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Free and Fun Things to do With Kids in CT This Weekend: Ballet, Gathering of the Vibes, Summerfest

7/18/12 - By Christine

If your family enjoys music, dance or art, there are so many great events to choose from this weekend. Dance lovers will enjoy a free performance by the Connecticut Ballet Dance Caravan at the WCSU campus on Friday night.  Your budding performer will not only watch the performance but will have an opportunity to dance with the ballet troupe following the show.

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There are several arts festivals to choose from this weekend. At these events parents can shop for works made of glass, wood, ceramic, paintings, sculpture and more.   These events also feature live entertainment and opportunities for kids to create their own art.  At the Westport Fine Arts Festival  kids can express their creativity by tagging the festival's Art Car. Children visiting the Old Saybrook Arts and Craft Festival can decorate fabric squares that will be turned into a quilt and donated to charity.   Children can also participate in craft activities at the Guilford Art Center Craft Expo which runs Thursday through Sunday.

Celebrate summer with vendors, music, children's entertainment and food at Bethel's Summer Festival or Ridgefield Summerfest this weekend.  Another great choice is the Annual Clinton Bluefish Festival.  This festival by the shore features games, a bouncy house, rubber duck race, Chowder Cook Off and more. 

Music fans can check out Connecticut Family Day at Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport.  Enjoy music from 12 bands, painting on a community mural, puppets and more at this huge musical event.

As parents we know its not all about the fun, we have to think about safety too. There are two free Amber Alert events in Bethel and Ridgefield this weekend where you can quickly and easily get Amber Alert Photo ID cards printed for your kids.

The weather forecast for the weekend shows a break from the extreme heat the area has experienced this week, so it would be a great weekend to head outdoors for a family hike.  Check out our list of Family Friendly Hiking Spots in Fairfield County. If you are in the Hartford area be sure to read about our experience at the CT Science Center Museum and the pit stop we made to Avery's Sodas in New Britain. We also wrote about Avon, CT this week and included lots of fun places to visit with the kids while there.

There are more great events listed on our events calendar.  If you haven't already, remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest for updates and more ideas on how to have fun with your family in Connecticut.  Enjoy your weekend!