Join Minnesota Parent for the 6th Annual Kid Fest at the Lake Harriet Bandshell in Minneapolis this Saturday, June 15th from 10 am – 1 pm! Kid Fest and its activities are geared toward families with children under 10 years, with a strong focus on activities for children under 5.

Kid Fest includes live kids’ music, giveaways and craft projects, and lots more. In addition to the fun, free activities, you can pick up a copy of the Minnesota Parent annual Family Directory, a booklet that gives parents a massive list of events, destinations and activities in the metro area throughout the entire year.

I love watching the Luge events during the Olympics.  Although my kids are now too old for this event, it looks super fun and it’s free!

This weekend kids ages 9-13 can reserve a time slot to try Luge.  The White Castle USA Luge Slider Search take place this weekend, June 15th and 16th in Minneapolis.  You can register your child here on their website.

Additional information about the event:

The White Castle USA Luge Slider Search is the official nationwide athlete recruitment tour of USA Luge, targeting young athletes, ages 9-13. The mission of this grass-roots program, established in 1985, is to identify, train and qualify young athletes for the USA Luge Junior Development Team. Athletes who may progress through the team development ladder have hopes of one-day becoming members of the National and Olympic Luge Teams.

Over the years, the White Castle USA Luge Slider Search has traveled over 220,000 miles and introduced the sport of luge to more than 25,000 eager young athletes. At each series stop, guided by U.S. Olympic and National Team coaches and athletes, participants are taught the basics of riding a luge sled, including positioning, steering and stopping. Once these skills are developed, athletes take several runs down a paved luge course on wheel-equipped luge sleds. Finally, athletes test their physical skills through a battery of fitness tests. Those who show promise in the summer program are invited to Lake Placid, N.Y., Park City, Utah, or Muskegon, Mich. to try luge on ice at a USA Luge sanctioned training site. The top young athletes from this group are selected for the next year’s development team.

Currently, most of the U.S. Junior National Team was recruited through the Slider Search, so it’s no wonder the USA Luge coaching staff feel tomorrow’s National and Olympic Teams will come from this program. Erin Hamlin, 2014 Olympic bronze medalist and 2009 World Champion, was identified in a 1999 Slider Search, while Brian Martin, a 1998 Olympic bronze and 2002 Olympic silver medalist, was discovered at a Slider Search in 1987. At least 70% of the past Olympic teams since 2002 have come from the program.

Each participant need only register for one 2 or 3-hour clinic. Register by phone at 1-800-USA-LUGE, or register online through our secure site. All events are free and everyone gets a cool White Castle USA Luge Slider Search T-Shirt for attending.