For Kids
What can kids do at the Folk Festival?
- Come early! Giant Puppets! Sunny Birkland and the Puppet Playhouse's giant puppets will be wandering the Festival grounds from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. So don't be late!
- New! Play all kinds of musical instruments at Plenet Music. Similar to last year's Musical Petting Zoo, but local!
- Dance! There are two different kinds of dance to try every hour. Plus, at the Children's Tent, there's a hula class just for kids, Irish dancing, and play-party dances.
- Sing and dance throughout the day at the Children's Tent, with a full day of activities just for kids!
There's tons of stuff for kids at the Folk Festival. Kids are always welcome at the music and dance workshops, there's a special venue for storytelling, plus there's a tent just for kids. A big thank you to Kris Litchman for organizing the Children's Tent.
Children's Tent Schedule
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Rhythm Jam | Roadrunner Strummers Ukulele Band | Roadrunner Strummers Ukuleles will perform and ask children to participate in singing songs for all ages. Play-along percussions will be provided. Our group started out at the Folk Fest two years ago, right after Michael Veseart's ukelele class . We began meeting at our homes, adding members as we went along. We now number about 10, practice every Monday night from 6 to 8 at Nahalat Shalom on Rio Grande, and welcome new members. We perform in retirement homes, etc. Our motto is "No pressure, just fun!" |
| 11:30 AM | Hawaiian Dance | Cindi Heffner | Hula is Hawaiian storytelling through dance. Children will learn basic hula foot and hand motions and a simple Hawaiian song. Hula dancer and teacher Cindi Heffner has been sharing her aloha and hula with Albuquerque since her arrival here in 1997. Her Halau Hula Ha`aheo O Hawai`i can be seen at every multi-ethnic festival, including the ABQ Folk Festival. They perform at senior centers, nursing homes, schools, private luaus, civic, and corporate events. Seeing a hula performed with aloha will always bring a smile to your face and heart. |
| 12:30 PM | Play-Party Games and More | Bill and Kris Litchman | Everybody's welcome to join us for sing-along play-party games and lively follow-the- leader dances. |
| 1:30 PM | Creating Music with Ms. Chrissy | Chrissy Antonelli | Nurture your child's inner musician! Sing songs and play instruments "family style". This experience is for young children as well as the young at heart. Early-childhood music teacher Chrissy Antonelli likes this quote from Pablo Picasso: "Every child is born an artist; the problem is how to remain one when we grow up." Find out more about Chrissy's music program at: http://creatingsomething.com |
| 2:30 PM | Song Spiral | Patty Stephens | Patty Stephens of Song Spiral shares a collection of original songs for children. No kid is too young and no kid is too old to participate.Song Spiral is about community singing, dance and play dedicated to families with wee ones. No child too young and no body too old. Using songs, games and rounds as well as improvisation in the language of the new born, toddlers and all the rest of us, we have a super fun laid-back musical adventure. Patty Stephens is a jazz singer, music educator, member of the band The Brazil Project. Above all, she's a singer of songs with a marvelous son and lots of lovely brothers and sisters who all sing too. |
| 3:30 PM | Dance with the Coleman Academy of Irish Dance | Coleman Academy of Irish Dance | Irish Step Dance is noted for leaps, points, and other precise foot movements, done to complex rhythms such as jigs, reels, and hornpipes. Two varieties, soft shoe and hard shoe, can be done as solos, in couples, or in larger groups. The Coleman Academy of Irish Dance does performances and offers classes on Saturdays to anyone ages 5 though adult at all levels. |
Giant Puppets!
Sunny Birklund and the Puppet Playhouse bring fun family entertainment for kids of all ages to the Folk Festival this year. Be on the lookout as their giant puppets make their way around the festival. You and your family and friends are invited to chat with the giant puppets and ask questions, shake hands, share hugs and take photos with silly poses. Let children who aren't quite ready be introduced from the distance and approach when they are confident. The puppets will be strolling the festival grounds from 10 am to 12 pm. Don't miss them!
Sunny invites you to join her and the Puppet Playhouse for other events. "We invite you to dress in costume and bring your own puppets or call 944-6605 ahead of the event and we'll bring a giant puppet for you to wear! We will be at the Children's Festival at El Rancho de las Golondrinas on Saturday, September 1 with a puppet show and puppet parade."
Sunny will present giant puppet making workshops on Sundays in August at Offcenter Arts and coordinate the Giant Puppet Parade for the Folk Art Festival on Sunday, September 9. They'll also will be at Old Town for Halloween and the Holiday Stroll on Friday, December 7th.