Kidz Go Grey to Green This Saturday

By Geniene P. (Contact)

Published September 8, 2009

What an exciting upcoming weekend for all in the Youngstown area.  There will be so many fun filled activities for children to enjoy like the Grey to Green Festival this Saturday.  This festival strives to increase awareness of environmental issues in general. Issues which truly will impact our children's future. The grey to green concept is also part of the Youngstown 2010 Plan, and the Wick Park Revitalization effort that is currently underway.  It is organized by and full of volunteers from a very active and progressive group of individuals working hard to brand Youngstown in an optimistic way.

The festival starts at 10 a.m. but kids can enjoy activities with drumming circles at 11 a.m.  This was also available at the YSU arts festival and my 2 year old had a ball joining children as old as early teens on the drums and percussion instruments that were available.  They were pretty good at putting a beat together, too.  Do I see a future Sheila E. in my midst?

Another fun activity will be arts and crafts activities that go all day from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (including tie died t-shirts from vegetable dies and bird feeder pine cone type stuff).  I’m all for any messy activities that occur outside of my home.  Since my daughter adores watching the multitude of geese, ducks and cardinals in our area, she will be very excited to make a bird feeder.

And if your child enjoys magic, mermaids, poetry and science, check out the following list:
1:00-1:45 p.m. - Magic Carpet Theater Presents: "The Day Miranda Met the Mermaid"
1:45-2:00 p.m. - Etruscan Press/Poetry Center Poets
2:00-2:30 p.m. - Dr. Ray's Amazing Sideshow of Science!

The Youngstown Historical Society will be doing a "History Kids" with a program titled "An Architectural Adventure".  At 1:00 p.m. and then at 3:00 p.m., students will tour both the Wick Park and downtown Youngstown to study buildings, their famous occupants and styles of archicture. The program is for kids ages 8-14 and the cost to OHS member is $10 and others $12. Advance registration is required Contact Keith Mann at 330 743-5934.

For the nature minded, there will also be two nature tours of Wick Park at 1:00 p.m. and again at 3:00 p.m. given by Bill Whitehouse (no fee).

The entire festival occurs from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  There are many events for parents to enjoy and a variety of speakers/displays on organic food, homeopathic medicine (with Dr. Ted Suzelis) and environmentally oriented businesses, community organizations, and local and regional agencies. I can’t wait to check it out.  For those of you planning on attending YSU’s home opener, there is no reason why you can’t stop by the park beforehand.