(Roanoke, Va.)—Between 10,000 and 15,000 people attended Blue Ridge PBS KidsFest the last weekend of September, filling the Salem Civic Center to capacity and far exceeding the station’s expectations for the launch of this annual event.  
     
Many parents, who traveled from across the region, said they were thankful that all the festivities were available at no cost. Crowds poured into the arena all afternoon, requiring many people to wait for admission. Once inside, they were treated to a variety of free family-friendly performances, educational activities, and photo opportunities with PBS characters like Elmo, Curious George, Arthur, and Clifford. Mr. McFeely, the grandfatherly deliveryman from “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood,” was also there, attracting thousands who wanted to get an autograph and see him perform
      
“We are all still so surprised and extremely gratified at the incredible turnout,” said James Baum, Blue Ridge PBS President and CEO. “This really was a huge party—our way to say thank you to our viewers who clearly value the services we provide. It was also a chance to connect on a more personal level with some of the smallest Blue Ridge PBS fans.
    
Blue Ridge PBS KidsFest featured numerous activities for children ages 2-12 including: storytelling, live music, dancing, a children’s play zone with a moonwalk and giant inflatable slide, face painting, hands-on educational areas and up-close experiences with animals from the Mill Mountain Zoo. Among the local performers were: a juggler, a steel drum band, line dancers, Chinese dragons, martial artists and musicians. There were also emergency vehicles to explore and safety education information for children and their parents about the Internet and dangerous weather.
        
“We are so thankful to all of the participating local organizations,” said Baum. “Broad community involvement was a key to making this first ever Blue Ridge PBS KidsFest a tremendous success. We are especially grateful for the many volunteers who helped, including employees from our corporate sponsor ITT Night Vision.”
    
Baum said next year’s Blue Ridge PBS KidsFest will be even better, with more entertainment and opportunities for parents to show their children how fun education can be.