Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Kids get ready

Register early for Whistler Children's Art Festival workshops

What: Whistler Children’s Art Festival

When: July 15-16

Where: Creekside

Fees: $3-$6

You might have come across Michael Komick’s handiwork at last year’s Whistler Farmers’ Market, and if you didn’t kids have a chance to learn about the art of wood carving at Komick’s Paddle Carving Workshop, one of more than 90 classes offered at the Whistler Children’s Art Festival July 15 and 16 at Creekside.

"I’ll tell them about the wood and give them a basic idea about carving," said Komick from his Maple Ridge home. "My wife and I have been coming up to the festival for the past three years. It’s always a fun weekend."

So much fun that festival workshops sell out immediately. Officials recommend people sign up for classes as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Registry runs Monday, July 10 to Wednesday, July 12.

Workshops include everything from T-shirt printing and breakdancing to magic and drumming. Music, theatre, dance, photography and art workshops are available for children three to nine years old Saturday and Sunday.

To register, call 604-938-9221 from Monday to Wednesday between 1 and 4 p.m. Mastercard or Visa accepted. People can also register by dropping by the Whistler Arts Council located between Lot 1/9 and Marketplace.

Festival volunteers are also needed. Contact info@whistlerartscouncil.com or 604-938-9221.

Theatre/storytelling

Feel the thundering of African drums and learn what it’s like to grow up in Africa with stories and crafts in Liz Blomkamp’s Amazing Africa workshop Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday 1-2 p.m. Classes for 3-7 year olds. Workshop $3.

Children’s entertainer and television personality Art Napoleon will share the legends of First Nations peoples in First Nations Storytelling Saturday from11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Workshop $4.

Learn how to mystify family and friends with the hocus pocus of Tony "Zany Zack" Kazoleas who will share the secrets of magic in the Magic workshop Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m. Classes for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $4.

Listen to stories then transform into a colourful creature for a critter conga through the festival in the Nylon Zoo workshop with Angela Brown, the Ta Daa lady Saturday 10-11 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-2 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Workshop $5.

Dance

Learn to spin on your head with the best of them with a Breakdance workshop from Soul Funktion Dance Studio’s Aaron Webb Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. for kids 5-7 years old and from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for kids 7-9 years old. Workshop $5.

Become a triple threat by learning how to sing, dance and act in a Broadway favourite with Musical Theatre from Nicole Fitzgerald Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. for kids 5-7 years old and Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m. for kids 7-9 years old. Workshop $4.

Music

Learn traditional drum beats from lands far, far away with Angela Roy in the Drumming workshop Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 3-5 year olds, 1-2 p.m. for 5-7 year olds and 2:30-3:30 p.m. for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Create your very own instrument and then learn how to play it in the Stomp Boxes workshop with Jana Marie Dupuis Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Class for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $6.

Learn how music can encourage creativity through learning about the life of Kandinsky and painting to music with Voulla Demetriou in the World of Kandinsky workshop Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. Classes for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Play instruments from around the world in the Zuva Musicians workshop from noon to 12:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Workshop $4.

Photography

Learn how to capture a memory in a click with Insight photographer Andy Dittrich in Fun with Photos and take home a disposal camera to try your lessons out on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. Classes for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Art

Create your own art book to store photographs and dreams in with Lynn Dempsey’s Art Books workshop Saturday 11:30-1 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Classes for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $6.

Bead a gift for you or a friend at Beading Bonanza with Lynn Dempsey Saturday and Sunday 10-11 a.m. Classes for 5-7 year olds. Workshop $4.

Use a real bear paw to make a special T-shirt with bear researcher Michael Allen who will share his bear tales at the Bear Paw Print T-Shirts workshop Saturday and Sunday 10-11 a.m. Classes for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Create a painted desert in a bottle with colourful grains in the Bottle Art workshop with Ryan Shanoff Saturday and Sunday 1-2 p.m. Classes for 3-7 year olds. Workshop $3.

Paint your own ceramic mug in the Ceramic Creations workshop from Expressions artist Ivana Illic Saturday and Sunday 10-11 a.m. Classes for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $6.

Use leaves, branches and decorations to build a home to lure the fairy folk into your garden in the Fairy House workshop with Dixx Milstein Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. as well as Sunday 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Classes for 5-7 year olds. Workshop $4.

Learn about the Japanese folk art of painting fish in the Gyotaku Fish Print T-Shirts workshop with Kathryn Hardy Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1-2 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. Classes for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Create a masterpiece for your head with the Mad Hatter workshop from Sharon Jensen Saturday 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. Classes for 3-7 year olds. Workshop $3.

Tinker with tools in metal working with the Metal Tapping workshop with Ryan Shanoff Saturday 2:30-3:30 p.m. Classes for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Transform into anything from Snow White to Superman in the Miracle Masks workshop with Jana Marie Dupuis and live music from Kostaman Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. Class for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $6.

Find out if you are the next Picasso or Emily Carr in the Painting with Acrylics workshop with Lynn Dempsey Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Classes for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Mold tiles, stones and marbles to create a decorative patio stone in the Patio Stones Mosaic workshop with Alex Kleinmann Saturday and Sunday 1-2 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Workshop $4.

Create a quilled critter of your very own by using a paper filigree technique (the rolling of thin strips of paper into different shapes to form designs) in Quill with Quoz with Mary Walker Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. and Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. Classes for 5-7 year olds. Workshop $4.

Learn to build a toy car powered by the wind in the Sail Car Building workshop with Rob Matthies Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Sunday 10-11 a.m. Classes for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Learn to sketch and paint Whistler wildlife with local artist Isobel MacLaurin Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Classes for 7-9 year olds. Workshop $6.

Learn the secret to bubbles by making a silly squeaky clean creation in Soap Crafting with Diane Sherlaw Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30-12:30 p.m. Classes for 5-9 year olds. Workshop $5.

Redecorate a room in rainbows by crafting a sun catcher to pick up light with Ryan Shanoff Sunday 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Classes for 5-7 year olds. Workshop $4.

Create and decorate a windsock and watch it come to life in the wind with artist Anna Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. Classes for 3-7 year olds. Workshop $3.

Create a special paddle with your own designs carved right into it with Mike Komick’s Paddle Carving Workshop Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. as well as Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Kids must be 9 years old or older. Workshop $5.