Newport News Children’s Festival of Friends

Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism will present the twenty-eighth Newport News Children’s Festival of Friends on Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Newport News Park. Children can meet their favorite book characters including Curious George, Clifford, and the Berenstain Bears; see animals from the Virginia Living Museum (native Virginian animals), ZooPro (exotic animals), and Gum Tree Farm (farm animals).  The youngest festival guests can play in a special “Happy Campers” Pre-school Play Area.  At noon, a special “Elephants Gerald” performance about Ella Fitzgerald by Jennifer Gammill (Young Audiences of Virginia) will celebrate the centennial of the “First Lady of Song” who was born in Newport News on April 25, 1917.

The festival features over 100 hands-on activities including make-and-take crafts, rides (pony rides, trackless train, tiki rock wall, moon bounce, slide, obstacle course), fitness activities (gymnastics, obstacle course, tennis), educational exhibits (science experiments, gardening, farm animals and sheep shearing), and displays by City Departments and community organizations that serve children.

Children from the Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Instructional Class Programs will showcase their talents on stage: 2:00 p.m. Newport News City Arts (dance) and 3:00 p.m. Newport News Flipateers (gymnastics).

There is a $5.00 parking fee per vehicle. Festival admission and all activities (including all rides) are free. Food vendors on site ($). No pets permitted in the festival area. Newport News Park is located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Ft. Eustis Boulevard. From I-64E, take Exit 247 and turn left onto Jefferson Avenue. From I-64W, take Exit 250B and follow the signs to Newport News Park. For more information, call 757-926-1400.

2017 CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL OF FRIENDS
PROGRAM DETAILS

DISCOVERY STAGE

11:00 am                    Virginia Living Museum (Animals) “Amazing Animal Adaptations”

12:00 pm                    Jennifer Gammill (Ella) “Elephants Gerald”

1:00 pm                      Virginia Living Museum (Animals) “Amazing Animal Adaptations”

2:00 pm                      Newport News City Arts (Dance)

3:00 pm                      Newport News Flipateers (Gymnastics)

DISCOVERY FRIENDS

*Navy Fleet & Family Support Center- brochures

*City of Newport News Fire Department- SAFE house, stickers, fire hats    

*Newport News Engineering- coloring books, activity

*Newport News Public Library Systems- activities, bookmarks, storytelling

*Children’s Museum of Virginia- give-a-way, craft
*Lee Hall Train Station Foundation- costume characters

*Newport News Recycling (Public Works)- recycling relay, green hairspray

*Mad Science- exciting, hands-on science experiments

*Make-and-Take Flower Activity with the Newport News Master Gardeners

*Newport News Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association- info. about youth camps, coloring and activity books, bendable figurines

*Calvary Classical School- give-a-ways, info. on programs, planter craft, coloring pages

*Public Works (Pest Control)- vector control presentation

STORYTELLING/MEET AND GREET

*Berenstain Bears – 12:30 pm & 2:30 pm

*Clifford – 11:30 am

*Curious George- 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm

RECREATION FRIENDS

*Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Youth Programs- crafts, glitter tattoos, games, summer camp info.

*Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Instructional Programs- face painting, crafts, gymnastics tumbling course, class demos, craft

*Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Aquatics- sand art craft

*Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Tennis Program- tennis games & activities

*Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Parks- touch table & display, seed packets

COMMUNITY FRIENDS

*Operation Christmas Child- VA Peninsula- make items to be mailed in shoe boxes, tattoos

*Mystiques Synchronized Swimming Team- activity, princess costume characters

*Sister Cities of Newport News, Inc.- coloring activities, international flag display

*Newport News Tourism- handouts, prize wheel, photo op

*Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center- Ella Centennial, program/event info., sidewalk chalk/colored pencils, sculpting/clay activity

*Denbigh East Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses- coloring activities, crafts

*United Way of the Virginia Peninsula- give-a-ways, activities

HEALTHY FRIENDS

*Southeastern Virginia Health System- info. about available services

*Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast- membership and camp information, children’s activities, give-a-ways

*Smart Beginnings Virginia Peninsula- brochures, face painting

*WIC-handouts, give-a-ways

*Newport News Healthy Families- planting seeds, give-a-ways, coloring

*Virginia Cooperative Extension- education on farm life & agriculture with emphasis on youth nutrition

*Department of Medical Assistance Services (FAMIS)- give-a-ways

*National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)- hula hoops, basket shot, magnets, candy, Wheel of Famous People

*Edmarc Hospice for Children- coloring, game, jewelry making, Wags (mascot)

*Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula- membership info., bumper stickers, social media cards, candy

*Girls Inc./Boys Leadership Alliance- flyers

PLAYFUL FRIENDS

*Gum Tree Farm-farm animals and sheep shearing demonstrations

*Pony Rides- pony rides for children

*ZooPro-live animal exhibit

*Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter- shelter and adoption info.

*Fun Bus- fitness fun on wheels

*Newport News Animal Services- Animals Services truck, animal welfare display

*FREE Inflatable Rides- moon bounce, Cars slide, pirate ship, trackless train, tiki-island rock wall, obstacle course

*Preschool PlayZone- created especially for the younger fans of the Festival

FOOD VENDORS

*Cast Iron Mini Sweets

*Jubilee Fun Foods

*Whole Foods

*Deep Fried Inc.

*Green Mountain Kettle Korn

*Hawaiian Sno

*Nader’s

*Mr. Potato

*Pennsylvania Dutch Funnel Cake of VA

*Over the Moon Pizza

*Capt. Harrell & Sons Seafood Kitchen

* Poppa P 1971