After a one-year hiatus, Prince Albert’s annual children’s festival will return to Kinsmen Park.
The 26th edition of KidzFest is scheduled for Aug. 19 with Hula Hoop Circus and local musician Roger Boucher performing on the main stage.
City of Prince Albert playground coordinator Rachel Pelechaty said it’s encouraging to see the festival return after it was cancelled due to COVID concerns in 2020.
“This is probably the first event that lots of people will end up coming to in about a year and a half, so this is really exciting for everyone,” Pelechaty said during an interview on Tuesday. “All of our vendors who are coming haven’t been out and about in a while, but they are so excited to come back.”
Organizers wanted to create a carnival atmosphere for this year’s event. That includes regular activities like face painting, balloon animals, and games. However, Pelechaty said they have a few surprises they’re keeping secret until the day of the event.
Hula Hoop Circus will perform two shows on the main stage, and a few entertainers will roam the festival area at Kinsmen Park.
“We felt that they fit our theme perfectly,” Pelechaty said when asked about Hula Hoop Circus. “We felt they had tonnes of experience putting on fun kids shows.
“We have lots of carnival games, (and) carnival food. Everything you can really expect at a carnival, we have there, which is why we booked them,” she added.
Organizers still plan to have a few precautions in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 at the event. Hand sanitizer will be available at the canteen, and organizers have removed bottles of condiments in favour of single-use packets.
Canteen staff will wear gloves at all times, and a pop-up vaccination clinic will be open on the northeast side of the park.
Beyond that, Pelechatry said it’s business as usual.
“You can expect pretty much the same thing we did in other years,” she explained.
“It’s so exciting to have this event back. It’s a huge event for the youth in our community.”
KidzFest runs from 1-5 p.m. at Kinsmen Park on Aug. 19.