THUNDER BAY – How can you follow up the excitement of Christmas? For hundreds of local kids, the answer was the Family Fest held Friday by the Thunder Bay Boys & Girls Club. It’s a tradition now in its ninth year, offering free family entertainment over the holiday break.
Outside the organization’s Windsor Street headquarters, a campfire burned, while Thunder Bay Adventure Trails offered children free snowmobile rides. Inside, a wide variety of activities were on offer.
Kids could dress up like an astronaut and learn about space at Science North’s activity tables, while the organization’s live science shows got them engaged through interactive demonstrations.
Staff Scientist Kaitlin Richard says the goal is to help kids understand how science is part of their everyday lives, while showing how fun scientific discovery can be.
“That’s the best part of what we do – you can see their eyes light up as soon as we bring this stuff out,” she says. “Usually you think of science as sitting down and reading books, but we bring the big experiments, the big moment of awe, and you can see the kids get really engaged with that.”
A few rooms over, kids were busy hammering away at wooden building packages donated by Home Depot. Creations included picture frames, napkin holders, and toy wheelbarrows.
The event, sponsored and partially staffed by WestJet, also featured arts and crafts, bouncy castles, caricatures, and free food and drinks.
Friends Lily Kiiskila and Jorja Bryenton, both 10, said it was a great way to spend the day. They picked out Science North, rock climbing, and snowmobiling as highlights.
Boys & Girls Club Director Albert Aiello says the event is a good chance to reconnect with neighbourhood kids over the break, while it also brings in new faces.
“This is a great way to showcase what we do on an everyday basis,” he says.
