By Meg Hodson
I received complimentary admission to Kid Fest. All opinions remain 100% my own.
It was the perfect activity for a cold, foggy Northwest Sunday: Kid Fest! It has been awhile since my family as a whole had attended an expo of this nature. I had a few teasers of what to expect from their Facebook page, like Star Wars characters and Lego fun, but did not know completely what to expect.
The show was a pretty even split of attractions and booths aimed at pleasing the kids and vendors exhibiting more for the parents. I actually thought this was a good balance. After all, I love finding out about summer camps, special schools, good food and other great resources for parents. The kids, of course, love action and hands-on activities. A family pass (up to 5 people) was $20. I thought this was fair....until I got inside. A lot of the activities did require additional money or "suggested donations". This might be disheartening for families on a budget. But myself included, I would think that admission would include most activities. I think it should include all activities.
When we first walked in, we were greeted by a Star Wars booth, so my boys immediately signed up to shoot Nerf guns at storm troopers; it was a great moment for a photo, too. We then proceeded to see some live animals (including a lion!), some fun toy booths to try out the latest and great, and some bouncy houses and slides to get some exercise in.
I thought the most effective booths were ones that were there to provide information for parents, but to also showcase intriguing and attractive activities for the kids. Honestly, I don't like being "sold" things at events like this. Ultimately, we are there for the kids to have a good time. If we discover some worthwhile information, then great. Well, that's exactly what happened at the Delphian School booth. There was valuable information on the school and it's program, including summer offerings. But my kids absolutely adored everything they had to play with: fun science tricks and toys was the focus. We spent nearly 30 minutes (across 2 visits) at their booth!
Except for a few booths which made me wonder "why are you here exactly?", all seemed to fit well with a Northwest kids theme. Again, some booths were a hit, some missed. We love the Trailblazers, but how could they possibly not have set up a basketball hoop for kids to shoot? And please, from a Mom who cares, let's cut down on the candy! I love tokens and little items for my kids to take home, but how am I going to remember your business with a piece of candy?
I guarantee you I am going to remember Next Adventure Sporting Goods the next time I need any outdoor related gear. My kids loved pretending they were kayaking and paddle boarding. They schmoozed with Cosmo, the dog. They received FREE t-shirts and sweatshirts, plus stickers and more. That is exactly how a booth should be; they were personable, shared information, but weren't pushy.
While the Main Stage offered fun attractions, like karaoke, Mad Science, and more, the sound and acoustics in a cement-encased building made it very difficult to hear. The food offerings were also a disappointment. I am glad I packed a lunch for my kids; there wasn't much beyond pretzels and hot dogs. It would have been fun to see a fun food cart or two. I mean, that is SOOOO Portland, right?!
Overall, we enjoyed Kid Fest Northwest and I would recommend it to parents, but take some caution on your expectation of activity for the kids. With a little attention to some of the offerings from vendors, you can definitely make it fun for your kids....and yourselves. While I surmise that the target age group for this event is ages 2-8, we did manage to find some fun for my 10 year old daughter, as evidenced below.
