In the midst of Sourdough Sams, tattoo competitions, and beard and leg hair-growing contests, Yukon kids need a place to call their own during Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous. Kidsfest, organized by the Boys and Girls Club of Yukon (BGCY), is the hub for kids to have a good time. This year, it’s, located in the Multi-Purpose Room at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre (KDCC). BGCY’s involvement is a natural fit for Kidsfest, as staff are trained and prepared to deliver great programming to Yukon kids.
“Boys and Girls Club is an in-kind sponsor, providing staff and gifts totalling $10,000,” said Lindsay Cornell, executive director of BGCY. “The sponsorship comes from our partnership around the Sourdough Sam Date Auction that takes place in January.”
Each day, there will be programming organized to keep kids entertained and enjoying the spirit of Rendezvous. Each day, face-painting will available all day. There will also be a small barbecue organized each day as a BGCY fundraiser.
Special “little people” challenges will also be featured over the course of the weekend, so kids can experience some of the grown-up Rendezvous challenges that are usually only for adults. Friday afternoon will feature a mini flour pull. Sunday will feature a snow carving and sculpting event.
The event will feature a few other activities, including short dog sled rides from Muktuk Adventures on Friday and Saturday, a children and youth jousting competition, and the grande finale of the weekend, Colour Wars.
Colour Wars is a free-for-all extravaganza that promises to leave you painted blue, red, pink and yellow – and probably more. Never fear, parents! The cornstarch and food dye mixture used to create the colours is non-toxic and washes off easily. Kids can enjoy themselves and get as messy as possible, without long-term mess. The colours are stored in envelopes in boxes around the designated area, aka the battleground. Participants can collect colours before returning into the main area where they can douse friends and opponents with the rainbow.
Participants can sign up at the location, but most activities are on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s probably a good idea to keep track of the schedule, just in case something catches your eye.
