Rain no match for Topp Twins

There’s something about watching kids sing and dance in the rain.

It must be liberating – stomping their glitter gumboots in the puddles, waving their hands in the air, twirling around and skipping while singing Do Your Ears Hang

Low at the top of their lungs – complete with actions.

And the best part? Their parents let them embrace the downpour.

The Topp Twins Lynda and Jools were in town as part of the Hamilton Garden Arts Festival, performing their Topp Twins Kids Show.

There was singing, dancing, interaction with the audience – made up of kids, parents, grandparents – and plenty of laughter.

No one would blame parents for not taking their children out in the torrential rain, but many braved the conditions, setting up camping chairs, tarpaulins and umbrellas to enjoy the show.

‘‘The rain is beautiful, it’s a part of our environment,’’ Jools told the crowd. ‘‘If you stick your tongue out it will be the purest water you ever get!’’

Apart from classic songs There’s A Hole in my Bucket, She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain and Dingle Dangle Scarecrow, the Topp Twins also showcased their iconic yodelling, harmonica, guitar and spoon playing and line dancing, and encouraged audience singalongs in the hour-long show held on the Gardens’ Rhododendron Lawn.

Sisters Gemma, 7, and Hazel, 3, Tynan were enjoying playing in the large, muddy puddle that had formed near the front of the stage.

Their mum received tickets from a friend, and the trio weren’t afraid of a little rain.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Milla also enjoyed dancing around in her wet weather gear, complete with red umbrella.

The show had all the kids singing and dancing, parents laughing and everyone standing up in the rain for a choreographed routine of Da Doo

Ron Ron.

The Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival runs from February 7-18.

Wet weather across the Waikato over the weekend prompted cancellations and venue changes to some events in the festival.

An early session of True Value, a free contemporary dance performance was cancelled yesterday morning, as well as Festival Hub and Grooves in the Garden in the afternoon – a dance party with some of Hamilton’s top DJs.

‘‘The rain is beautiful . . . if you stick your tongue out it will be the purest water you ever get!’’

Jools Topp

PHOTO: TOM LEE/STUFF Umbrellas were out in full force for the Topp Twins Kids Show at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival yesterday but Jools, left, and Lynda, right, made sure everyone had a great time.