Science and creativity often go hand in hand.
And for many years at the People’s Choice Festival in Boalsburg, children have been able to get a hands-on experience in exploring the connection between science and art.
For more than a decade, the festival has featured a hands-on “museum” and mobile science lab to engage the minds and unleash the imaginations of thousands of children attending People’s Choice.
The displays that draw in crowds of young people each day during the festival come from A Quaint Corner Children’s Museum and Discovery Center in Altoona, the mobile science lab through the Lion Science Program at Penn State Altoona and Dominion Science Center in State College.
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“The exhibits definitely promote science to the public,” said Dr. Richard Flarend, board president of A Quaint Corner and professor of physics at Penn State Altoona. “Other than that, one of the really great things we do is that we also help. Parents want to go and view crafts and arts and listen to music. Kids want to do something that captures their attention. These activities give a compromise so that the whole family can go to these festivals. Having these types of activities for kids makes the whole festival more family-friendly,” he said.
Flarend actually started the mobile science lab before getting involved with A Quaint Corner. He worked to help develop a traveling science lab that could be taken to area schools, and then his involvement there morphed into him becoming an active board member with the children’s museum, he said.
He explained that the museum was founded to promote creative thought in children and to foster interest in science through a hands-on approach.
“Through the museum and the lab, we have things for little kids all the way up to adults. We try to have things to engage everyone in the family,” he said.
He urged parents to stop by with little kids as well as school-age kids. Flarend said parents will rack their brains on brain teasers, and little kids have fun with manipulating simple stuff.
“Everyone gets to learn science on the side, which makes it really great. Everything is a toy, because it’s fun to look at and figure out. But in the end, everyone who stops by will learn a little something about science,” he said.
For Flarend, the People’s Choice Festival has become a family event. His own children have joined him at the festival since they were infants.
That’s also the case with Ellen McHenry, who is founder, curator and exhibit builder at Dominion Science Center.
“It is my family’s favorite week of the year. We look forward to it even more than Christmas. We love being able to share our creativity and love of education with our community,” McHenry said.
McHenry’s first year at the festival dates back to 2001. Her involvement started after sending a request to the festival’s board of directors, asking them to consider including a hands-on museum for kids. Her request was approved, and her first year was a smashing success. She’s been a mainstay at the festival ever since.
“In the past, we’ve had lots of different exhibits, including a small petting zoo, an outdoor mini golf with metal dinosaurs and a landscaped water fountain. Every year, we try to bring some new and different things. We hear lots of appreciative and enthusiastic comments from festivalgoers. They are very disappointed to learn that we are not located anywhere that they can visit other times in the year,” she said.
Dominion Science Center is an organization that is small but growing. It is dedicated to establishing a hands-on science center. While McHenry is working toward acquiring a permanent facility for both indoor and outdoor exhibits, Dominion currently offers a collection of traveling exhibits at various venues during the summer.
She said that this year’s theme is oceans. The exhibit will feature a crochet coral reef, reef fishing, several beach-combing displays, a display about creatures of the deep sea and table-top mini-golf holes with an ocean theme.
“Puzzle Island will be there, as usual, but will feature some new puzzles. The Ex-pouriment Factory is always there for the toddler set. Putt-N-Learn tabletop educational mini-golf will have a section of the tent, too.
“Also new this year will be a microscope station where you can use 40x stereomicroscopes to see what it would be like to have bionic vision, plus a lot more,” she said.
McHenry designs and builds all of the exhibits, and said that they are not just science — they are art, too, which makes the museum a perfect fit for arts festivals. She said that as Dominion grows, she hopes to be able to offer more opportunities during the summer, such as some summer camps or special events.
“We’ve gots lots of unique ideas just waiting for a facility to house them,” she said.
For Flarend, the People’s Choice Festival gives people a chance to get a firsthand look at what both A Quaint Corner and the mobile lab have to offer. But more importantly, it gives kids a chance to explore science and art.
“It’s kind of always something I look forward to in the summer,” said Flarend. “I love to take these exhibits out there and watch kids and adults have fun with science. Lots of people get to interact with the exhibits over the course of the festival. Sometimes it’s a good opportunity to roll out new exhibits.
“Whatever the case, it’s just a great chance for families to get out, enjoy and learn a little something along the way.”
