What is a water festival?
A water festival is typically a one-day event organized to educate a large number of students from several schools about water resources. Festivals consist of multiple structured learning stations where students actively engage in hands-on water activities and investigations. Station topics include the hydrologic cycle, ground water, spring water, water quality, wetlands, water management, water conservation, soils, and the properties of water.
What topics are addressed?
Each festival is unique, addressing a theme of local importance. Subjects that are typically addressed include the hydrologic cycle, ground water, spring water, water quality, wetlands, water management, water conservation, soils, living history and more. Water festivals, like all Project WET activities, teach children about an important topic in a manner that's fun and exciting.
Why is it important to teach children about water resources?
One of the core beliefs of Project WET is that that wise water management is crucial for providing tomorrow's children with social and economic stability in a healthy environment. We also believe that awareness of and respect for water resources can encourage a personal, lifelong commitment of responsibility and positive community participation.
Local festivals
The Metro Children’s Water Festival and the Chisago Children’s Water Festival are two examples of very successful local festivals. Minnesota Project WET has been involved with two local festivals for several years.
The Metro Children's Water Festival is an annual festival produced for children in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The purpose of the festival is to educate fifth-grade students about our water resources and to present ways they can help ensure a future where both the quantity and quality of water resources are protected and managed wisely. The festival takes place on the last Wednesday in September at the State Fair grounds.
The mission of the Chisago Children’s Water Festival is to provide the youth and classroom teachers of Chisago County with an innovative, quality, hands-on learning opportunity highlighting the interdependence of water to all living things. The major water issues that will be addressed include ground water, watersheds, drinking water, exotic species, lakes and rivers, and much more. This is a one-day event taking place in late September or early October. Please contact the Chisago County Soil and Water Conservation District, Susan Humble, Administrative Assistant at 651/674-2333 if you have any questions or go to http://www.chisagoswcd.org/.