Paintfest was fun, fun, fun!

Here is some feedback from one of our participants at Paintfest last weekend:

"My husband commented to me that your event was the best-organized, most successful children's event we have ever attended in this area (and we've been here over ten years now, and have tried to take our children to almost everything that's come down the pike). He was very impressed with the variety and number of activities offered, as well as the entire organization of the day. "

Over 400 people came to Paintfest, including volunteers, parents and children! For a quick peek at the pictures visit Rafik-Shutterworks.blogspot.com. Our photographer, Raphael, has covered us for the Centennial Parade and even did a professional quality photo shoot for us, all on his own time.

"[Arc Otsego] Oneonta Day Services [where the event was held] ... deserves a standing ovation ... whenever that amount of paint is involved, it's bound to result in a big mess to be cleaned up. The fact that they allowed this event to take place in their facility is absolutely astounding, and what a true demonstration of community support it is."

"The First Annual PaintFest was a wonderful experience. It was extremely well-planned, obviously by professionals who know a lot about children and who are successful at raising support. Supplies were readily accessible and replenished frequently. The wide variety of activities were creative and well-staffed with volunteers. Having separate rooms for the different activities helped keep noise and chaos to a minimum so children weren't over-stimulated. Every last detail was thought of in advance and well-executed, from signs pointing the way to the event, to floor plans and clearly marked rooms within the building, to cleaning supplies and drying lines for the artwork, and having snacks available."

"... every child I saw was having fun. Every child's art received praise, and none of them seemed concerned with whether or not they were doing it 'right.' They all left the building with something they enjoyed making and could display proudly.My child, who has a short attention span and often wants to leave early, even asked to re-visit some of the activities he enjoyed the most. He loved being told he didn't have to worry about making a mess or getting paint on himself or his clothes, because it's hard to provide him with a space at home where he can be messy. It would be truly amazing to have a permanent place in Oneonta for children that could provide them with a similar experience any day of the year. A place for children to go explore, discover, create, have fun, and even make a mess while doing so..."

We have lots of ideas for next year! In the meantime, look for a touch of OWL at the Greater Oneonta Historical Society's upcoming railroad exhibit, and get ready for fun when OWL provides children's activities during Oneonta's New Year's festivities.

I also plan to do something new and unusual this week: get some sleep!!! But all of the extra hours have all been worth it. And if you thought Paintfest was fun, just wait until Oneonta has it's very own, permanent children's museum!