Facing off in the Water Wars game in the Kids Area at the Blue Plum Festival, Kevin Wagner, with his daughter Holly, proved that you’re never too old when it comes to a water balloon fight.
Taking their position opposite of one another in the Water Wars stations, setup in parking lot area at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church on Market Street, the Wagner’s were each given four water balloons to launch at each other from a hand held slingshot.
Kevin Wagner said he didn’t show his daughter much leniency during the water fight and even intercepted a few of her water balloons sent in his direction.
“My strategy is I wait until she fires, then I fire. She figured that out on the third one,” he said.
Holly Wagner, 11, said the Water Wars event at the Kids Area was her favorite so far and said she was excited for the opportunity to soak her dad during the water balloon duel.
The Kids Area, which opened at 11 a.m. Friday, was quickly populated with kids and parents wandering from the different activity booths in the area, such as the bubbles station run by Hands On! Regional Museum or the orange and white end zone cutout for the football toss game.
Kamden Stephenson, 9, and Hayden Arnett, 6, were busy at the stick-on tattoo station, carefully choosing their body art from the assortment of tattoos.
“I like butterflies,” Stephenson said as she revealed her colorful tattoo placed on her arm.
Enjoying her first tattoo, she went back for a second one, this time choosing a pink flamingo for her hand.
Arnett, who was already looking ahead at the inflatables across the lot, chose a pirate tattoo to wear on his cheek Friday.
Jacqui Sikora, with her kids Kadence, 5, and Vincent, 1, said they arrived at the Kids Area around noon.
“We’ve done the ring toss. We’ve been coloring at the arts and crafts center,” she said. “We come every year. We love it.”
Sikora said the Kids Area is a fun time for her kids and said she appreciates the smoke-free environment.
“I think it’s good to include all of the family in Blue Plum, because that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “It’s good for the kids to get out and see other kids and talk to other kids and be a part of (the) festivities.”
Dianna Cantler, director of the Kids Area for the last 8 years said the two-day event was sponsored this year by Chaparral Buick, GMC Trucks, Northeast Community Credit Union and Munsey church.
“There is a lot going on for kids. Everything in the Kids Area is free, with the exception of tie-dye T-shirts that (Hands On! Regional Museum) is doing,” Cantler said. “We have several nonprofit agencies that have come and brought games. As the kids go through they get a card punched and then they get a prize as they leave.”
For those that missed the Kids Area Friday, the event will pick up again today from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
For more information, visit the Blue Plum Festival website at www.blueplum.org.Click here to view more photos from the Blue Plum Kids Area photo gallery.