After the Museum on Main temporarily paused Family Days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the popular community education program is returning this weekend on the museum lawn in downtown Pleasanton.
Aiming to bring education and fun for local youth and their parents, Family Days offer free hands-on demonstrations and activities relative to each month’s event theme. Held on select Saturdays of each summer month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., multiple stations are set up on the lawn that participants can visit, learn and create.
The first event occurs this Saturday (July 24), with the theme of “Toys and Games,” from the past to the present. Participants will make corn husk dolls, create propeller toys and play with retro toys.
“I really enjoy the retro toy station because there’s a lot of memories being shared between generations,” said Sarah Schaefer, director of education. “We really try to encompass all the ways that you can access toys and games and it’s such a fun event. I see a lot of intergenerational play and sharing and memories.”
For every Family Day, COVID-19 protocols are in place for unvaccinated members, where masks are required. Vaccinated volunteers and participants have the option of wearing a mask based on their comfort level.
“All this is contingent on what is happening with state, city and county regulations; right now this is how we’re functioning and how we’re planning. It’s all as of right now so I think the best thing is to check on our website and see what is required to participate in that program,” Schaefer said.
Following program days are Aug. 14 with a theme of “Life in Early Pleasanton,” and Sept. 18 is all about celebrating community and learning about Alviso Adobe Community Park. This is the second year that Alviso Adobe has partnered with Museum on Main on Family Days — Pleasanton North Rotary Club is also an event sponsor.
“I’m very excited this year to just be spotlighting that amazing park and all the work that they do — the education work, the naturalist work that they do, I think it’s going to be a really interesting and fun Family Day in September,” Schaefer said.
While 2021 Family Days end in September, Pleasanton residents can forward to Ghost Walk tickets being available starting Aug. 2, with the event planned to begin mid-October depending on COVID-19 regulations.
