McDonald's Houston Children's Festival - Are you ready?!
The McDonald's Houston Children's Festival, presented by Baker Hughes and benefiting Child Advocates, Inc.,  is set for APRIL 23 & 24, 2016 and promises to be the very best EVER.  Over 50,000 families, friends, volunteers and sponsor partners will gather together in beautiful downtown Houston to play, create, explore and learn.

The 2016 festival promises to be A BONANZA OF CELEBRITY ENTERTAINMENT!
  5 stages of music and entertainment Disney Dove Cameron 11 family fun Adventure Zones and over 300 Activities 

McDonald's Dream Discovery Zone, Baker Hughes Circustown, Child Advocates Into Outer Space, Nightlight Pediatric Urgent Care Tot Spot & Diaper Derby, Green Mountain Energy Kid's Zone,

SABIC Super Stage Feturing The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs Zone, Children's Memorial Hermann Official Cup Sponser, Fiesta Sampling, MetroPCS Minecraft Zone, Neighbors Emergency Center Teddy Bear Clinic

SO many reasons that McDonald's Houston Children's Festival reigns supreme as Number One for Family Fun! 

And to make a good thing even better, we have now raised over $5.2 million dollars for CHILD ADVOCATES and the abused and neglected children they serve in Harris County. 

THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT.  THERE IS A NO REFUND POLICY.

History

The Houston Children’s Festival was born in 1988 and was originally known as the “Children for Children Festival.” Attracting a crowd of less than 5,000 people the first year, the goal was to create a family festival that would serve as the vehicle to educate the public about child abuse and the mission of Child Advocates. For the first few years, the festival was located across from the George R. Brown Convention Center, where Discovery Green Park is now located. When the festival continued to grow and needed a bigger home, it was moved to the Greenway Plaza area and occupied two large, then-vacant lots next to what is now Lakewood Church. After a two year stint at Hermann Park, the festival found its current home in downtown Houston in 1999. It was during this time that Mayor Bob Lanier saw the exceptional value in this event and designated it “The Mayor’s Official Family Celebration.”

Child Advocates

Over 5,000 children languish in foster care because of life-threatening abuse and neglect. In 2014, in the Houston area, there were 30,873 investigations of child abuse and 9,020 confirmed cases of child abuse.

Child Advocates, Inc. recruits, trains and supports volunteers assigned by a judge to the cases of these children. Child Advocates’ court appointed advocates contact caseworkers, interview parents, ensure necessary medical care, look out for educational interests and make recommendations in court regarding the permanent placement of the child. Most importantly, they serve as a "constant" person for that child to count on during a very tumultuous time. Child Advocates, Inc. has served over 22,000 children since it began in 1984. In 2014, Child Advocates, Inc. provided advocacy for 2,196 abused and neglected children and trained 200 new court appointed advocates. And in 2014, 713 court appointed advocates collectively gave over 55,000 hours of their time working on 1,313 cases. The Houston Children’s Festival has become a cornerstone event for Child Advocates, Inc. and to date has raised over $5.2 million dollars to assist Child Advocates, Inc. in this critical mission.

FAQs

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

There is plenty of easy parking near the festival. And you have the choice of street level, surface lots, parking garages or underground parking. Below are several of the parking options near the festival:  Please note that The Festival has no control over parking fees in either public or private parking lots.

Theatre District Parking Garages - $7.00 Garage #2 - located off Rusk between Bagby and Smith Street

Two Shell Plaza Garage 777 Walker (corner of Walker @ Louisiana; entrance on Louisiana) 1100 Smith Garage Corner of Smith & Lamar
Heritage Clay Parking Garage 1200 Bagby @ Clay

Wanna take the METRO bus or METRO rail?
Take the bus and leave the driving to METRO. For information on routes and schedules, please contact METRO at 713.635.5000

What can/can't I bring to the event?

To ensure a safe, enjoyable event, the following items should be left at home:
Beverages, food, alcoholic beverages, ice chests/coolers, bikes, in-line skates, grills, weapons, fireworks, umbrellas and laser pointers. Sorry, the Mayor’s Office of Special Events regulations prohibits pets (including dogs, amphibians, reptiles and snakes) from attending. Seeing eye and assistance dogs are allowed.  Food for infants and special dietary concerns are allowed.

Thank you for making the festival safe and enjoyable for everyone!

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

You can print out your paper ticket & bring it to the gate OR
we can scan it from your mobile device at the gate.