Come join us down at Pearkes Rec Centre! The Vancouver Island Baby Fair is on this weekend only - Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 10am-4pm. Here's some tips we sent out in our
e-Newsletter the other day:
Main stage: There will be speakers and entertainment at the main stage throughout the weekend. Baby Races are at 11am each day (registration begins at 10:30am), kids music at 12pm and 2pm each day, and lots of great info from the experts the rest of the day.
Get the full schedule here.
Diaper changing: We have a space for you to change your little one's bum right in the middle of the fair. We even provide diapers and wipes!
Baby Feeding: The "Baby Bistro" will be open all weekend for moms who need to nurse or feed their little ones. Comfy couches, a water cooler, and some relax time with other moms. There's a bottle warmer over in the cafe if you need it too. (By the way... at the cafe you can get sandwiches, muffins, juice and coffee on the go!)
Admission: $6/person. Add $1 to make it a weekend pass. Kids 12 and under are FREE. We accept CASH ONLY at the door. Inside the fair, many exhibitors will accept debit or credit cards at their booths, but many will also be cash only. There is a cash machine in the lobby of Pearkes Rec Centre, but the ATM company charges a fee to use it, so consider stopping at your own ATM on the way to the Fair.
Prizes: Oh, yes... there will be LOTS of prizes! We have a Grand Prize draw at the door for your choice of two gift baskets filled with more than $1300 in prizes from
Baby Fair exhibitors. Plus the winner of the
Baby Races will take home more than $300 in prizes.
Check out the full list of prizes.
Photo Contest: A lot of people ask us what we look for when judging the photos that come out of the Photo Contest. Since all the babies and preschoolers are super cute, we find we are looking to capture a cute
expression.
Some tips for the
photo contest: Bring your child early and register. The entire $10 fee goes to charity (this year it's the
Foster Parent Support Services Society). You will receive a number and you can check the board to see what number is currently being photographed - plan for about 5 minutes per shoot - that will tell you how long the wait is until your turn. While you wait, you can enjoy all that the Baby Fair has to offer and return to the contest booth at least 5 minutes before your turn to get registered. After the fair, you will be able to pick up your free 5x7 at
JamTots Baby & More Store. We'll announce when they are ready for pickup in our e-Newsletter.
Some tips for dress from the photo contest photographer,
Rebecca Joy Studios:
1. Colour is a good thing! Kids look great in fun vibrant colours. Avoid white.
2. Stay clear of logos, writing, or pictures on the clothing.
3. Layer! Mix it up and layer, such as skirts with fun tights or leggings. Shirts with cute jackets or sweaters with hoodies. Layer different textures such as chunky knits, corduroy and denim.
4. Most importantly, I suggest that you dress your child in clothes that they feel comfortable in. Have fun!
If you really want to do your homework and get to know what we're looking for, browse through our
gallery of past winners and other Baby Fair faces.
See you at the Fair!
There will be treats, refreshments, balloons and face painting for the kids too! AND on top of it all, Mothering Touch Centre is putting EVERY THING IN THE ENTIRE STORE 20% off, ONLY during the time we are there, from 1-3pm.
