Activities pack ’em in at Garlic Festival Kid’s Area
Gilroy – Shotgun blasts rang out, startling the crowds at the Garlic Festival Saturday, provoking squeals from small children who had covered their ears at the shout, “Fire in the hole!”
Fortunately, the blasts were blanks, the children were prepared for them, and the shooter was an actor, giving the kids a lesson in gun safety before the performance of the “Legends of the American West” in the kids’ area.
“That was loud,” said Mackenzie Ray, 6, of Salinas, looking a bit apprehensive about staying for the rest of the show.
According to “Copper Jim,” president of the “Legends” organization, the group’s purpose is twofold: first, to promote gun safety, and second, to present an accurate reenactment of life in the West at the end of the 19th Century.
“We want people to see what life was like in 1870 to 1899, to see how people dressed, what the different levels of society were like,” he said. “Of course, our third purpose is to have fun, both us and the audience.”
Before the performance begins, Copper Jim uses “Buford,” the tackling dummy, to show kids how much damage even a blank can inflict. He primes the children, telling them to cover their ears when they hear, “Fire in the hole.” He then shoots a .45 at poor Buford, and the children – and some adults as well – gasp when they see the scorched hole in Buford’s white T-shirt.
Copper Jim doesn’t stop there; after demonstrating the shotgun, which sent one young mother with a small baby scurrying away from the area, he gives the kids an acronym and for each letter, explains what they should do if they ever see a gun.
As Copper Jim and his fellow actors portrayed the antics of several characters in a small California town, small faces were transfixed, occasionally laughing at the humor, but more often watching in open-mouthed wonder.
“Can we watch again,” Randy Quinteros, 8, of San Jose asked his dad. “I liked those shots.”
Randy and his family wandered off to enjoy more of the treats in the kids’ area, where Home Depot set up shop, offering kids a chance to build sailboats among other activities. There were the old favorites, sand art, spin art and several other arts and crafts activities. Kids could also whirl around on the teacup ride, bounce in a jump house or watch quilting and crocheting demonstration or make a beaded bracelet.
On the small stage, Ronald McDonald was a popular attraction, as were the marionettes.
“Was there more this year? It just seemed like a lot for them to do this year. They didn’t want to leave,” said Maria Hallifax of Los Gatos, who said she has taken her two children to the festival for several years because they enjoy the kids area and the festival food.
The kids area was indeed packed full of activities geared towards children younger than 12, just as it was packed full of families with strollers and toddlers dashing from booth to booth, some clutching balloons, giant blow-up cartoon characters, some with painted faces.
Volunteers helped children paint ceramic sea creatures and lifted crying little ones off rides into the arms of their parents. The excited voices of the kids bent on doing everything the area had to offer created a hubbub to rival the crowd noise in other areas of the Festival with entertainment of a more grownup nature.
“Can I build a sailboat? And then can we go to the jumpy house again,” demanded Randy excitedly, jumping up and down, perhaps demonstrating to his parents what he intended to do when he went inside the giant inflatable structure.
In what was perhaps a wise move, Randy’s family went directly to the jump house.
