Schools
The Hamster Ride, EuroBungy and a Memorial Day Service
A blast for kids of all ages at the 22nd annual KidFest at Mount Diablo High.
Four-year-old Ryan Green of Orinda was getting his bounce on Monday at the EuroBungy ride at KidFest, but he looked a little uncertain about his journey into the sky.
Afterward, he confirmed it. His favorite ride at KidFest was the hamster ride.
His dad, Mark Green, pronounced KidFest the best in the area for its “nice mix” of activities for kids Ryan’s age as well as teenagers.
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Monday was the last of the three-day run for KidFest at Mount Diablo High. It included a Memorial Day service at noon, featuring a Marine Color Guard, the Mount Diablo High School ROTC cadets and singers.
The event is a fundraiser for the United Mount Diablo Athletic Foundation. The foundation was formed to save high school sports in the Mount Diablo district.
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The six high schools in the district are providing more more than 100 volunteers working half-day shifts to help run KidFest.
"We've had excellent attendance both days," organizer Jay Bedecarre wrote in an email Monday. "It was significantly larger than last year, including Saturday when it was very chilly and started raining at 4:30."
On Saturday, Bedecarre said, "For the first hour we had a block-long line to get in. We had huge crowds for the first wild monkey show and the first BMX bike show. The Golden State Warriors booth was packed, also the Smurfs and Dora the Explorer. A lot of people are getting their faces painted.”
“We have 20 rides this year," he continued. "We have over 100 exhibitors here, arts and crafts booths, and commercial booths, nonprofit organizations out here. Three different movie productions are being promoted. We have a lot of educational products and different opportunities.”
Local dance groups, including Latino and Asian dancers, entertained crowds on the main stage.
One display, from Bay Area Garden Group, was part model railway, part garden. It was a work in progress that was a hit with kids and adult train fans alike.
“We are a club of about 300 members,” said Nancy Norris, spokesperson for the group and the horticulture editor for Garden Railways magazine.
“Many of us have garden railways in our back yards," she said. "What that means is that we have gardens with miniature plants, miniature bridges, little waterfalls with real water and real rocks.”
The roving model was designed to show people what they can do in their back yards and to get them interested in this type of gardening.
For the 16th year in a row, KidFest and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano are partnering to get food donations. Last year, nearly three tons of food was donated. Since 2002, 50,000 pounds of food have been given to the needy by KidFest attendees.
The KidFest Web site is here, or call 925-408-4014.
