Bayfest to Feature Kidsfest

Kids Helping Kids,
Kidsfest Part of Anna Maria Island Bayfest Celebrations...

To learn more about the Bayfest venue, go to this years Bayfest webpage. Here you will be able to download a copy of the Bayfest Poster, review the many different entertainment venues scheduled... and of course register for the Bayfest event.

As reported by the Anna Maria Island Sun:

This Years Bayfest to Feature Kidsfest:

Kids Helping Kids

Bayfest, the something for everybody, start-of-the-season festival on Pine Avenue, presents another bigger and better feature at this year’s event on Saturday, Oct. 17.

It’s called Kidsfest and it’s being put together by Island Dojo’s Kevin Berquist.

“The theme is Kids Helping Kids and it’s really big,” he said. “All the money raised goes toward helping at-risk and abused kids.”

Bergquist is involved with Oasis Middle School in Bradenton, which is a special facility for at-risk and abused kids, and those kids will be raising money with a new book they put out.

“It’s a book of their life stories, and I guarantee that you won’t be able to read more than a few before it will get to you,” he said, “The money goes for their drama group.”

This year, there is an entry fee of $5 per child or adult to get into Kidsfest, but Berquist said it’s worth the money.

“We’ll have a live tiger, a 40-foot inflatable obstacle course, wet and dry slides, a bouncy house, games, water balloon tosses, a dunk tank and martial arts demonstrations every half hour.”

He said. “Top black belts will demonstrate their skills and grand master Jack ‘Pappa San’ Stern, who founded the World Organization of Martial Arts in 1960, will be there.”

Berquist said five students will get their black belts at the fest and there will be dance troupes, face painting, clowns and fun food for sale for the kids. He also said kids would be introduced to foreign cultures.

“We’ll have origami, sumi painting and we might have a bonsai class,” he said. “There will be lots of vendors, Bridge Street Bazaar will have items for sale and the Privateers will be there, too.”

Finally, the Kidsfest is looking for T-shirt sponsors. For $100 or more, your business logo will be on the back of the official T-shirts for sale at the event and Berquist will show your ad on his Web site.

For more information, call him at 807-1734.

Bayfest also will have arts and crafts and food vendors, live music, a car show and much more, plus a Friday evening celebration from 5 to 10 p.m. with vendors and music. As always, there will be refreshments of all types.

Bayfest is sponsored by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce and the Anna Maria Island Sun is the media sponsor.