Phenomenal!
That’s what Buena Park did – they held a phenomenal Children’s Arts Festival, combined with a Fine Arts display by 7th & 8th graders over the weekend.
It was impressive and impossible for any child of any age to be bored Saturday, as staff had covered every base from the front door encircled in a bevy of multi-colored rainbow balloons that lead to inside activities, outdoors, downstairs and back indoors.
Phenomenal!
That’s what Buena Park did – they held a phenomenal Children’s Arts Festival, combined with a Fine Arts display by 7th & 8th graders over the weekend.
It was impressive and impossible for any child of any age to be bored Saturday, as staff had covered every base from the front door encircled in a bevy of multi-colored rainbow balloons that lead to inside activities, outdoors, downstairs and back indoors.
Inside crafts of all kinds were being explored by children, some helped by parents from flower crowns to wear, beaded bracelets, painted rocks, a mixture of colored rice and other natural items to sort through and imagine cooking or just playing with the items.
All of this was held at the Community Services Center, 6688 Beach Blvd., next to City Hall.
The community was invited and fliers were sent out to the elementary schools and the event was listed in the Buena Park Today publication, said Community Services Coordinator Shayna Gutierrez.
Inside, the Buena Park Youth Children’s Theatre was on hand at a table, holding a fundraiser for their upcoming shows, while visitors were using the ever-popular “Popsicle-stick” to weave deer antlers and head wreathes were fashioned of wire and flowers, helped by Buena Park Recreation staff volunteers as well as professional Art Facilitators.
The “Bubble Garden” outside was alive with activity in the afternoon sunshine, put on by Bubble Mania™, whose staff helped children make bubble wands for themselves.
Drummer/percussionist and flautist Edward Cartwright helped youngsters learn how to count music and showed them how it’s fun to play music with percussion instruments and worked to inspire the children to enjoy music.
It rained a little that morning, but Cartwright kept playing the drums. “It’s the first time I’ve ever played in the rain, but I kept playing,” he smiled.
Children could participate in making natural necklaces, giant silly sticks that they could paint and wrap with yarn or paint pond rocks as an example of a portion of the wide-variety of activities.
“This is awesome,” said one mother, Michelle Garcia, whose daughter Erandeni, 4, took time to paint pond rocks to take home during the 7th annual Buena Park Children’s Arts Festival. “I think it’s great; my daughter hasn’t stopped playing since we got here nearly two hours ago – it’s really neat – with lots of great activities and great leaders,” said Garcia.
The annual Children’s Arts Festival is held in conjunction with the junior high school Art Show for 7th and 8th graders. Those who placed, were awarded 1st 2nd and 3rd place ribbons within their age group.
“Twenty participants from Buena Park Junior High School and Sycamore Junior High School in the Anaheim Union High School District participated,” said Gutierrez. “7th graders were awarded 1st and 2nd place ribbons and the 8th graders were presented 1st, 2nd, 3rd and honorable mention,” she explained.
Downstairs, everyone who wanted to, took part in painting a large mural that depicted an earlier life-style of farming, showing that everything comes from Mother Earth. Professional Art Facilitator and Muralist Daniel Martinez helped the young people paint the mural and then added the final touches at the end of the day.
“The mural is about children visiting grandparents on the farm and about the garden and taking care of the earth that takes care of us; the mural helps children learn about the earth and the farm and that everything comes from Mother Earth and so we need to protect her. My aunt showed me how to pick grapes when I was little and so I’m tied to the earth,” Martinez further explained.
Gutierrez said the event was attended by a lot of people who had a lot of fun; approximately 300 people – kids and parents – from Buena Park and surrounding cities and as far away as Los Angeles, attended.
“Our goal is to keep building the program,” Gutierrez said. “Most of the items used are recycled or earth-friendly crafts.”
For information about this and other city programs, visit BuenaPark.com or call 714-562-3860.
