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Families turn out for fun, safe event downtown

The Children's Discovery Museum held the annual Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday in downtown Victoria.
  • Erin Pradia •
  • Originally published October 1, 2011 at 9:18 p.m., updated October 2, 2011 at 11:14 a.m.

  • UPCOMING EVENTS:

  • Nov. 5: Clay Crocket presents "Treasure Street"

    Nov. 12: Silhouette artist Cindi Rose carves local portraits

Channing Metzler twirled the tail of her pink poodle balloon as she and her best friend Mia Mabray, wearing a purple balloon hat, watched the Ballet Folklorico performance.

The 5-year-old girls attended the Children's Discovery Museum Fall Family Fun Fest with their siblings and their mothers on Saturday.

Bubbles, music and the smell of fair food wafted through the air as people flooded two blocks of Main Street, one block of Forrest Street, O'Connor Plaza and De Leon Plaza.

"This festival is a chance for people to bring their family out for a safe fun time," said Krista Finnegan, president of the Children's Discovery Museum Board.

"We are also trying to help people re-discover this area and remember we exist," Finnegan said.

This year's festival featured more than 15 vendors selling toys, jewelry and clothes.

Classic cars and motorcycles were on display as well as an instrument "petting zoo" presented by the Victoria Symphony.

Michael Lara, 5, of Victoria, decorated a mini-pumpkin using stickers and markers at one of the craft booths with his siblings and cousins. He was especially proud of the pumpkin's smiley face.

"He's saying no," Michael said as he shook the "pumpkin head" back and forth.

"We love to do things together outside in the beautiful weather," said Mia's mother, Amy Mabray, of Victoria. "We were going to go to the movies, but we said, 'It's way to pretty outside.'"

Channing's mother Kelley Metzler agreed.

"There's not many chances to have fun outside," Metzler said. "I enjoy watching the kids be enlightened by all the cultural stuff and all the easy entertainment."

Miller Metzler, 7, said his favorite exhibit was the fur table - which also featured rubber replicas of animal poop.

"It looked real, but it was rubber," Miller said.

His sister Tatum Aigner, 10, enjoyed the Velcro jumping booth. Completely suited in Velcro, the kids jumped against a Velcro wall then peeled themselves off.

"The lady told me I had jumped the highest of anyone today," Tatum said.

With the dunking booths, arts, snow cones and Frito pies, Paul Michael Mabray, 7, found it hard to choose a favorite activity.

Paul Michael said he enjoyed watching the cheerleaders from his school Our Lady of Victory and seeing his teacher outside of school.

His little sister Mia said she enjoyed her snow cone and playing with her friends, but it wasn't possible to cram it all in.

"I enjoyed something I didn't get to do as well," Mia said. "I wanted to get cotton candy, but I didn't get any."

Proceeds from the festival benefit the Children's Discovery Museum.

But not all of the exhibits at the Fall Family Fun Fest cost money; Children could play with chalk, take pictures with Elmo and blow bubbles for free.

"They're mesmerized," Mabray said as she watched the children enjoy the performance of the Ballet Folklorico dancers.

"We like to support community events that are good for our children."