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April 24, 2008

Race cars, Hummers, rock walls and more

By Cara Spilsbury

On May 4 Laurie Chase KidsFest will take over downtown Haverhill from Columbus Park to Washington Square

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and everything, except for food and goodies sold by vendors, is free.

New this year are an extreme bike and skateboard demo by Eastern Boarder BMX and the U.S. Army will have a rock wall for daring children to climb. The Army will also have their Hummer on hand for children to check out.

Two race cars from Marr MotorSports, a local race car team that operates out of Fremont, N.H., will be on hand. The driver and owner of the No. 48 Late Model Sportsman, Jason Marr, is originally from Groveland, and he is a 1994 graduate of Whittier Tech. His home track is the LeeUSA Speedway in Lee, N.H. Marr MotorSports will be giving out signed photographs at KidsFest.

In addition to the Haverhill Idol contest, there will be a Junior Idol competition this year for grades 2 through 6 that will at 11:30 a.m. Marissa Miller, Haverhill Idol winner from 2006, will perform. Singers will also face the panel of judges, but will also be competing for prizes and bragging rights.

Murals painted by young artists from the Discovery Club at the Whittier and Nettle middle schools and sponsored by Team Haverhill will be unveiled at 1:45 p.m. The students worked with Newburyport's Copley Artist Susan Decker to create murals that portray the Barnum and Bailey Circus and George Washington.

And a Guitar Hero tournament will take place with a demo of the wildly popular rock star simulation on the main stage at 11:15 a.m.

Lots of last year's events will be back, like the doll parade. It's a favorite event among children ages 3 through 8 who will march down Merrimack Street after the opening ceremonies. Children decorate carriages and dress their dolls in their Sunday best to show off their favorite friends. To participate, children should meet at the corner of Merrimack and Emerson streets at 10:45 a.m. The parade will be led by the Haverhill Middle School Band, which will also perform the Star Spangled Banner, ending its procession at Columbus Park — known on this day as Candy Land. In Candy land participants will receive a goody bag and a ribbon and be entered into a raffle for a coveted American Girl Doll, donated by H.L. Farmer and Sons Funeral Homes.

Merrimack Valley Hospital will have a doll clinic at the event, and Home Health VNA will have volunteers painting faces. The Haverhill Exchange Club will be passing out American flags and the Kiwanis Club will be hosting a scavenger hunt.

A Martial Arts demonstration will take place at 12:45, as students and faculty from Chang's Tae Kwon Do America wow the crowd with their athletic moves.

The Michael and Marissa Rock Band and the Amy Familgetti Dance Studio will be on the stage before Haverhill Idol, at 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.

Haverhill Idol will take place at 3:30 p.m. on the main stage as singers compete to named the city's best young vocal talent. Last year's winner, Angelique Poisson, will perform. The competition features singers in grades 7 through 12 who made it past the audition on April 12 at Haverhill Community TV. These finalists will perform in front of a panel of judges from the community, including school Supt. Dr. Raleigh Buchanan, Merrimack Valley Hospital CEO Michael Collins and Christopher Jameson of Jameson studio. First-, second- and third-place winners will receive a savings bond and a birthday party for 20 hosted by Chang's Tae Kwon Do America.

And because all activities are free, everyone can be included, said KidsFest committee member Michael Macdonald, who hopes to get more people downtown for the event.

This year 8,000 to 10,000 people are expected and KidsFest committee member Ron Carpenito hopes they come from Haverhill and all of its surrounding communities.

Organizers have been volunteering their time and planning KidsFest since the completion of the Christmas Stroll in December. This year Haverhill Downtown Association and Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce pooled their manpower and resources for KidsFest.

Macdonald said an increased interest from local schools has helped grow the event, like the Key Club, Honor Society and Excell Club from Haverhill High School. There is also increased help from new and established local businesses and organizations. For example, the new Target is providing 30 volunteers from its staff throughout the day and the U.S. Army has some soldiers pitching in.

KidsFest is sponsored by the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, Trinity EMS, Merrimack Valley Hospital, Pentucket Bank and Little Sprouts Enrichment Centers with additional support from Haverhill Community Television and AM radio station WCAP 980. A map of the downtown and schedule of events available at the event at the KidsFest booth.

INFO BOX:

The Laurie Chase KidsFest Committee Members:

r Catherine Chang, Co-Chair, Chang's Tae Kwon Do America

r Warren Gerety, Co-Chair, Pentucket Bank

r Jim Jajuga, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce

r Leanne Eastman, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce

r Jen Cantwell, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce

r Lynda Abate, Northeast Community Credit Union

r Gayle Sinclair, Best Western Merrimack Valley

r Torry Sciacca, Lowe's

r Debra Peglow, Pentucket Bank

r Capt. Michael Wrenn, Haverhill Police Department

r Paul Malone, Haverhill Police Department

r Beth Dimitruk, Home Health VNA

r Pam Nolin, Haverhill resident

r SSG Miguel Navedo, Jr., US Army

r Jane England, England's Microcreamery

r Michael Macdonald, Chang's Tae Kwon Do America

r Kellie Esmeal, Michael Reilly CPA

r Rick Barry, H.L. Farmer & Sons Funeral Home

r Ron Carpenito, Prime Property Team/Keller Williams

r Janet Donovan, Executive Travel of Boston

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