Live in Blaine? There are plenty of kid-friendly options available this summer
There aren’t many organizations that give your child a reason to dress as a pirate, but the Blaine-Birch Bay Parks and Recreation District offers that chance, along with a slew of other fun programs, this summer.
The district provides a free open gym for children on Monday and Friday afternoons at the Birch Bay Activity Center. It also features movie nights Friday nights, with free popcorn and films starting just after sunset.
Heidi Holmes, the district’s program manager, says outdoor movies also will be shown at Blaine Marine Park toward the end of August.
Other free or low-cost activities include art classes and athletic opportunities, such as soccer, dodgeball, polo and gymnastics, through a partnership with the Blaine Boys & Girls Club.
The district also is partnering with the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce for a Memorial Day weekend kite festival on Saturday and Sunday at Birch Bay Beach Park. More than 200 free kites will be given away to kids, and kids also can build their own kites for $5.
One of the more popular opportunities put on by the district is a waterslide day camp at the Birch Bay Waterslides. Holmes said the event has limited registration of about 25 children for each Wednesday session, and a $12 registration fee is required for each child.
And of course, there is “Pirate Daze,” taking place the first weekend in August. The event gives children the chance to dress as their favorite swashbucklers and play pirate-related games, including water-related fun, such as throwing water balloons.
“It’s an event that’s been growing each year,” says Holmes, adding that, last year, a group of Canadian entertainers dressed as pirates and fired potatoes into the bay using a cannon.
The summer concludes on Labor Day weekend with a Kids’ Olympic Games event, put on for free through a partnership with the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce. The games, which Holmes says are mostly water-related, are part of “Discovery Days,” an event featuring live music, food venders and a crab derby.
Those looking for more details can check out the district’s website at www.bbbparkandrec.com.
This story was originally published May 18, 2017 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Live in Blaine? There are plenty of kid-friendly options available this summer."