Mukilteo Waterfront Festival offers plenty of family-friendly activities

Looking at art booths might not be the most exciting thing for a kid to do, but how about joining a junk band?

That’s one of the kid-friendly options families will have on Saturday during the Mukilteo Waterfront Art Festival.

This festival comes on the heels of the city’s brand new waterfront park and recently renovated Lighthouse Park.

It’s the first year the Mukilteo Arts Guild has put on this festival and results have been overwhelming, with 45 artist booths planned that will offer jewelry, fine art and wearable art.

There will also be live music and food vendors such as Ivars, Amici Bistro, Rosehill Chocolate, Whidbey Coffee &Cafe, Pop’s Carmel Corn and Diamond Knot Brewery.

At the free children’s booth, young visitors will get the chance to make musical instruments out of recycled material and join a junk band. Kids can also do watercolor projects and sidewalk chalk.

There is also a fee-based booth where children can have their faces painted or do art projects on their fingernails.

“We wanted the children to be involved,” said Christine Schmalz, a spokeswoman for the festival and board member of the Mukilteo Arts Guild. “We want them to experience art and make it a memory for them.”

African-born author and storyteller Kunle Oguneye will entertain children with folk tales at noon and 3 p.m. Oguneye is the author of the children’s book, “Sikulu and Harambe: By the Zambezi River.”

“He’s just captivating,” Schmalz said.

Booths and activities will be set up along the waterfront and at Lighthouse Park, where members of the Mukilteo Historical Society will stage re-enactments of the founding of the city, Schmalz said.

“These are wonderful re-enactments. I’ve seen them and I’m very impressed with their storytelling,” Schmalz said.

The Mukilteo Waterfront Art Festival will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at Lighthouse Park on the Mukilteo Waterfront, 609 Front St., Mukilteo.

This event is presented by the Mukilteo Arts Guild and co-sponsored by the City of Mukilteo. For more information, go to www.mukilteoartsguild.org.

Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424, goffredo@heraldnet.com.