Exciting Line-Up Set For KidsFest This Weekend

KidsFest returns to Stanley Park this weekend with a day packed of exciting free, fun activities for all the family.

This is the third consecutive year for KidsFest, which continues to grow in size and popularity - giving youngsters one last big adventure before the new school year starts.

KidsFest takes place in Anfield's Stanley Park this Sunday (20 August), from 10am to 6pm with activities including a dance competition; fairground rides; kids' cookery; live entertainment; as well as an activity zone and craft corner.

The programme also features laser quest; donkey rides; planting workshops; balloon sculptures; family martial arts workshops; and Big Rig inflatable assault course.

Organised by the James Bulger Memorial Trust (JBMT) in association with Orb Events, the annual festival honours the life of toddler James Bulger. The JBMT was set up in memory of toddler James Bulger who was murdered in 1993 aged two-years-old. Its mission is to fund and organise holidays and respite breaks for deserving children and their families.

The free to attend family event has gone from strength to strength since launching in 2015 with over 15,000 attendees in the past two years.

This year's KidsFest is set to be bigger and better than ever before as it expands in to a large space in Stanley Park thanks to support from Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson.

The festival has also received an Awards For All grant from the National Lottery, which has enabled another new initiative for 2017 - the KidsFest Rainbow Project.

KidsFest Rainbow Project will see the event partner with a number of established organisations across Liverpool City Region working with young people and families, and encouraging engagement in areas of their local and wider community who they may not usually connect with. To launch the KidsFest Rainbow Project, the event will include sessions focusing on blindfold football, wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball.

The project will also feature a KidsFest Safe Zone, a quiet area of the festival site created in a standalone structure which will offer creative sessions such as arts, crafts and storytelling for youngsters with autism, epilepsy and learning difficulties to enable them to enjoy the day in a relaxed environment.

The programme also includes live entertainment throughout the day - featuring talented young singers from TV show The Voice Kids UK. There will be performances from rapper Lil T and singer Jake McKechnie, who were chosen for Team Will.i.am; vocalist Lewis Blissett, who was signed up for Team Pixie Lott; and now Victoria Louise has also been confirmed to perform on the day.

The four young performers from The Voice Kids UK will join the live programme with performances including Bring the Fire Project; SingMe Merseyside; X Factor's Chris Maloney; and Merseyswing - with a line-up offering something for all the family on the day. In addition, 150 young people from dance schools across the Liverpool City Region will take part in Kidsfest Dance Champs competition.

Denise Fergus, James' mother and patron of the James Bulger Memorial Trust, commented: "We're so excited about this year's KidsFest. The event is growing each year, and we're delighted to offer festivalgoers a fantastic fun-filled day of family activities. KidsFest Rainbow Project is new for 2017 thanks to an exciting Awards For All grant from the National Lottery. This is so important for the event so we can showcase and encourage accessibility and engagement for all youngsters.

"The work of the James Bulger Memorial Trust and KidsFest remember James, helping to continue his legacy. Seeing everyone enjoying themselves on the day is an extremely positive way of doing this, and it's so special to know that James is helping people today through this work. We're looking forward to another great KidsFest at Stanley Park this Sunday."

Website: www.forjames.org

Facebook: Facebook/JamesBulgerMT

Twitter: @JBMT1

@kidsfest

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