Produced by the Children’s Museum of Richmond
The Genworth Financial Family Area is brought to you by the generous contribution of Genworth Financial and is produced by the Children’s Museum of Richmond.
2012's Theme is "Wild Safari"
Join us in the Family Area as Genworth Financial and the Children’s Museum of Richmond present Wild Safari. Come make a variety of crafts including our signature paper bag hats, wild animal puppets, printmaking with animals and animal tracks, and be sure to make your very own binoculars to spot live parrots presented by Parrots of Paradise and our very own Seymour the dinosaur!
Create your art projects and receive CMoR bucks to spend in the Safari Market on a variety of treats from the jungle! Get ready to set your sights on local artist Matt Lively as he creates an interactive sculpture throughout the weekend….hmmmm….who can guess what it might be? The whole family can enjoy this interactive experience and have a chance to talk to the artist himself! Adjust those binoculars to the Family Area stage for live music and performances throughout Saturday and Sunday, and join in a surprise parade with Seymour in the lead! Keep your eyes open for roaming performers and get in the groove with hula hooping on the lawn! It’s going to get wild this year so hold on to your safari hats!
4 craft stations including:
- CMoR signature paper bag hats with animal prints
- Safari binoculars
- Paper bag safari puppets
- Animal print printmaking
- Open air Safari Market (children will collect one CMoR dollar for every craft they create and can redeem up to $4 at a time that can be split between a variety of surprises in the market)
Other activities:
- Appearances by Seymour the Dinosaur
- Kazoo parade
- Hula Hooping with local hula hoop group Proud RVA Hoop Lover
- Roaming magician group Mysteriosos
Other participants:
- Strange’s (tenantive)
- PBS tent with Curious George activities
- Parrots of Paradise with live parrots that families and children can look at learn about and hold!
- Matt Lively: interactive sculpture Saturday and Sunday
Benjamin the Juggling Clown
circus arts
Moscow, Russia via Brookline, Massachusetts
Many little boys dream of running away to join the circus; Benjamin Elfant actually did it. When he was seven years old, Benjamin’s family moved from Siberia to Moldova in the former Soviet Union, and Benjamin became fascinated with the circus. He watched performances on TV and attended all of the traveling circus shows, where he would go backstage and chat with the performers. At home he juggled potatoes, or whatever else was handy. At age 15 with only meager savings and a backpack, he made the six-hour bus trip to Kiev, eventually becoming an apprentice to a Chinese magician and his wife, a Russian juggler. Later, when serving in the army, Benjamin entertained the other soldiers with his juggling.
After three years at the elite State College of Circus and Variety Arts in Moscow, Benjamin was finally able to fulfill his dream of joining the famous Moscow Circus as an acrobatic juggler. Since immigrating to Brookline, Massachusetts in 1991, Benjamin has added a touch of comedy to his acrobatic routines. Expect to be both amazed and amused by his astonishing feats of juggling as he tosses a tennis ball into a cup on a 20-foot pole balanced on his head, or launches rubber chickens flying between his hands! Most of all, expect to be entertained.
Genworth Financial Family Stage Schedule
Saturday
| 12:00 - 12:45 | Benjamin the Juggling Clown (Circus arts) |
| 1:00 - 1:45 | Harper and Company (JAMinc presents) |
| 2:00 - 2:45 | Hula 101 with Hula Halau 'o Keikiali'i |
| 3:00 - 3:45 | Andrew Alli and Last Night’s Blues Band (JAMinc presents) |
| 4:00 - 4:45 | Benjamin the Juggling Clown (Circus arts) |
Family Area Grounds – interactive performances
| 12:30 - 1:15 | Kiowa/Comanche Drum and Dance |
| 2:15 - 3:00 | Benjamin the Juggling Clown |
Sunday
Genworth Financial Family Stage
| 12:00 - 12:45 | Benjamin the Juggling Clown (circus arts) |
| 1:00 - 1:45 | Cory & Amy Blake (JAMinc presents) |
| 1:45 - 2:15 | KAZOO PARADE |
| 2:30 - 3:15 | Blues Harmonica 101 - Phil Wiggins with Andrew Alli |
| 3:30 - 4:00 | Benjamin the Juggling Clown (circus arts) |
| 4:15 - 5:00 | Hot Seats (JAMinc presents) |
Family Area Grounds – interactive performances
| 12:30 - 1:15 | Kiowa/Comanche Drum and Dance |