Family Fest is a FREE single-day event created by Bridge View Center to give back to our community, showcase and highlight STEM initiatives and activities and other educational and health/wellness components, and allow our kids to also have a little bit of fun and be entertained.

Family Fest is created, produced, and promoted by Bridge View Center with one simple goal in mind – to give back to our community and the SE Iowa region to celebrate what our entire community and region has given to us throughout the year!  Bridge View Center recognizes we are owned by the City of Ottumwa and ultimately the taxpayers in our community, and this event is one small way we can give back to our community and to thank Ottumwa and the Southeast Iowa region for all their support throughout the year.  Bridge View Center also recognizes we have several core community partners who have joined with us to deliver a quality event and assist us in meeting our goals and vision, and we could not do this show without our partners support.

In achieving this goal, it’s important this event has some key elements, including an educational component and an entertainment component.  While it’s always a plus to have fun and a good time, we recognize it’s also very important to build awareness and generate excitement in learning opportunities, STEM initiatives, and the education of our youth in the Ottumwa Community and SE Iowa region.  The entertainment component gives parents and kids alike a reason to come, and then the added value benefit is the educational and health components to inspire, build interest, and expose our youth to the fun and exciting world of the arts, sciences, technology, other educational components, and to health and wellness initiatives and programs offered throughout Ottumwa and Southeast Iowa.  We also believe healthy families is a key component of our focus because healthy families equal happy families.

There are six (6) components of Family Fest.

Fun: One of two components to entice families and children to come!  There will be inflatables, bounce houses, games, and other ‘fun’ activities in a ‘fun’ zone.  This ‘fun zone’ also helps parents and kids get out of the house, have some physical exercise, and get past the typical ‘cabin fever syndrome’ many of us in Iowa see during the winter months when there are less outdoor activities for our kids.  We’re at the tail end of winter, ready for spring, so this is one way to help with the ‘cabin fever’ we typically experience in Iowa.

Entertainment: The Alliant Energy Entertainment Stage will be located in the main area of the event to celebrate and showcase our youth throughout our region.  Entertainment acts may include, but not limited to, dance programs or studios, youth music programs, nature and/or outdoor education by a local DNR Naturalist, reading programs and fun by an area library to showcase youth reading, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H showcase, and many others.

Exhibitors: We will have an exhibit area created to showcase regional businesses, non-profits, service organizations, and others who sell and/or provide products and services to families and youth throughout the Ottumwa community and SE Iowa region.

Safety City: Safety City is an area focused on our law enforcement partners in our communities and has two primary purposes.  First, it provides information on safety to our area kids and youth with helpful tips and resources for them.  Second, it celebrates what our law enforcement agencies do for us.  There is no better time than the current to show appreciation for our law enforcement officials in our region and build up the partnership between these agencies and all our residents, especially in today’s environment.  It is rewarding and fun to see how all the younger kids love to climb in and out of an ambulance, fire truck(s), patrol car, and/or other law enforcement vehicles and see them experience this while also interacting with local law enforcement officials in a positive and safe environment.

Education: We have developed a solid partnership with South Central Region of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council to work with Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa Community Schools, and other area high schools to have instructors, students, and others bring in STEM projects and initiatives to showcase and highlight the benefits of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to our local and regional youth in SE Iowa.

Health: We are excited and grateful once again to have our Health Walk a major component of Family Fest.  Health Walk is an interactive area where local providers will have games and other interactive activities to share healthy information with our local youth and families in Ottumwa and Wapello County.  The focus will be on prevention and providing resources and getting information to families to assist them in meeting the health and wellness needs of their families before a situation may arise.

Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024

Time: 10am-4pm

Location: Bridge View Center, Expo Hall - 102 Church Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501

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