Ankle biters set to invade campus for university fair

By Laura Bardsley

Every summer, University of Calgary staff take time to show miniature humans how fun learning can be.

This year’s Campus Fair runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features a program involving every faculty, as well as a plethora of campus groups. Each participant has excitement lined up for the kids, ranging from geology exercises to learning about the wonders of computers and electricity.

The faculty of communication and culture will be showing films from their Show Us Your Shorts festival, a student-run class project completed in March.

“It was a very successful event and we received submissions from all over the country,” said CC communications manager Jennifer Myers about the festival.

“For the Campus Fair we’re doing kind of a mini-version of Show Us Your Shorts, where we’ll show the winning shorts.”

While last year the entire Campus Fair had an environmental air, this year’s will stick to the popular “Passport to Discovery” theme, which encourages children to visit as many displays as possible and check off the places they’ve been for the chance to win a notebook computer.

TriMedia are just as excited to show off their skills to the pint-sized visitors as they are to demonstrate how fun media can be, says CJSW office co-ordinator Katie Duhamel.

“It’s a way to engage the younger generations and get them into campus,” said Duhamel. “[This year] we’re featuring CJSW ads as well as colouring pages. The fair is a way to give everyone an opportunity to introduce themselves to the station ­– to put faces to the voices.”

Although the kids will get plenty of exercise filling out their passports, the Outdoor Centre is making sure they really work up a sweat.

“This year the Outdoor Centre is holding a seek and find hunt, with the chance of winning a Rod & Reel fishing rod,” said the centre’s Yvonne Dixon. “We’re also holding a mock biathalon, with skiing on the grass and target shooting. We also will hold a canoe portage and the winner will receive a prize.”

After the kids cool down from their outdoor fun, visitors will be treated to a free barbecue and performances from musical groups such as HOJA and Kevin Majeski.

Leave a comment