FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Worcester, MA (September 3, 2024) - Edward Street is proudly hosting Worcester’s 13th annual Day of Play Family Festival on Saturday, September 14th from 11:00AM-4:00PM at Elm Park.
Families and children can immerse themselves in the power of play with over 50 activities to explore and performers to enjoy.
“This festival brings our community together and it is an honor for Edward Street to host this festival for the 13th year,” shared Eve Gilmore, Edward Street CEO. “We look forward to welcoming the children and families of Central Massachusetts once again to join in the joy of play.”
Day of Play was founded by Edward Street in 2010[1] and continues to unite the Worcester community year after year. The festival features seven key areas of play[2] for children and their families:
- Active Play;
- Construction;
- Creative Arts;
- Health & Wellness;
- Mindfulness;
- Performance;
- Reading; and
- STEM.
Community volunteers and organizations help bring these play activities to life.
“It's an enduring tradition in the Worcester community because it brings young children and families together in a natural way,” shared Karen O’Neill, Planning Committee Member and Professor of Early Childhood Education at Quinsigamond Community College. “Play is universal and foundational to being human. The Day of Play provides time away from screens and the busy demands we all have in our lives.”
This year’s Community Read is centered around the Pete the Cat book series by Eric Litwin and will feature a special appearance by Pete the Cat himself!
Scheduled performers include:
- Betty Machete and the Jumping Fleas;
- Janoah the Juggler;
- The Wormtown Mugwumps;
- The Traditional Lion Dancers;
- Dan & Imogene;
- The InDaZone dance team; and
- Cory “the Pied Piper” Scott.
Life Skill Martial Arts will lead demonstrations and workshops, and other featured activities include:
- An obstacle course;
- Stomp rockets;
- Bubble making; and
- A soccer skills clinic run by volunteers from Cultural Exchange Through Soccer (CETS).
Along with these activities, Crocodile River Music will host a “musical instruments petting zoo,” Mass. Audubon will run an interactive nature table, and Skins & Scales will return with all sorts of reptiles to learn about — plus much, much more.
View our full schedule on our website: https://www.worcesterdayofplay.org/
The Day of Play is a free, volunteer-based event and open to the public thanks to our sponsors, including:
Presenting Sponsors
- Edward Street
- Worcester Family Partnership
- City of Worcester (ARPA Cultural Organizations Pandemic Relief Grant)
Play Area Sponsor
- The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation
Activity Sponsors
- Abbvie
- Guild of St. Agnes
- Mass Cultural Council (grant)
- Tufts Health Plan/Point 32
- Wegmans
Contributing Sponsors
- Berkshire Bank
- Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
- Country Bank
- Eastern Bank
- Rainbow Child Development Center
Supporting Sponsors
- Cornerstone Bank
- Early Childhood Advocates for All
- Middlesex Savings Bank
- Open Sky Community Services
- Price Chopper | Market 32
- Webster Five
- YWCA of Central MA.
The rain date is Saturday, September 28th.
For more information, visit http://www.worcesterdayofplay.org or the Day of Play Facebook page.
About Edward Street:
Edward Street is a private, non-profit agency that collaborates to improve the quality and impact of early education and care, enhancing the development of young children and strengthening families in Central Massachusetts. Learn more at www.edwardstreet.org.
About Worcester Family Partnership:
Worcester Family Partnership is funded through a MA Department of Early Education and Care grant to provide support services to families with children birth to school age. Worcester Family Partnership offers free playgroups, the opportunity to participate in a FREE Screening for your child, and many other programs. Learn more at https://worcesterschools.org/about/community-partnerships/worcester-family-partnership/.
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Just want to confirm, was the Day of Play started in 2010 or 2011? In this blog post, it says 2011: https://www.edwardstreet.org/blog/edward-street%E2%80%99s-day-play-family-festival-turns-10-join-our-virtual-anniversary-celebration
On the Day of Play website, it lists seven areas of play: https://www.worcesterdayofplay.org/about-us. Should "Performance" be removed from this list?