SEQUIM — Ice cream, dancing, free children’s books, model trains, a firetruck and prizes: They’re just a cross-section of the First Teacher Dungeness Kids’ Fair on Saturday at Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Ave.
Admission is free to the fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and activities for children and their grown-ups will be abundant.
The event is hosted by the Parenting Matters Foundation and First Teacher, which recently lost its home at Sequim Community School.
The school, adjacent to the Children’s Playground at 220 W. Alder St., is being shuttered this summer because of Sequim School District budget constraints, and First Teacher has yet to find a new place for its parents’ library, meeting space and playroom.
Three fundraisers
At Saturday’s fair, First Teacher will hold three fundraisers: a bake sale, silent auction of toy and craft baskets, and tickets for sale to the Seattle Mariners’ July 29 game against the Kansas City Royals.
Alongside the frolic — music, dance, gymnastics — the fair promises information about local groups serving parents, grandparents and parents-to-be.
The Peninsula Children’s Clinic, a sponsor, as well as the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula and the Sequim Library, is among the organizations to set up booths.
The fair is “a time to have fun and learn about the many community resources available to young families,” said Cynthia Martin, founder and director of the Parenting Matters Foundation.
Martin compiles a free newsletter for North Olympic Peninsula families and hopes the fair will raise enough money to keep mailing it out.
To find out more about First Teacher’s newsletter, phone 360-681-2250, email info@FirstTeacher.org or visit www.FirstTeacher.org.
Other attractions
Here’s a sampling of other participants in the kids’ fair:
■ Aspire Academy of Carlsborg will have dance classes and musical instruments to play.
■ Caring Hands Learning Center will have information about its new preschool plus an activity for preschool-age kids.
■ Child Evangelism Fellowship of the Olympic Peninsula will have face painting, beaded bracelets for kids to make and information about after-school Bible clubs.
■ Clallam County Fire District No. 3 will bring its firetruck and a little house for kids to squirt water at a “fire” in the window.
■ The Clallam County Literacy Council will give every child a free book, help kids make bookmarks and offer information on volunteering.
■ Columbia Bank will have a banner for kids to color that will be displayed in the bank.
■ Dungeness Valley Creamery will have free samples of whole Jersey milk, plus a couple of calves children can pet.
■ Dungeness Kids Co. will have toys for sale plus gear for blowing bubbles.
■ The Dungeness River Audubon Center will have wildlife displays and make-and-take activities.
■ First Teacher and the Parenting Matters Foundation will have baked treats, pizza, ice cream and free books for kids 13 and younger.
■ Five Acre School of Dungeness will have a seed-planting activity and a video and slideshow about the school.
■ The Happy Tymer Clowns will bring their puppets and balloons.
■ Klahhane Gymnastics will have a small obstacle course, a play area with mats and inclines, and information about its summer schedule.
■ Nash’s Organic Produce will have fresh fruits, vegetables — and little piggies.
■ The Sequim Library will have information on its kids’ programs plus library cards.
■ The North Olympic Peninsula Railroaders will bring model trains.
■ The North Olympic Sail & Power Squadron will have projects for children and information about safe-boating classes.
■ Olympic Ambulance will bring an ambulance for kids to explore.
■ Peninsula Children’s Clinic will offer information about immunizations, nutrition, exercise and its Reach Out and Read program.
■ Artist and musician Carrie Rodlend and her students will play African mbiri music and invite kids to play percussion instruments.
■ The Rotary Club of Port Angeles will sell raffle tickets to its magical playhouse, which kids can explore.
■ The Sequim Police Department will offer car-seat inspections and installations, and a few seats for sale for a nominal cost.
■ Sequim Pre-3 program will sell $1 tickets to a drawing for gift certificates, plus provide information for parents interested in the program.
■ A drawing for First Teacher book baskets worth $250 will be held.
More exhibitors were expected to come on board by today, added Paula Cunningham, a staffer at First Teacher.
In addition to the Peninsula Children’s Clinic and Columbia Bank, the Alder Wood Bistro, the Dungeness Kids Co. clothing and toy shop, and Solar City’s Tesa Boutique & Tanning Retreat, all in Sequim, are co-sponsoring Saturday’s free fair.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
