Kidzfest coming in August

Kidzfest will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4 in downtown Joliet. Lewis University will participate along with other organizations, including the Joliet Public Library, Joliet Park District, Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet Area Historical Museum, Rialto Square Theatre, Brookfield Zoo, Haunted Trails, Will County Land Use, Gallery 7, St. Joseph Academy, Joliet Slammers, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and more.

Each child can receive a certificate as he/she enters the Lewis University Kidzfest Mini-Campus across from the Rialto Square Theatre. The children earn marks on the certificate for each activity that they attend. Those who earn four marks on the certificate will earn an “aviator wings pin.”

Lewis exhibits include opportunities to:

•    Sit in a small airplane — parents may have a free digital photo taken of each child in the plane, courtesy of Lewis University;

•    Test skills on a Microsoft Flight Simulator game (for children in elementary or middle school), with direction from Flight students;

•    Get free photo IDs taken by students in the Criminal/Social Justice program;

•    See robots provided by the Computer Science department;

•     Become a scientist through chemistry and biology experiment — fun includes concoctions that experiment with everyday materials;

•    See oneself on television by visiting an electronic media van and see how a news program is created by the Communications department;

•    Watch Lewis art students work on a painting — kids also can draw their own artwork on a banner at this Kidzfest booth;

•    See a mastodon tooth and other small fossils and minerals and talk to a geologist;

•    Get blood pressures and pulse screenings for children and adults from the College of Nursing and Health professions — adults can undergo blood sugar testing and receive information on hypertension and diabetes awareness ... several wellness games will focus on nutrition, hand washing, exercise and smoking habits — a coloring book,  “Be A Nurse,” also will be available in limited numbers;