Naper Settlement becomes Kid Central
With a move this year from a spot along the Riverwalk to the roomier, nearby Naper Settlement grounds, the Family Fun Land at Last Fling will offer more events and attractions for little tykes than ever.
"We've greatly expanded and improved, and introduced some new things to our Family Fun Land area," said John Wrona, the Fling's co-executive director. "It's just a better environment for what's going on."
The Family Fun Land Stage will feature Radio Disney, children's entertainer Dave Rudolph, the McNulty Irish Dancers and the Midwest Edge Dance Academy, martial arts demonstrations, Corky the Clown and a live reptile show, Wrona said.
"It's the same format as we've had in the past," he said.
Fun Land will offer inflatable rides, a petting zoo, craft projects and costumed cartoon characters. The settlement also will be the site for pie and spaghetti eating contests, a craft fair, an apple pie bake-off, a diaper derby and a kids slam dunk contest.
Three times each day, children will have the chance to hunt for prizes in giant haystacks, said executive committee member Kent Christianson.
"They love to go digging in the hay," he said.
The former Fun Land grounds, along the Riverwalk near Centennial Beach, will host a series of other events, Christianson said.
For the second year, the Scottish Highland Games will be played from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the sand volleyball courts just west of the beach.
A little further west, near the Grand Pavilion, disc-catching dogs will do their thing during the AWI East Coast Qualifier contest from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and in the Ashley Whippet K-9 Classic from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Christianson said the fourth annual skaters picnic, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the skate park near the beach, will feature a skateboard competition between city police and professional skaters.
There also will be a doughnut-eating contest pitting the police against youth.
"It's a nice way to build relationships between our youth and the police department," he said.