Bored during the summer? Look no further: Augusto! Children’s Festival will kick off August 9.
The fifth annual Augusto! Children’s Festival will take place this year August 9 to 11 in Haines Junction.
After a pause in 2023, the organizers are very pleased to be back with a full weekend of activities for children aged 12 and under, they say.
Augusto! Festival Society organized its first festival in 2017 with the aim of creating a festival that celebrates children and becomes a showcase community event that continues to foster, expand and promote the community’s interest in art and music.
“We try and change things up every year. This year for the first time we will present a play—The Storyteller by The Trollsons. In 2022 we added a closing show which was a great finish to the weekend. We are excited that this year Amanda Panda will wrap up the festival with a 45 minute Hula Hoop show straight after lunch on Sunday,“ said Darlene Sillery, who is one of the organizers for the festival.
Festival-goers can catch Amanda Panda of the Hula Hoop Circus opening act on Saturday night. Amanda Panda will leave patrons smiling with her bright colours and exceptional Hula Hoop skills, the organizers promise. Amanda Panada is an author and entrepreneur and was nominated as Canada’s Top Hula Hooper and most influential Canadian Flow Artist in the 2019 Can Spin. She combines education with entertainment by providing circus performances to encourage learning and self-confidence.
The festival will kick off with The Dakwäkäda Dancers Friday afternoon, getting kids warmed up for a family dance with Murphy and the Cats.
On Saturday night The Trollsons will join the festival. This family of masked Scandinavian trolls will be presenting their play The Storyteller and participants can expect incredible masks, physical comedy, improvisation, music and good old fashioned troll trouble. The interactive tale is based on stories by Hans Christian Andersen.
Throughout Saturday and half of Sunday, the festival will host 30 one-hour workshops for kids aged 5 to12-years-old. Performing arts workshops this year include Southern Tutchone Song and Dance, Improv, Let’s Hula Hoop, singing, songwriting and Introduction to Harp. Visual arts workshops include Home Gnomes, Forest Scientists, Monster Parade, Button Butterflies, Fantastical Fish, Little Books, Stomp Rockets and Electric Spin Art.
For ages four and under, Toddler Town is a mini festival in itself. Structured craft activities, roving performers, mini concerts and the amazing cardboard village to explore. Other activities include face painting and a silk screen t-shirt station where kids can paint their own wearable art. A Kid’s Cafe will also run through the daytime hours Saturday and Sunday. The Festival is taking place from August 9 to 11 in the St. Elias Convention Centre in the village of Haines Junction. Tickets are on sale now with weekend passes which are $30 for ages 5 to 12 and $20 for ages four and under. Tickets are available online at: augustokids.ca
