Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism will present the twenty-ninth Newport News Children's Festival of Friends on Saturday, May 5, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Newport News Park. Children can meet their favorite book characters, including Peter Rabbit, Paddington Bear, Wild Thing and Corduroy Bear; and see animals from ZooPro (exotic animals) and Gum Tree Farm (farm animals). The youngest festival guests can play in a special Pre-school Play Area. New for 2018 are juggling/comedy performances by Jesse Joyner (12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.)
The festival features over 100 hands-on activities including make-and-take crafts, rides (pony rides, trackless train, tiki rock wall, moon bounce, slide, obstacle course), fitness activities (gymnastics, obstacle course, tennis, golf), educational exhibits (science experiments, robotics, gardening, farm animals and sheep shearing), and displays by City Departments and community organizations that serve children.
Children from the Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism Instructional Class Programs will showcase their talents on stage with the Newport News Flipateers (gymnastics) performing at 1:00 p.m. and Newport News City Arts (dance) at 3:00 p.m..
There is a $5.00 parking fee per vehicle. Festival admission and all activities (including all rides) are free. Thirteen food vendors will sell a variety of items including cupcakes, gourmet popsicles, kettle corn, shaved ice, funnel cakes, wood fired pizza, seafood, gourmet cotton candy, barbeque, and Puerto Rican food. No pets permitted in the festival area. Newport News Park is located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Ft. Eustis Boulevard. From I-64E, take Exit 247 and turn left onto Jefferson Avenue. From I-64W, take Exit 250B and follow the signs to Newport News Park. For more information, call 757-926-1400.