Branson’s Silver Dollar City Kids’ Fest is Colorful Blast

When summer arrives in Branson, Missouri, America’s largest kids’ festival ramps up the action with new shows, a fanciful parade, Frisbee-catching dogs, high-flying Xtreme stunts and one of the hottest thrill rides on the planet, as Silver Dollar City presents the National Kids’ Fest, June 10 – August 21.

The centerpiece for the festival designed for family adventure is PowderKeg, the park’s new $10 million explosive launch coaster, launching riders from 0-53 mph in 2.8 seconds. Recently profiled as a top ten ride for thrill-seekers in the Wall Street Journal and named the Best Family Thrill Coaster on the Planet by ThrillRide.com, PowderKeg combines the breathtaking launch experience with spiraling turns, negative gravitational or “G” forces and “floater” hills, while designed to accommodate kids 42 inches tall, the height of an average 5 or 6 year old.

New for Kids’ Fest this year, the live stage show “Newton’s Revenge” from Mad Science explores the zany side of science with interactive experiments and hilarious antics, involving the audience in activities causing a commotion about the science of motion.Also new, the “Purina Dog Team Challenge” features world-champion Frisbee-catching dogs performing unbelievable high-leaping stunts and racing through a canine challenge course.

The animated Circus of Dreams Parade returns with fanciful floats in a spirited procession of whimsical circus fun. Led by a huge, animated elephant and a baby elephant on a spinning circus ball, the parade includes a monkey cage with playful escaping monkeys, a water-spouting clown fire truck, a circus animal band and dozens of

colorful characters. Guests can join in the fun, as one child is selected as Grand Marshal, and families and kids participate in the Puppet Brigade of 7-foot circus puppets. The parade winds through the park twice each day.

Also returning is the popular, high-energy Xtreme Air show with amazing flying stunts on inline skates and bikes, showcasing the breathtaking specialties of extreme stunts athletes as they jump, flip, glide and spin.

Each evening, Echo Hollow Amphitheatre presents American Heartbeat, an energetic musical production featuring the music and celebrity icons of the 1950s and ’60s. Against the backdrop of teen hangouts from the beauty salon to the high school gym, a cast of talented singers and dancers perform songs such as “Wake Up Little Susie,” “Rock Around the Clock” and “All Shook Up,” in this celebration of America’s “happy days.” On Sunday evenings, Echo Hollow presents Jubilation, featuring the Cumberland Quartet, Tracy Heaston and the Faith Trio.

Kid-focused entertainment and activities include champion kid cloggers from around the country, the interactive musical show Just Kiddin’ Around, a LEGO play area where kids can build LEGO structures, and Thomas Kinkade’s Kolorful Kids Art Barn where kids can create colorful works of art.

National Kids’ Fest activities are in addition to rides including the multi-looping coaster WildFire, the thrilling Thunderation roller coaster, the WaterWorks Waterboggan ride and the Lost River raft ride. For smaller kids, smaller-scale rides are found in Tom Sawyer’s Landing, a multi-level play area, and interactive adventure is the feature at the World’s Largest Treehouse at Geyser Gulch and Splash Harbor.

Silver Dollar City, located near Branson, Missouri, is open daily during The

National Kids’ Fest, June 10 – August 21. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For tickets and information, call 1-800-831-4FUN, or visit the web site, www.silverdollarcity.com.