Children’s festival returns to Gyro Park

Expect in-person family fun at the Ha Ha Ha Kidzfest coming June 9-11 to Penticton.

The long-awaited return of a Penticton children’s festival was originally set for 2020, but cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2021 edition went ahead, but mainly consisted of small events for local school children.

This year, however, all signs are pointing to the three-day festival running as intended in Gyro Park with main stage performances, activity tents, workshops, an Indigenous village and much more to keep families busy. The theme is around the world in a festival day.

“As an organizing committee, we wanted to take our community on a wonderful journey. With so many having been cooped up at home during the pandemic, a festival based on the idea of a trip around the world seemed like a great fit,” said festival chair Rachel Bland in a press release.

The festival’s four headliners will perform on the main stage, but also host workshops at the venue.

The featured artists are: Ginalina, a threetime Juno-nominated singer who creates a world of indie folk music; Ache Brasil, which fuses music, dance, and the acrobatic art of Capoeira into a dynamic, colourful, high-energy performance; Krystal Kiran, a multi-faceted performer, artist, choreographer, and arts educator who has built a body of work that explores her cultural intersectionality as a South Asian-Punjabi-Canadian; and Circus West, the one-stop hub for circus arts.

School tickets have been on sale since March 1 and are going quickly. Students who attend the festival with their class on the Thursday or Friday are encouraged to reuse their entry wristband for free entry on Saturday.

Public tickets go on sale Friday, April 1 and can be purchased via the link on the festival website or in person, using cash only, at the Penticton and District Community Arts Council office at Leir House. The early bird ticket price of $7 applies to both adults and children, with free admission for kids ages three and under. As of May 1, ticket prices increase to $8 per person.

Additional tickets will be available at the gate throughout the festival weekend. Each ticket gives full access to the entire festival site including all main stage performances.

For more information, visit www.hahahahkidzfest.com or follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.