Fuelled by adventure, creativity, and giggles, Whistler’s longest-running festival — the Whistler Children’s Festival — is back for its 39th year.
After two years of hosting the festival online, it’s back in person and better than ever, running the last two weekends in May. The Whistler Children’s Festival encourages families to “Adventure along the Cultural Connector” and embark on a creative adventure around the Village.
The Festival has moved to the two May long weekends (Victoria Day and Memorial Day), engaging local and visiting families while school is still in session and featuring programs that provide more weather-proof experiences. The festival’s well-timed schedule of “don’t miss events” allows families to attend every performance and workshop if they wish.
New for 2022, the Maury Young Arts Centre will be jam-packed with 14 unique theatre performances and 12 creative workshops. The festival will ignite kids’ imaginations, inspiring them to let loose and get creative – from song writing and puppet workshops to science, magic and circus skills. As they say in showbiz, there really is something for everyone!
Weekend one includes three-time Juno-nominated artist Ginalina performing her upbeat, folksy songs inspired by the love of family, the beauty of the west coast, and the joy of being in the moment. Award-winning local filmmaker and writer, Rebecca Wood Barrett, will deliver a creative writing workshop, teaching a step-by-step process to invent fresh and extraordinary ideas and characters through story.
Every Whistler kid’s favourite, Ira Pettle, delivers not one but TWO family dance parties, on the Friday of each weekend. On the second weekend, you’ll find Ira teaching an exclusive kids’ acting workshop, focusing on theatre games and improv. With elements of vintage silent film, shadow puppetry, stop motion, and live music, Ideas Bobert’s theatre performance, presented by Candy Bones Theatre,brings an avant-garde approach to family entertainment.
The Whistler Children’s Festival also includes the Family Art Adventure, free to participate in on both weekends. The party begins at the Arts Centre, where you can pick up your Family Art Adventure map and enjoy the entertainment outside the building. On May 21 & 22, 12-3 pm, get your face painted with Paint on People, then on May 28& 29, 12-3 pm, Jazz the Balloon Man will twist up a fabulous balloon creation.
Once you have your Art Adventure map, the real journey begins as you navigate along Whistler’s Cultural Connector, discovering Whistler’s cultural spaces and public art, with surprises and activities along the way. Keep your eye out for the Whistler Fire Rescue Service and Whistler RCMP in Whistler Olympic Plaza and enjoy the pop-up street entertainment along the journey.
The Family Art Adventure experience and Village entertainment is free. Workshops at the Arts Centre are $10, with theatre performances ticketed at $15. Bring the whole family to a show with our four-ticket bundle at only $50 (meaning the 4th ticket is just $5!) Tickets are available at the Maury Young Arts Centre box office or online at www.whistlerchildrensfestival.com.
Start your imagination engines, unlock your creativity, and get ready to have FUN at the Whistler Children’s Festival May 20-22 &27-29! Find out more at www.whistlerchildrensfestival.com
