Less is more?

Less is more?

ORGANIZERS will be handing out 30th-anniversary cupcakes at Kidsfest's grand finale at 5 p.m. Sunday.

They're celebrating a track record of family fun that's lasted so long, its original young guns have gone grey.

"Al Simmons has got grandkids now coming to the festival," says executive producer Neal Rempel, 49, who was the activity director at the inaugural festival in 1983 and has been involved ever since.

But if the four-day event is indulging in sweets, it's also tightening its belt.

There's no storytelling tent this year. Prices have increased by $2 per ticket. Only 11 acts have been announced -- down from 21 acts in 2010 and 17 acts last year -- and few are from outside Manitoba.

"I think every arts group in the country is facing significant challenges," says Rempel. "We've had some drop-off in terms of corporate sponsorship... We've had to be frugal and adapt to the economic climate."

That will leave longer gaps between performances in the tents, although Rempel says with financial help from the province, five up-and-coming Manitoba acts will be last-minute additions as warm-up performers in Tent A, bringing the total to 16.

Putting the reduction in shows in a positive light, Rempel says visitor feedback indicates kids often wish they had more time for on-site activities.

"We had a lot of comments from parents and teachers that there was too much... So we thought, why don't we stretch out the times between shows so people don't get bombarded, and they can access more of the interactive elements? It's kind of an experiment this year."

Last year's total attendance was about 22,500. Attendance averages between 18,000 and 25,000 depending on the weather, Rempel says.

The current annual budget is about $700,000 (including two programs the festival runs each spring), down from $730,000 last year and $800,000 five years ago. It has shrunk "due to factors ranging from weather conditions to declining sponsorship revenue," Rempel says.

Kidsfest is carrying an accumulated deficit of about $120,000. It has launched a fundraising campaign called $30 For 30 Years. Every festival fan is encouraged to donate $30 in recognition of the 30-year milestone. To donate, see www.kidsfest.ca.

What you need to know

Kidsfest runs today through Sunday, rain or shine, at a fenced site at The Forks. Tents protect all shows and activities from the elements, but dress for the weather.

Performers include Juno-nominated Toronto kid-rock band The Monkey Bunch (known for songs such as Stroller Patrol), Ontario circus/comedy act The Funny Waiter, and locals including musicians Fred Penner, Al Simmons and Jake Chenier, the aboriginal Summer Bear Dance Troupe, bluegrass artist Aaron Burnett and magician Anders Boulanger.

There's a wealth of hands-on activity stations where kids can make many different crafts, draw with chalk, stamp with ink, play with clay, join in an archeological dig, go critter-dipping and much more. At the Artists & Audiences: Bridging the Gap venue (Tent D) they can try skills such as trapeze, drumming, hoop dancing and magic tricks.

The long-awaited Variety Heritage Adventure Park playground was expected to be open, but construction is delayed and it's still fenced off.

All shows and activities are included in the ticket price. Children under two attend free. Kids under 12 only pay once for the entire festival, provided they keep their wristbands on (wristbands can be exchanged for fresh ones daily).

Advance tickets are $14 each ($48 for a family pack of four) at all Winnipeg Safeway stores, right through the festival. Tickets at the gate are $16 each ($56 for a family pack of four).

The free Kidstock concert, traditionally held on Saturday and ending with fireworks, is not being held this year. It was part of The Forks' own programming and the decision to drop it was made by The Forks, Neal Rempel says.

For more information, visit www.kidsfest.ca, call 958-4730 or pick up a printed program onsite.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 7, 2012 E8