Photo Flash: Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center Hosts Family Festival

A record breaking 12,000* people visited LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch this past Saturday for the 8th Annual KVPAC ARTS for ALL! Family Festival. Spring weather brought families out, then art displays, craft projects, fun games, a giant slide, princesses, prizes, and professional entertainment kept them there for hours – admission, activities, and performances were all free-of-charge, courtesy of Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center and their 2012 festival sponsors: LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, Heroes Delivery & Moving LLC, Katy Parent Magazine, Camp Katy Technology Camps, Pump It Up, Primrose Schools, Waggin' Tails Pet Ranch and Grand Vision.

The festival theme this year was Driving the Arts in Katy as KVPAC revealed two recent acquisitions, the KVPAC Art Car and the Books Alive! Trailer that dictated the theme. The KVPAC Books Alive! Program promotes literacy by traveling to schools, hospitals, and homeless shelters to perform live versions of popular children's books and reaches an estimated 15,000 children annually. The new trailer allows for the hauling of theatrical sets, costumes and sound equipment to their Houston-area venues. Trailer sponsors, Tradition Bank, Grand Vision and Patti Lacy- Coldwell Banker, were all honored at the reveal with commemorative plaques. Additional trailer sponsors, Katy Parent Magazine and Premier OB/GYN of West Houston, were also cited with plaques but were not present at the event.

KVPAC Executive Director, Gregory Magyar, served as emcee and kicked off the entertainment on two stages the entire day, beginning with a traditional opening ceremony attended by the Boy Scouts of America, Troop # 925, for the Presentation of Flags; President of Katy Chamber of Commerce, Ann Hodge, for the Pledge of Allegiance; and KVPAC Senior COMPANY Member, Greta Connolly, for the singing of the National Anthem. The day's entertainment line-up included performances by The PreK @ KVPAC, KVPAC's Storybook Squirm, Divine Liberty, KVPAC's Junior COMPANY's The King and I, KVPAC Princesses, Hwarang Tigers, Voice Students of Elizabeth Mace, Crimson Vagabond Road Show, The Blue Notes, Voice Students of Brooke Carico, KVPAC's Encore Players, Amy Gonzalez, August Evening and the Cass Academy of Irish Dance.

Booth vendors included: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, ARTReach, BBVA Compass Bank ~ Cinco Ranch, Carolyn Bernstein ~ State Farm, Children's Lighthouse of Cinco Ranch, Children's Ministries of St. Peter's United Methodist Church, College Nannies & Tutors of Katy, Crimson Vagabond Roadshow, Eason Photography, Fatima Donaldson ~ Artist, Fetch Pet Care of Katy/Rosenberg/Richmond, A Mother's Touch Pet Friendly House Cleaning, First Victoria Bank, Fish City Grill, Great Adventure Camp at the Cat Spring Retreat, Houston Blues Museum, Houston Community College, Joe Joe Bear Foundation, Katy Cultural & Arts Alliance, Katy YMCA, Kyle Lindner ~ State Farm, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Macaroni Kid Katy, Painting With A Twist ~ Katy, Psychedelic Abstract Creations, Seven Lakes Orchestra Parent Association, Silverleaf Resorts, Texas Connections Academy @ Houston, Texas Kickboxing Academy, The Learning Experience, Times Square Entertainment, Trinity Baptist Church of Katy Vacation Bible School, Tutor Doctor, and TWRC Wildlife Center.

Visit www.kvpac.org for more information or to request a summer catalog.

Photos by Amanda Barker