Kids will we challenged to find clues within the exhibits at Marbles, go out into Moore Square and learn from famous storytellers, learn yoga poses, participate in the streetpainting festival, and even venture over to BugFest to find answers to all kinds of creepy crawly clues.

The main focus was unveiling the master schedule of events for the whole weekend. Greg ran through each day’s agenda and noted whether events were confirmed or still awaiting final details. SPARK reps offered more info to further clear up their activities. Each SPARK will now funnel updates as they happen to ensure the schedule is as up to date and specific as possible.

Another new topic was the addition of individual SPARK pages on the PLANNING website. The purpose of the planning site has been to keep all information available to organizers and SPARK reps and allow them a forum for discussion and idea sharing. This will still hold true, however its next task is to act as the foundation for information on the PUBLIC site. As schedules, contact, times, locations change, they will be updated on the planning site through posts and the new SPARK pages. Then it will be uploaded to the PUBLIC site. This will alleviate constant changes to the PUBLIC site and hopefully lessen the confusion overall.

Please visit the schedule on the planning site and confirm info that pertains to your spark. This is hugely important! Greg is trying to get everything concrete by the end of next week so that he can begin developing marketing materials to go out advertising all the cool stuff each SPARK has in store! email Greg directly with updates.

Pam Hartley of Marbles Kids Museum came by and had some great ideas. One was to set up a free expression wall and or suggestion box of some sort that the public my use to offer their insight into the future of Moore Square. There has been some official speculation as to what could happen in Moore Square, and she felt that the public should be able to express their ideas too. What better place to do so than in Moore Square at a Creative/design festival? Anybody want to help out

Pam also spoke with Greg about setting up design challenges for kids in Marbles during SPARKcon. Her idea is to call upon NCSU Design grads to come and work with local children in a variety of design projects from architecture to ID and product design. This would be a welcome addition to the Kids Scavenger hunt that is in the works for YouthSPARK.

Thank you’s go out to everyone for their hard work, support, and good energy they keep bringing to the table!

A while back the idea of a kids typhoon scavenger hunt was being tossed around designbox, and it definitely seemed like Marbles could support such an endeavor. Deidre has been working with the Museum of Natural Sciences for their BugFest celebration that is happening on the same day as SPARKcon. She has committed to staff the event with arts and crafts instructors and materials for the kids in attendance. Since SPARKcon has linked up with BugFest and vice versa, then we already some activities in place.

In an effort to host something at SPARKcon ground zero, Greg offered the idea of using Marbles in some way that will increase traffic, and give kids and their parents a way to better get involved in the festival. Deidre took the scavenger hunt idea and offered it as an indoor activity within Marbles that could jump out into Moore Square. She also offered up some Marbles merch for prizes! Everyone loves a new t-shirt

Deidre is checking into see what the IMAX schedule is for September. Perhaps their will be a cool creative documentary that we can endorse and even offer as part of the Theoretical SPARKpass that is in the works.

Greg will be getting in touch with Juan Matta of the Raleigh Typhoon to see if he would be able to offer his assistance in coordinating some activities with Marbles.