KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One summer afternoon during a family camping trip in New Jersey when I was about 6 or 7 years old, a horse fly suddenly appeared next to my ear and started following me everywhere I went. I’m sure that, from its own perspective, it was just going about its business doing ordinary horse fly things, but to me it felt enormous, ominous, and purposeful. I can't remember if it
actually bit me, but I can still summon the hot panic of not being able to get away from its threatening buzz. To my small self, that fly wasn't a little distraction, it was a crisis with wings. The memory surfaced recently when my daughter Ella sent me the above photo, taken in Quintana Beach County Park, near Houston. The point was clear: Proceed, and you will be under attack, and not by any adorable Northeastern bugs you might be used to. No, these bugs were born in Texas. Beware. Sometimes that is exactly
how challenges feel, especially to kids: Problems loom much larger to them than they do to adults with decades of experience. A broken toy, a skinned knee, a mistake in front of the class, or a slight misunderstanding with a friend may be a fly in the ointment to us, but a Texas-sized monster to a child. The trick is to validate the feeling without validating helplessness. We stand beside them and say, Yes, I know, this feels huge. The bugs, even if they're not as large as they
think, are real. They watch us shoo them away and learn gradually to do it for themselves. If I had seen the sign above, my first instinct would have been to flee back to the safety of the car. And Ella said it was not exaggerating, at least not by much: The moment she stepped onto the property, giant mosquitoes descended, and they were hungry; even leggings soaked with OFF Deep Woods did not deter them. She assures me that the photo she got of the Bay-breasted Warbler was
worth all the bites on the backs of her knees. She knew better than to show me the damage. Clearly, the script has flipped.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Come join us on May 30, 2026 for our annual Utah Lake Festival! It will take place at the Utah Lake State Park from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be games for everyone to enjoy including mini golf, a rock climbing wall, paddleboard jousting, a craft station, vendor booths, and more! We partner with the Provo Farmer's Market at this event so there is lots to see and do. It's free admission! Grab your friends and family and come on over.
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The Ogden Music Festival is OFOAM’s signature event that brings together friends and fans of acoustic music from Ogden and beyond, and is the perfect way to start your summer on a high note, whether it's high, lonesome bluegrass or some hot licks on the fiddle. Camping, workshops, and more. We couldn't be more excited for 2026! Yonder Mountain String Band, Peter Rowan, North Mississippi Allstars, Michael Cleveland, and many more. Kids, 16 and younger, are invited to attend the festival for free, with the hope that their experience with live, traditional music performed in an outdoor setting will inspire this next generation to keep these traditions alive. Kids of all ages will love OFOAM's WILL & WAY Instrument Petting Zoo and other music and outdoor-themed crafts and activities.
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As Midsummer approaches, so too does the magic of Fairy Fest at Crone's Hollow. Welcome to our 15th year of artistry, enchantment, and otherworldly celebration! This year’s Fairy Fest is a special two-day experience, held in partnership with The Valencia Project. We warmly encourage all participants to don their wings, crowns, hats, or any costume that celebrates the Fairy and Otherkin realms. Wear your fairy best and let your imagination take flight! There is no charge for admission but we encourage you to stop by the registration booth to get your questions answered and to get your fairy name assigned. Fairy Fest is especially perfect for kids, offering a joyful and welcoming space for families to celebrate creativity and community together. Join us for a weekend filled with wonder at Crone’s Hollow.
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Busker Fest is held annually in Salt Lake City to showcase local and traveling street performers. This festival brings the living tradition of busking and street theatre to downtown. Appropriate for all ages, Busker Fest will thrill audiences with musicians, dancers, hula-hoopers, jugglers, and comedy. This event is free and open to the public.
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- Playtime at Glendale Branch - Glendale Branch, Concord Street, Salt Lake City, UT, 11 am - 11:30 am
- May Film Screenings: Can You Dig It? Movies - Orem Public Library - Orem Public Library, 58 North State Street, Orem, UT 84057, 6 pm
- Leap Into Reading - Springville Library - 45 South Main Street, Springville, UT, 10:30 am
- Tiny Tot Tales - Springville Library - 45 South Main Street, Springville, UT, 11:30 am
- Fairy Fest - Crone's Hollow - Crone's Hollow, 3834 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, 11 am
- Busker Fest SLC - Eccles Theater, South Main Street, Salt
Lake City, UT, 5 pm - 10 pm
- Farmers Market Ogden Summer Market - Historic 25th Street, 25th Street, Ogden, UT, 8 am - 1 pm
- Utah Lake Festival 2026 - Utah Lake State Park, West Center Street, Provo, UT, 10 am to 4 pm
- Bohemian Bum Farmer's Market - The Gateway - 18 North Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, 10 am - 3 pm
- Sunday Market - Wheeler Historic Farm - Wheeler Historic Farm, South 900 East, Murray, UT, 9 am - 1 pm
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Salt Lake City area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Salt Lake City area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, &
more. Our guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Salt Lake City area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're
escaping a spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes…
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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