Celebrate Kids Day Returns Sept. 27 With Family Fun, Activities and a New Train Ride

Families can put down their phones, spend time together, and let kids be kids when the Warren Coalition hosts its 13th Celebrate Kids Day on Sunday, Sept. 27.

The annual event will run from 1 to 4 p.m. at the former 15th Street School complex in Front Royal, using the gym, Senior Center, parking lot and adjoining field for an afternoon filled with inflatables, pony rides, a petting zoo, games, performances and other activities.

This year, children will have something new to climb aboard—a train ride.

Celeste Brooks of the Warren Coalition said the event is designed as a day for families to spend time together while giving children opportunities to play, explore new activities and take a break from screens.

“It is a day to just come together and celebrate the joy of childhood,” Brooks said. “Get off the phones, spend some time together as a family. Do some things that you don’t normally have the chance to do. Let the kids be kids.”

Admission is $1 per child, while parents and other adults attend free. The event will be held rain or shine.

The small admission fee helps the Coalition cover costs not covered by sponsors and allows parents to contribute toward the experience, Brooks said.

Visitors will find five inflatables, pony rides and a petting zoo among the outdoor attractions. Organizations and nonprofits serving children will also be on hand throughout the complex.

Brooks said participating agencies are encouraged to offer a game or activity that gets children involved while giving parents an opportunity to learn about services available in the community.

The idea is to make finding information about local resources a natural part of a family event rather than simply handing parents brochures.

“We are, how many times do you hear, ‘I don’t know what’s available, I don’t know what resources there are in town,’” Brooks said. “And so this is a chance for people to find some of that information.”

Performances, Games and Prizes

Several local groups are scheduled to perform or offer demonstrations during the afternoon.

Jig ‘n’ Jive will return, along with All-Star Legacy Cheer and Dance and Arts VA.

Between demonstrations, children and families can participate in cake walks and “health walks.”

The health walk works much like a traditional cake walk, but instead of winning a cake, participants can take home a sports-related prize such as a soccer ball or basketball.

Five cakes are also expected to be given away during traditional cake walks. There is an additional $1 charge to participate in the walks, with proceeds helping offset event expenses.

The Coalition is also bringing back its prize station.

Children participating in Coalition games collect stamps rather than receiving an immediate prize at each activity. They can then take those stamps to the prize station and choose what they want, similar to redeeming tickets at an arcade.

Brooks said the system was introduced last year as a fun way to encourage children to save toward something they want instead of receiving an instant reward after every game.

Prizes this year include board games, Squishmallows, fidget toys and other items.

A Train Arrives for the First Time

One addition organizers are particularly excited about is a children’s train ride.

Brooks said bringing a train to Celebrate Kids Day has been a goal for years, but scheduling and the expense of bringing one in from outside the area made it difficult.

This year, the Rotary Club of Warren County is helping make it happen.

“They have enabled us to bring in for the first time … a train,” Brooks said. “She has wanted a train ride for the kids since the start of Celebrate Kids Day.”

Other community organizations and businesses are helping sponsor portions of the event.

City National Bank is sponsoring the petting zoo, while the Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53 and Northwestern Community Services are helping support activities that include the inflatables and pumpkins. Front Royal Dental Care is also a sponsor.

Additional supporters include the Warren County Sheriff’s Office Foundation, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Kiwanis Club of Front Royal.

Get Ready to Get Soaked

Another returning attraction is the Pitch Burst, which gives children the chance to soak some familiar community volunteers.

Instead of dropping someone into a traditional dunk tank, the Pitch Burst places a large water-filled balloon above the volunteer’s head.

Hit the target and the balloon bursts.

Brooks said there is plenty of water involved.

“It’s like going under a waterfall on one of those rides at an amusement park,” she said.

The volunteers in the hot seat — or perhaps the wet seat — are also raising money. Each is encouraged to raise at least $500, with some collecting donations online and others fundraising offline.

Brooks said the fundraising has created some friendly competition among participants, with her husband, Kevin, among those competing for the top spot and defending fundraising champion Crystal Cline making a late push up the standings.

An Afternoon About Being a Kid

Behind the inflatables, train rides and games is a larger goal for the Warren Coalition: encouraging children to be active, interact with others and spend some time away from phones and other screens.

Brooks said the Coalition likes seeing children involved in activities ranging from dance and cheer to local sports programs, both for the physical benefits and the opportunity to connect with people face-to-face.

Celebrate Kids Day puts many of those ideas together in one afternoon.

The location at the former 15th Street School has also given the event room to grow. Activities can spread across the gym, Senior Center, parking lot and field, while indoor space gives organizers more flexibility if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

And organizers know something about bad weather.

Previous Celebrate Kids Days have faced thunderstorms, heavy rain and even the remnants of hurricanes, Brooks said.

The event continued.

This year’s plan is the same: rain or shine.

Celebrate Kids Day will be held Sunday, Sept. 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the former 15th Street School complex in Front Royal. Admission is $1 per child, with adults admitted free.

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