Have a Fun Family Day at Laval’s Centre de la Nature

A day of activities and games for all awaits on Sept. 4

(TLN)

Fun Family Day

On Sept. 4 for the 17th year, the City of Laval’s Fête de la Famille will be taking place at the Centre de la Nature. From 10 am to 6 pm, young and old alike will be able to take part in a wide range of free activities, including shows, strolling actors and musicians, inflatable games, giant slides, a skyride, face painting, balloon sculpting, washable skin tattoos, interactive workshops and more.

Stage entertainment

All during the day, there will be shows to please one and all. Caillou, the popular and now internationally-famous little boy cartoon character with roots in Quebec, will be putting in an appearance on the Bell stage from 10:30 to 11:15 am. Other shows, including Géant and Atchoum, will be playing from 2:30 to 4:30 pm.

The Laval Cosmodôme will be well represented with a scientific display in which the Musée Armand-Frappier and the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles and the Centre d’interprétation de l’eau will also be participating. Pre-teens and teens 12 to 16 years of age will be able to take part in the activities at a Teen Zone overseen by the 4-H Club and RBD Board.

The pirate show

A year-after-year favourite among the kids, the Oyez Oyez! pirate show, is back this year. Young and told will be able to test their seafaring and pirate-like abilities with a cast of rough-cut shipmates who’ll conduct drills and training in all the basics of swashbuckling on a simulated pirate ship set up on an outdoor stage.

The Laval Public Library service’s bookmobile will also be at the Centre de la Nature. Those interested in subscribing to the free service will be able to borrow books from a facility that travels all over Laval. Other fun activities at the Centre de la Nature on Sept. 4 will be row boat and canoe rentals on the lake, a petting farm, a mini-village area, pony rides and a water park.

Pre-teen contest

Also on Sept. 4, pre-teens are invited to take part in a contest linked to the City of Laval’s online Instagram account. From 11 am to 4 pm, they will be asked to take a “selfie” in the teen zone and to publish it on their Instagram account, while also tagging the picture with key word #zoneadosLVL. A lucky teen will be receiving a surprise gift. The winner will be randomly drawn in the week that follows.

The city is setting up a free parking area at the intersection of Saint-Martin Blvd. East and Autoroute 125 (Pie-IX) for individuals and families coming by car. Shuttle buses will be provided by the STL to take passengers to the Centre de la Nature.

Parking and transport

For those arriving by bus, the STL is also offering a special weekend family rate by which adults pay the regular adult fare and up to five children 11 years old and younger get on for free. Complete program information about the Fête de la Famille is available at this web site: www.fetedelafamille.laval.ca.

In addition to the Fête de la Famille, the city will also soon be holding another important event: the second annual Laval à vélo, which is taking place on Sunday Sept. 18 starting at 9 am. The event, also taking place at the Centre de la Nature, will take bicyclists on routes 20 and 40 kilometres in length. Registration can be done on line at www.lavalavelo.laval.ca.