Things to do  |  27 May 2020

Planning for one of Canterbury school children’s most loved annual events, KidsFest, is well underway, despite the challenges of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

KidsFest, which runs every winter school holidays, will go ahead this year from Saturday 4 July until Sunday 19 July – although there will be changes to ensure the health and safety of participants and those running events. For the first time since the event started in 1992, there will be some online activities for children to do from the comfort of their own homes.

Council Events and Arts Manager Lucy Blackmore says the new modified approach was a way to still hold the event, as there will be fewer physical activities for children to attend this year.

“KidsFest is about creating entertaining and educational experiences and memories for families. We have some online activities that will be open for kids to do, the majority of which will be free.

“Many of the favourite KidsFest activities held in previous years are happening, but this will be within the parameters of Government direction regarding events at the time. And no matter what Alert Level we are at, we do not want people to attend events if they have cold or flu-like symptoms, or are not feeling well.”

Online content will be accessed via a new interactive entertainment space, being built within the KidsFest website.

Ms Blackmore says the COVID-19 pandemic means there will not be any of the large-scale Council-produced events usually held as part of KidsFest this year, such as the opening or closing event or The Big Chill.

“The event’s booklet is also not being printed this year, as it’s been a changing environment for what activities will be able to go ahead. Instead, the line-up of events will be listed on the KidsFest website from 5 June, when tickets will also become available.”

Keep checking kidsfest.co.nz to find out what activities are happening as part of KidsFest 2020.