The Kootenay Children’s Festival is a free, family-friendly arts festival held annually in Cranbrook, British Columbia. Presented by Key City Theatre, the festival brings together families from across the East Kootenay for a weekend dedicated to creativity, play, and community connection. Designed especially for children but enjoyed by all ages, the festival transforms Rotary Park into a lively space filled with music, art, movement, and discovery.
With decades of history behind it, the festival has become a beloved tradition that celebrates childhood, imagination, and accessibility to the arts.
What to Expect
The festival features a wide range of hands-on activities and live performances spread throughout the park. Programming is designed to encourage participation, curiosity, and creativity rather than passive viewing. Activities and experiences often include:
- Arts and crafts stations hosted by local organizations
- Interactive science and learning activities
- Circus arts and playful performance spaces
- Music, dance, drumming, and storytelling performances
- Face painting, games, and sensory-friendly areas
- Local food vendors and a farmers market-style atmosphere
Events and activities are paced throughout the day, allowing families to explore at their own comfort level.
Performances and Activities
Live performances are a central part of the festival experience, featuring musicians, dancers, drummers, puppeteers, and performers who specialize in engaging young audiences. Performances are typically scheduled across multiple stages or areas within the park, making it easy to move between shows and activities.
Alongside scheduled performances, many activity areas operate continuously, giving children the freedom to create, play, and explore at their own pace.
Community and Inclusion
The Kootenay Children’s Festival is grounded in community collaboration. Local arts groups, non-profit organizations, educators, and volunteers all play a role in shaping the festival experience. The event is intentionally designed to be inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to families of all backgrounds.
Key City Theatre acknowledges that the festival takes place on the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa people, and Indigenous culture and presence are respectfully reflected through programming and partnerships.
Location
Rotary Park
Downtown Cranbrook, British Columbia
Rotary Park’s central location makes the festival easily accessible by foot, bike, or vehicle, and its open green space provides a safe and welcoming environment for families to gather and enjoy the day.
The Kootenay Children’s Festival continues to be a joyful celebration of creativity, community, and childhood, offering families an opportunity to come together, make memories, and experience the arts in an open and playful setting.
