Festival promises fun for kids

Everything about this year’s Crossing the Blues Festival in downtown La Grande this weekend is bigger and better than the inaugural event last summer.

That means more fun for everybody, including the kids.

The CTB Children’s Carnival, slated Saturday on Chestnut Street between Adams and Jefferson avenues, features a variety of returning activities and enough new ones to keep youngsters happily entertained all day.

The carnival includes an array of all-day play stations, plus activities scheduled at specific times.

Back for a second year are arcade games including the bean bag toss, ring toss, claw machines and the rubber duck pond.

And just like last year, kids will have the chance to take rides on antique fire trucks provided by the Eastern Oregon Fire Museum. Kids will also be able to cool off under the fire department’s shower tower, which rains down a gentle mist of water from on high.

The new events include “junk sculpture,” drum making and playing, textile art creation, bookmark scratch art, mask making and hacky sack painting. Still one more added attraction is the Oregon National Guard’s climbing wall.

Children will also have opportunities to play dress up in a variety of garments and costumes, spend quiet time coloring and working jigsaw and 3D puzzles, and engage in a variety of artistic activities with construction paper, beads, sequins, pipe cleaners and many other unique and imaginative odds and ends.

“Crossing the Blues showcases the commercial, performing and fine arts. We want that basic theme reflected in the Children’s Carnival as well,” said Sandy Lund, another organizer of the kids’ activities.

This year, the Children’s Carnival shares Chestnut Street with professional street chalk artists Janet Gogue and Ann DiSalvo. Special child-sized chalk areas and colorful sidewalk chalk will be available for children to experiment with.

The Children’s Carnival opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. A 10-punch pass required for the climbing wall, arcade games (for which prizes will be awarded) and special activities at scheduled times costs $3.

Each child attending will receive a goodie bag and a custom-designed, washable Children’s Carnival tattoo.

To ensure the safety of children and volunteers, Chestnut Street will be closed between Adams and Jefferson avenues during the carnival.

The street will remain closed from Adams to the south side of the alley until 7 a.m. Monday to provide ample time for viewing the chalk art created by Gogue and DiSalvo.

“Everyone associated with Crossing the Blues extends a special thanks to the residents and merchants of Chestnut Street for their patience with the no parking restrictions during these special events,” said Lund.

Children’s Carnival

scheduled events

10 a.m.-11 a.m. — Junk sculpture (bring your own material, no glass or sharp edges, or use what’s provided).

11 a.m. to 12 noon — Mask making and textile art.

12 noon to 12:30 p.m. — African hand drummer’s performance on the “Second Stage.”

12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. — “Drum Petting” with drum maker and performer Chris Leavitt and his African hand drummers.

12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Drum and shaker making with Leavitt and the drummers.

1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Join Leavitt and the drummers on the Second Stage with newly created drums and shakers.

2 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Textile art and magic bookmarks.

3 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Hacky sack painting.