KIDSFEST SHELLHARBOUR
CELEBRATING
OUR CHILD FRIENDLY CITY
9-15 May 2010

Celebrating Shellharbour as a child friendly city.  Join in for this week long festival for children, their families and carers. Local businesses will be joining with family services and agencies to provide entertainment and exciting experiences across the City focused on children aged 0-12 years of age.

KidsFest Shellharbour 2009 attracted significant interest from local media, with two front page stories in the local free press, four stories in the Illawarra Mercury, three news stories on WIN News and two interviews on ABC Illawarra, in addition to pre-event stories in child-focused publications such as CoastKids Illawarra.  The response and interest from the media in KidsFest Shellharbour 2009 will provide an excellent platform for launching KidsFest Shellharbour 2010.

Local kids received most of the 6000 programs distributed throughout the City and we were delighted to welcome a large number of children visiting Shellharbour from other areas, especiallyfor KidsFest.   We had a very busy week distributing 2000 ‘KidsFest Passports’ with many activities finding the demand for registration and passports exceeded their expectations.  Our sponsors included child friendly material in the fun KidsFest sample bags, 1400 were handed to families over the weeklong event which added to the festival fun.

AWARDS

Child friendly businesses in Shellharbour City were recently recognised at the Shellharbour Child Friendly Business Awards, hosted by KidsFest Shellharbour.  The event, held on Friday 23 October at Stockland Shellharbour, rewarded businesses and organisations who participate in KidsFest and who are being child friendly in Shellharbour.  Below is the list of winners:

1. Outstanding Effort by a Community Facility
Oak Flats Rural Fire Brigade
Award accepted by Brigade Captain Ross Barlow.

2. The WOW Award - a new activity in 2009 to complement KidsFest
Parkville Dairy
Award accepted by Judy Daunt from Communities for Children on behalf of Farmer Emmy Keys.

3. Outstanding Effort by a Business
Coast Kids Illawarra
Award accepted by the magazine's publisher Marie Smith.

4. KidsFest Play Spot award
Maritz Café in Shellharbour Village
Award accepted on behalf of Maritz Café by Misha Peureall.

5. Popular Choice Venue
Illawarra Light Rail Museum in Albion Park Rail, voted favourite by KidsFest participants. 
Award accepted by Brad Johns Secretary/ Treasurer of Illawarra Light Rail Museum.

6. Popular Choice Event Activity
TAFE Illawarra Institute, for face painting at the Biggest Playgroup event, voted favourite by KidsFest participants.
Award accepted by Melinda Little, Head Teacher Child Studies Shellharbour Campus.

7. Government Agency Participation Award
Shellharbour City Council, especially for hosting the Biggest Playgroup event that saw over 450 children gather at Blackbutt Reserve for a range of fun activities. 
Award accepted by Bonnie Hittmann, Manager of Community Development at Shellharbour City Council.

8. The Big Kid Business Award
G.J. Gardner the Clown
Award accepted on behalf of the clown by Jason Gow, Managing Director Illawarra G.J. Gardner Homes.