-home theatrical presentation of Mountain Goat Mountain.

Grand Finale

The International Children’s Festival wouldn’t be complete without feature performances from jaw-dropping, critically-acclaimed artists. On the final three days of the festival, June 4 – 6, 2021, your family can virtually interact with these great performers! Performances will be available over multiple days and times with tickets going on sale Friday, May 7, 2021. Ticket prices for the feature performances range from $15 to $30 and will be available to purchase on the festival website. This year’s interactive virtual feature performances include:

• The Wizards of Oakwood Drive – The Wizards Of Oakwood Drive is a live, interactive, online performance for young audiences, ages 4-12 taking place on Zoom. Two sibling wizards perform spells in a winner-takes-all contest and with a little help from parents in advance of the show, magic will happen in your own home!
• Mountain Goat Mountain – For ages 5 and up, Mountain Goat Mountain immerses families in a 45-minute theatrical experience. Children and families are carried along by a narrative soundscape and invited to bring their own creativity and imagination to the performance.
• Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli – Watch Luca’s unique dance style that incorporates his upper body strength along with his crutches as accessories to his dance. He’s been featured on The Ellen Show, So You Think You Can Dance Canada and America’s Got Talent!
• The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries – Power Hour – This customized improvised narrative experience unfolds over five exciting phone calls in one thrilling hour, as our intrepid private investigators delve into audience members’ very own mini mysteries using the investigative power of good conversation.
• The Big Heart Journey with Taes (Boots from Splash’N Boots) – The Big Heart Journey is specifically designed to fill kids’ backpacks with practical tools they can use to move through big feelings – not just now, but every day for the rest of their lives.

Big Heart Journey with Taes

Share and Win

Show off your creativity! Post a photo showing how you are participating in this year’s virtual Children’s Festival on Facebook or Instagram using #40DaysofPLAY to be entered to win prizes.

International Children’s Festival of the Arts

Where: Virtual
When: April 28 – June 6, 2021
Website: www.childfest.com