It is a festival that speaks to the time we are in and a collective desire to be more homegrown than ever before.
The has replaced its Thomas the Tank Engine event, which was typically on at the end of May, with a Buddy & Friends Children’s Festival next weekend, May 3 and 4.
To host Thomas, the museum had a deal with the U.S.-based Mattel.
"With their commissions and buying in U.S. dollars and selling in Canadian dollars and all the stipulations they have, it just became impossible to continue to bring that product," he said.
Bell, and locally-based award-winning musician, songwriter, and children's entertainer , put their heads together to develop a brand that would be the museum's own.
From that collaboration, the upcoming festival was born.
Foote has created animations around the museum with its different engines.
"Buddy is in the animations, and so is Hudson. And the real, live ones are going to be at the children's festival," Bell explained.
The longer-term aim is to have the animations picked up by C小蓝视频 or the Knowledge Network, but for now, they are in the preliminary stage, Foote added.
Some of the animation will be playing at the festival.
Joining Foote for performances will be singer and storyteller Beverley Elliott; entertainer, Ira Pettle; comedian, juggler, unicyclist and stilt walker Mike Battie; Roxy Lewis, singer, drummer and storyteller; and singer, “My Sister Maria," who is also Foote's daughter.
Characters Buddy and Buster the bear will be available for photo ops.
Local groups are also involved, with Act Alive, Howe Sound Dance Academy and Squamish Academy of Music performers showcased, among others.
"I've tied in with some local participation, which I think is key to the first year of doing this," Foote said.
There will also be a couple of food trucks there, as well as a concession, to feed hungry kids of all ages.
The 小蓝视频-21 Budd Rail Diesel car will be operating, as will the Mini-Rail Train, which can take attendees on a 20-minute journey around the museum.
The ‘Big Red’, CN maintenance-of-way track speeder, will also be on hand.
Bell and Foote say they hope local families come out and make a day or a weekend of it.
"Doing something homegrown is—it's important to us," Bell said.
Gates open at 9 a.m.
Tickets are $20, plus taxes.
Get tickets and more information on the
