Hundreds of youngsters found plenty of challenging activities and made a few new furry and feathered friends during last month’s 16th annual Week of the Young Child’s Children’s Festival at the Perquimans County Recreation Center.
Sarah Williams, program coordinator for the Chowan-Perquimans Smart Start Partnership, said 34 service organizations stocked tables with brochures, games, toys, tote bags at the Saturday, April 20, event attended by 670 adults and children.
The Chowan-Edenton Optimist Club’s train provided fun-filled rides for children while the A Triple C Farm in Elizabeth City set up a petting zoo featuring chickens, goats, a pony, a cow and a calf.
Emily Bryant brought her daughter Cora Bryant, 5, for the afternoon events.
“Great event!” she said. “I loved learning about what the community has to offer, visiting with the animals at the petting zoo, seeing the inside of an ambulance and learning gardening.”
Taylor Bryant of Edenton said he and his two children, 7-year-old Jayce, and 4-year-old Brooklyn, were attending their first Children’s Festival.
“We enjoyed the petting zoo and taking part in the different activities offered by the many vendors available,” Bryant said. “They especially enjoyed the cow and miniature horse.”
Rosie Overton, a family recruitment specialist with the Children’s Home Society, was among the representatives of organizations that set up information booths at the festival. Overton’s organization helps raise awareness about the 11,000 children in foster care in the state as well as the growing need for foster parents.
She said she got to interact with some 100 adults throughout the day.
“This event was an effective way to provide information to the community,” she said. “I met several families today that fostered and adopted from CHS or another agency in the past.”
For Williams, the annual event continues to provide a setting for the area’s youngest residents to enjoy a day activities designed especially for them.
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