The Winnipeg International Children's Festival, also known as Kidsfest, is a children's festival held annually at
The Forks National Historic Park.
The festival is run by "Winnipeg International Children's Festival", which is a charitable, non-profit, community-based organization.
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Statistics
The Festival boasts over 1,000 volunteers, general admission exceeding 40,000 people and a budget as high as $750,000.
History
Founded in 1983, it was held at Assiniboine Park
Assiniboine Park (formerly known as City Park) is a park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, located along the Assiniboine River.
The Winnipeg Public Parks Board was formed in 1893, and purchased the initial land for the park in 1904. Although in use ...
, then at Kildonan Park
Kildonan Park is a park in the West Kildonan area of northern Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Established in 1909 as a park, it features the Peguis Pavilion, Rainbow Stage, the Witch's Hut, an Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool, duck pond, and s ...
from 1984 through 1989, and eventually moving to its present location in 1990. The festival is made up of over 30 acts, held over four days, totalling about 120 performances.[ In 2008, the festival received up to $100,000 in federal funding through the Arts Presentation Canada program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. In 2011, 2012, and 2013, the festival received $100,000 of federal funding from the Canada Arts Presentation Fund.
Musician Bill Merritt, a Canadian rock bassist, was director of the Festival, which he co-founded. He died at age 66 from brain cancer on March 25, 2014 at Riverview Health Centre, Winnipeg. He was survived by his wife and two children.Children's festival founder 'had a wonderful life']
winnipegfreepress.com; accessed March 27, 2014.
References
{{reflist
Children's festivals in Canada
Children's music festivals
Music festivals in Winnipeg
Annual events in Winnipeg