The area’s traditional first festival of the year, the Valley of Flowers Festival in Florissant, will take place May 2-4, 2014. Below is the line-up for the Valley of Flowers Children’s Celebration of Performing Arts. All events are free, including performances, concerts, strolling entertainers, puppet shows and hands-on arts and crafts activities.
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2014 VALLEY OF FLOWERS FESTIVAL
FLORISSANT CIVIC CENTER THEATRE PRESENTS
VALLEY OF FLOWERS CHILDREN’S CELEBRATION OF PERFORMING ARTS
The Children’s Celebration of Performing Arts is a fun-filled, exciting family-oriented event beginning on Friday, May 2nd. It will continue throughout the day on Saturday, May 3rd in Florissant Valley Park (grounds of the James J. Eagan Center). There is no admission fee charged for any of the performances, concerts, strolling entertainers, puppet shows, hands-on arts and craft activities and the wide array of theatre events filled with audience participation! Performances in the Big Top and Sideshow Tent will begin Friday evening and continue throughout the day Saturday with additional fun aboard the Gypsy Rose III Pirate Ship. Young people will have abundant opportunities to enhance their festival visit with demonstrations and plenty of space just to play and have fun using their own imagination.
A Missouri Arts Council festival grant, financial assistance from the Regional Arts Commission, the City of Florissant, Florissant Fine Arts Council, the Valley of Flowers Committee, Florissant Rotary Club and donations from many local area businesses have allowed the FCC Theatre to coordinate this “Children’s Celebration of Performing Arts.”
ZOPPÉ: AN ITALIAN FAMILY CIRCUS
Nino the Clown is Back in Town!
Zoppé: an Italian Family Circus, featuring Nino the Clown, has all the story and excitement of a Circus Big Top-complete with clowns, acrobats, aerialists, horses and performing dogs-just the way it used to be when Florissant was called the village of St. Ferdinand. “No seat is further than 20 feet from the action” in the 500-seat black-out tent says Giovanni Zoppé, a 6th generation performer and now the patriarch of the family-run circus. This up-close, personal and participatory circus even has a storyline evolving from Nino, a gentle, funny and endearing clown played by Zoppé, who has been trying unsuccessfully to join the circus.
Zoppé Family Circus with Nino the Clown will appear in the Big Top on Friday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
PRESTON PUGMIRE
Beats, guitars, bass, vocals - how can all these sounds be generated by just one guy? For the last 4 years, Preston Pugmire has been entertaining audiences all over the US with his looping performance. Electronic floor pedals allow Preston to record anything he plays live, and then layer multiple sounds on top of it, creating an entire song from scratch. He does this right in front of the crowd while keeping them completely engaged and involved. Preston has won several musical contests and garnered a lot of support. Much of his success is a result of his clean, high energy act, ability to connect with an audience, and how easy it is to work with him on a personal level. With recognizable covers and instantly lovable original songs, Preston’s show is amazing and captivating whether you’ve seen him one time or ten. It is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
Preston Pugmire will be appearing in the Sideshow Tent on Friday, May 2 at 6:15 p.m. and on Saturday, May 3 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
“BABALOO” MUSIC AND FUN
“Babalooing” is best described as a stand-up comedy act for kids. A “Babaloo” show is a raucous, fast-paced, high-energy event, involving original songs, slapstick, one-liners, and loads of audience participation with kids (and parents) singing, dancing, throwing bean bags, beating on buckets, and laughing – lots of laughing. Children are kept happy with funny, irreverent songs; they will also sing uplifting songs dealing with sharing, acceptance, and character issues. Every show is different and tailored to the particular audience.
“Babaloo” will be appearing in the Sideshow Tent on Friday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC! WITH R W MAGIC
R W Magic is an accomplished practitioner in the art of magic; he will amaze, astonish and entertain audiences of all ages with his magic show. “Experience the Magic!” with RW Magic, a gregarious entertainer, who has enthralled thousands throughout the country with his close-up magic.
RW Magic will be appearing in the Sideshow Tent on Saturday, May 3 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
PIRATE SCHOOL
During the show the bumbling pirate professor Billy Bones, played by David Engel, teaches youngsters how to be good pirates with zany lessons on how to stand, talk, sing and laugh like jaunty Buccaneers. Audiences engage in boisterous competitions and learn the finer points of light-hearted mischief while cannons boom, skulls talk, cutlasses drop, bubbles pop and pets run amok.
Pirate School will appear in the Big Top on Friday, May 2 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
KINCAID KARACTER PUPPETS
The Kincaid Karacter Puppets tour live nationally and present fast-paced family oriented puppet shows featuring slapstick comedy, classic one liners, audience participation, and plenty of thrills and surprises, all presented and performed in a style and manner reminiscent of the classic festival performances of the 1800’s.
Kincaid Karacter Puppets will be appearing in the Sideshow Tent on Saturday, May 3 at 10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
THE BUBBLE BUS
It’s fun, hip, unique, totally awesome and incredibly cool! Come visit the colorful bubble bus and run through a sea of tiny bubbles, then watch the biggest bubbles you will ever see get launched into the sky. This display of awesome bubbleness will put a smile on your face!
The Bubble Bus will fill the air with bubbles on the festival grounds throughout the day on Saturday, May 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
THE GYPSY ROSE III
Ahoy Mateys!! Climb aboard the Gypsy Rose III Pirate Landship, where kids can shoot and chase cannon balls, have sword fights and search for buried treasure. ARGH!!!!!!!
The Gypsy Rose III provides pirate fun on the festival grounds throughout the day on Saturday, May 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
After the “daytime events” wind down, stick around for a special performance in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. The evening air will be filled with music on Saturday, May 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the Sideshow Tent (Presented by Hispanic Festival Inc.).
2014 PERFORMERS
CHILDREN’S CELEBRATION OF PERFORMING ARTS
TIME PERFORMER LOCATION
FRIDAY, MAY 2
5:30 p.m. Babaloo Music and Fun Sideshow Tent
6:15 p.m. Preston Pugmire Sideshow Tent
7:00 p.m. Zoppé Family Circus with Nino the Clown Big Top
8:00 p.m. Pirate School Big Top
SATURDAY, MAY 3
10:00 a.m. Babaloo Music and Fun Sideshow Tent
10:45 a.m. Kincaid Karacter Puppets Sideshow Tent
11:00 a.m. Zoppé Family Circus with Nino the Clown Big Top
11:30 a.m. RW Magic Sideshow Tent
12:00 p.m. Pirate School Big Top
12:15 p.m. Kincaid Karacter Puppets Sideshow Tent
1:00 p.m. Preston Pugmire Sideshow Tent
1:45 p.m. RW Magic Sideshow Tent
2:00 p.m. Zoppé Family Circus with Nino the Clown Big Top
2:30 p.m. Kincaid Karacter Puppets Sideshow Tent
3:00 p.m. Pirate School Big Top
3:15 p.m. Preston Pugmire Sideshow Tent
4:00 p.m. Babaloo Music and Fun Sideshow Tent
5:00 p.m. Zoppé Family Circus with Nino the Clown Big Top
6:00 p.m. Cinco de Mayo Celebration Sideshow Tent
* Please arrive 15 minutes prior to each BIG TOP show for best seats.
SATURDAY ON THE GROUNDS
The Gypsy Rose III Pirate Ship – Tours throughout the day 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Bubble Bus – Bubble fun throughout the day 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ###