×

Activities, mascots, more at Kids First Friday

SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Coloring, necklace making, bird houses and artifact guessing can all be seen at the Aug. 6 Kids First Friday, in tandem with the ongoing Lycoming Arts First Friday.

But the fun won’t stop there, according to Michael Barclay, Kiwanis representative of the Kids First Friday Committee.

The event, ran by Kiwanis alongside other local organizations, including Williamsport Rotary Club, Newberry Lions Club, Williamsport Lions Club, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport Crosscutters, Station 1 and Junior League of Williamsport, will be in the “mural canyon” parking lot between Woodlands Bank and Bullfrog Brewery from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

“It is going to be so much fun,” Barclay said.

He added that the event has a three-pronged approach: to have fun community-oriented activities for kids for free, to put parents, guardians and families in front of organizations that support children and to help bring people downtown to connect and support small businesses.

All of the games and activities are free of charge. There will be a “burger burn” and Lions Club french fries for sale as well.

Kids can also expect a few guests like Boomer and the Penn College Wildcat mascots, alongside music performed by Uptown Music Collective.

The fun continues on with free bounce houses and activities like sensory jars from the Families United Network, Kiwanis art mural painting, games from River Valley Health and Dental, making beaded necklaces with Dwell Orphan Care, artifact guessing game with the Lycoming County Historical Society and lollipop trees and coloring with Lycoming Foster Care and much more.

The kids’ fun will continue in Pine Square and on Laurel Streets with a mini kids carnival put on by Lycoming County United Way in partnership with The Brickyard.

The carnival will take place between 4 and 8 p.m. and will have various games including: ring toss, pizza toss, wiffle ball games and spin-it-to-win-it games that can be redeemed through tickets, and the kids can win different prizes at the games. Twelve volunteers from local organizations will be helping at each of the games.

According to Tony Ecker, owner of The Brickyard and Melyssa McHale, Lycoming County United Way director of community impact, an arms length of tickets will cost $5 and will allow the kids to play the games between the two streets.

In previous years, the carnival was on a much larger scale in April but was unable to be held for the last two years due to COVID-19.

All money earned at the event will benefit the Lycoming County United Way.

“It will be a celebration for the kids getting ready to go back into the school year and a great way to donate funds to the United Way,” Eckert said.

“We are coming together to have a good time with the kids,” McHale said. “The partnership (between the United Way and The Brickyard) is wonderful and they help us out when they can. We can’t wait to see people come out together and celebrate.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today