The Special Adventures Festival on August 17 is an Event for All Ages
If you’re an awesome, unique person who just happens to have special needs (or are a caregiver to one), you will not want to miss the first annual Special Adventures Festival in Paw Paw.
Founded by local mom Leslie Owens and co-hosted by Creative Catering Services and H2Design & Co., this local event is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive celebration where everyone in the community — special needs families and their supporters alike—can come together to eat, have fun, and learn about community resources.
Read on for the activities planned for this inaugural festival at Kids Paradise Playground:
📷: Village of Paw Paw
Special Adventures Festival Highlights
Everyone is invited to enjoy some family fun at the Special Adventures Festival — whether you or a loved one has special needs or not!
Get ready for face painting, arts and crafts and resources for families. When you work up an appetite, food trucks and ice cream will be on-site to refuel and cool off!
The day concludes with a friend’s parade.
While the festival is free, donations are encouraged and will be split between Ripple Effects Community Inclusion Center in Portage and Spectrum Autism Center in Paw Paw.
600 E Michigan Ave, Paw Paw, MI 49079
2255 W Centre Ave Portage, MI 49024
Special Adventures Festival Dates & Times
Saturday, August 17, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location
Kids Paradise Playground- 200 S Liberty St, Paw Paw, MI 49079
Special Adventures Festival Activities
Festival organizers will ensure that no one is bored with this fun-filled lineup:
📷: Just Paint
Stay for the Grand Finale: Friend’s Parade
Kids and families will celebrate their crafts, creativity, and awesome selves with a parade at the end of the day. How cool is that?
Meet The Festival’s Founder
Leslie Owens is the brainchild of the Special Adventures Festival. The mother of an autistic daughter and stepson with special needs, Leslie started sharing her idea with community friends a year ago—and the rest is history.
“My purpose in starting this festival was to open the doors of our community to come together and show support for all special needs people, their families, and caregivers.”
Sponsors Help Put the “Unity” in Community
The festival has many community sponsors who are helping out in big ways, including Mattawan Mechanical Services, St. Julian Winery, Cody Kresta Winery, and the Village and Chamber of Paw Paw to name a few.
Save the Date for the Special Adventures Festival
The Special Adventures Festival on August 17 is shaping up to be both a family-friendly community event and a helpful resource for local families:
“I hope the event raises awareness of the fantastic programs in our area that people have no idea are right in our backyard,” Leslie says.
“Special needs kids and adults need programs designed just for them to help them progress, grow, and live their best life. Parents and caregivers need to know where to go for resources and information to help them find these programs.”
“Most importantly, I want this to be a community-wide event that brings everyone together whether they have special needs or not — because it takes a village to support, uplift, and celebrate every member of our community.”
Event Recap
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