Don’t Miss the 10th Playhouse BuildFest!

9-2, Saturday, April 5th at Watauga High School (300 Go Pioneers Drive, Boone, NC 28607). FREE Admission! Food for sale!Sensory-friendly “Soft Open” from 9-10 am. Free advanced registration will open on March 30th.

BuildFest is back for the big 1-0! BuildFest is a HUGE, free community event featuring more than 80 hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities for kids aged 2-12, a giant Cardboard City for kids 5 and up, Tiny Town for kids under 5, Touch a Truck, the Amazing Science Show and much, much more.

Plan to stay for at least two hours as you explore zones spread out over two gyms, the commons, and outside at Watauga High School. The Family Resource Village, presented by the Children’s Council, offers activities for babies and toddlers and useful information for parents. Other zones include Adventures in Force and Motion, Builders Burg, Gravity Alley, the Arts District, Science Central, and more. Pizza and snacks will be available for purchase in the cafeteria and at the Cardinal Food Truck outside.

We welcome families with sensory sensitivities with a noise-reducing headphones available at check-in and a “Calm Down Corner” room adjacent to the action. We will also have lowered lighting during our opening hour from 9 to 10 am.

Last year close to 1500 BuildFest attendees enjoyed over 80 activities assisted by 17 sponsors, 37 activity partners, and more than 200 volunteers. See below for ways you can get involved in this year’s BuildFest!

Help Make BuildFest Great

We’re excitedly planning our 10th BuildFest and we want to make it the best one yet! As always, it will take help from the whole community to make BuildFest a blast. There are 4 great ways to get involved—as a BuildFest Booster, a Sponsor, an Activity Partner, or as an Event Volunteer.

Be a BuildFest Booster!

BuildFest donations and sponsorships keep this great event free and support Playhouse programs and scholarships year round. The Children’s Playhouse is a 501c.3 nonprofit. Click here to make a donation in any amount to support BuildFest. If you give over $50, we’ll recognize you at BuildFest a VIB — Very Important Builder —with a sticker and a hard hat for each of your kids!

Show your support as a BuildFest Sponsor!

Did you know that over 1500 people attend BuildFest? Showcase your business and your love for this community as a BuildFest Sponsor. Sponsor opportunities range from $500 to $1500 with a range of benefits depending on level. Click here to see the sponsor flyer.

Host your own booth as an Activity Partner!

This is for a group (at least 2-6 people) that hosts its own booth at BuildFest and staffs it for the whole event. It's a great option for class projects and great outreach for education, STEM, Arts, and service clubs. Groups can plan their own STEAM activity or choose from our suggestions. Register to participate here by March 3rd.

Lend a hand for a few hours as an Event Volunteer

If you would like to be part of the fun, but staffing a whole booth seems like too much, we would love to have you as an event volunteer where you just come for a few hours on Friday to help with set-up or on Saturday to help with activities planned by The Playhouse.