WHAT: Children's Art Festival
WHERE: Creekside
WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 13; Sunday, Aug. 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Kids are great, there's little question, but parenthood is a difficult gig. All the meals, the time-outs, the sugar-fuelled bad behaviour, the night terrors. We know. We know. Any parent who can manoeuvre these through the continents of scattered toys and rejected broccoli dishes - and with a smile no less - deserves a daily pat on the back and, when the appropriate holiday arrives, a greeting card.
Pique would like to go one step further and plan your Whistler Children's Art Festival expedition this weekend. Venturing out of the house with more than one child is difficult enough; never mind coordinating a full day in a crowded festival atmosphere.
Here, we've mapped out how to best spend your day, and your money. This schedule works for both Saturday and Sunday but we've only planned for one day. There's plenty more going on and if you're willing to brave another visit you're on your own.
10 a.m.
Pay the $8 entrance fee for each of your kids. You, the parent, gets in for free. Sign up for whichever workshops you want your kids to attend (these are listed below). This can be done between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. the day of the festival.
10:15 a.m.
T-Shirt Mania: Because you a) don't have any time to head to Squamish to purchase kids clothing at a more reasonable cost because you're b) fostering your child's creativity and c) don't really care what child's clothes look like, let them design their own T-shirt print, as they learn the basics of stencil design and silk screening.
Price: $9.50
11:30 a.m.
The Kerplunks: The award-winning, Juno-nominated four-piece mash all sorts of musical styles and are whimsical enough to entertain your kids yet proficient enough to impress without irritating you.
12:30 p.m.
Languages of the World Matching Game: If the latest episode of Jersey Shore has taught us anything, it's that Snooki's woeful lack of knowledge of simple world geography makes her entire hometown look bad. We don't need our children, the future of Whistler, marring this town in the same way, so Tamwood (completely unrelated to this Jersey Shore episode, we presume) is offering a game where the kids match the multitude of languages spoken in the world with the country it is spoken in.
1:15 p.m.
Japanese Fan: It's August remember, so the threat of overheating is weighing heavily on your increasingly worried mind as the all the options at this year's event has your child over-stimulated and clamouring to see it all. You've forgotten your personal cooling system and using the brim of your baseball cap to fan yourself will look foolish. Luckily, you can make your child build a paper Japanese fan, which will foster his/her creative side, provide them with crafty new skills they can use all their life and provide you with a little comfort for the remainder of the day.
Price: $6.50
2:30 p.m.
Musical beats Drumming: Here's your chance to test your child's musical abilities before deciding on those costly music lessons. If the kid can keep a beat on the hand drums provided, send her to the lessons. If not, maybe softball's a better way to go. Added Bonus: parents are welcome too, so let loose your inner Tito Puente and have at it.
Price: $6.50
3:30 p.m.
Whistler Water Misting Station: The Japanese fan wasn't enough to cool you or your children down. Now they're hyperactive balls of sweat, plastered in sunscreen and in need of a cold bath. Here's your chance to mist up, cool down and consider sending whoever founded Whistler Water a nice "Thank You" card.
Dance Entertainment (Saturday): At the same time, Whistler's finest dancers will lure you away from the clutches of the craft tents and artisan workshops to wow you with their freshest moves...or just, you know, entertain you for half an hour before everyone goes home to eat dinner.
Ache Brasil (Sunday): At the same time, this ensemble will be spinning and bouncing around the main stage. They specialize in folkoric Afro-Brazilian dance, music and rhythms, combining samba, maculele, maracutu (we haven't heard of those either) and capoeira, a martial-art dance that meshes self-defence tactics with the glories of dance. It's something to watch, anyway.
12:30 p.m.
Chocolate dipped strawberries: Nesters Market has a booth where kids dip fresh strawberries in chocolate. This is perfect for people who love chocolate covered strawberries and a refreshing way to end the day.
