The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc. (PFC) is hosting Partnership’s KidStuff, the children’s area at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, for its seventh year. Partnership’s KidStuff will once again be filled with free child-friendly games and activities that educate and entertain. The area’s feature attraction is the Pirates of the Sky, a one of a kind family thrill show. The highlight in the Toddler Zone, an area for children under five years old, is the Buccaneer, a 15 foot inflatable shaped like a pirate ship.   

The Pirates in the Sky show is a musical lore of pirate courage. The pirates spin their tale while revolving 50 feet overhead on a giant aerial anchor. At the last minute the high wire breaks, throwing the stunt pirates in different directions in mid air. The show has been featured around the world, including Disneyland (CA), Disneyworld (FL), and at the 2004 Super Bowl. The shows are offered free of charge and will be at 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, and 7:00 pm on Saturday and 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 pm on Sunday.

“We host Partnership’s KidStuff every year because we believe children learn best through play, especially when they are doing it with the significant adults in their lives. During this time of war and economic hardship we wanted to offer families hope and inspiration with a breathtaking, one-of –a-kind attraction,” said Donna Mansfield, PFC Board Chair. “We are able to bring this unique show to Fayetteville region because of the generosity of our sponsors. They truly embrace the Smart Start principle that it takes the entire community to ensure all children are prepared to succeed.”

The Toddler Zone, a big hit with the festival’s youngest visitors the past two years, will be returning with even more activities for children birth to five years old. The highlight of the area, the Buccaneer – an inflatable shaped like a pirate ship, offers children and parents a chance to let their inner pirate out as they maneuver the obstacle course to get to the 10 foot slide. The soft play area filled with mats, mini slides, and blocks, offers infants and toddlers a safe place to crawl and play. The water and sand tables, and games sized just for children under 5 years old are also returning. The Buccaneer is sponsored by Michael’s Amusements, a Fayetteville based amusement company.  

Adjacent to the Toddler Zone, Partnership’s KidStuff is bringing back the Rock-A-Bye Baby tent. Nursing mothers can seek shade, comfort, and privacy at the tent which offers a quiet, enclosed area with rocking chairs. Diaper changing tables, complete with wipes and hand sanitizer, will be provided in another area of the tent.

PFC is the nonprofit organization charged with implementing North Carolina’s Smart Start and More at Four school-readiness programs for children from birth to age five. The organization has a successful record of improving the quality of child care, parenting resources, access to health care, and other support systems for children in Cumberland County. For more information about PFC and Partnership’s KidStuff contact Maureen McKeon at 910-867-9700, ext. 2260 or mmckeon@ccpfc.org.

Partnership’s KidStuff is open from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Saturday

Pirates in the Sky!

Bring the whole family out to the Pirates in the Sky.  Show times are 1, 3, 5, and 7pm Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25, 1, 3 and 5pm.