On Wednesday, May 13, almost 1,300 fifth grade students from public schools throughout Boulder County will participate in the annual Children’s Water Festival at the University Memorial Center (UMC) on the University of Colorado (CU) campus.
This nationally recognized, award-winning water festival will engage local students in hands-on activities to teach them about where Boulder County’s drinking water comes from and how to protect and conserve this essential natural resource. Students will attend a series of interactive presentations about floods, stormwater, water conservation, and the science of water to gain a better understanding of the importance of protecting local watersheds and water quality.
Participating classes complete pre-festival learning activities as part of the “Operation Water Festival” program, a standards-based education series that features a teacher’s packet with lesson guides, student worksheets and trivia questions. Topics include basic water awareness, water conservation, pollution prevention, flood safety and fun facts. A key benefit of the program is a take-home booklet that encourages students to work with their families to complete activities related to local water resources, conservation and protection. Student “Water Agents” receive a certificate upon completion of the program.
Operation Water Festival is a model for community partnerships between government, school district, private and nonprofit organizations. This is the second year that Boulder and Longmont have combined their water festivals into a single children’s Water Festival at CU. This year’s water festival sponsors include the City of Boulder, the City of Longmont, UMC Events Planning & Catering, Northern Water, and the other Keep It Clean Partnership communities, including Boulder County, Erie, Lafayette, Louisville and Superior.
For more information, contact Janice Lopitz at 303-441-1439, or visit