The Covered Bridge Celebration’s activities aren’t just for adults.
In fact, the younger visitors to the Covered Bridge Celebration get a whole island of fun dedicated just to them.
Each year, Kids’ Island, in Edward’s Island Park, draws in hundreds of children in with inflatables, games and other rides and attractions.
Ten-year-old Isaac Johnson, of Powell came to the Covered Bridge Celebration with his family. He said he was having fun exploring the festival.
“There are fun rides and I like looking around,” Johnson said.
Johnson had spent some time on Kid’s Island riding the inflatables – and a mechanical bull.
“The bull was pretty fun,” Johnson said. “It goes pretty hard.”
The bull is part of Governor Possum Rodeo, which was at the Covered Bridge Celebration for its third year. The booth boasts the mechanical bull along with photos and cowboy hats.
“We have a lot of fun,” said Ethan Webb with the Rodeo. “People enjoy riding the bull.”
Not all of the attractions in Kid’s Island were high action. Booths offering carnival games, face painting and temporary tattoos were also on hand.
Judy Bible with Endless Impressions Painted Faces has been adorning youngsters with face painting and temporary glitter tattoos for the past few days. The booth also has a balloon animal artist to create inflatable art for children.
“This is our second year coming here,” Bible said. “We have been traveling around for over 14 years. We really like it here. The children are very mannerly and well behaved.”
Five-year-old Jaiden Jackson was getting a glitter tattoo from Bible’s booth Friday.
“I’m getting Hello Kitty,” Jackson said. “I like Hello Kitty.”
The Carter County National Guard was also at the festival with a range of activities to participate in including a punching bag to measure strength, a football toss, a go-kart and race cars.
Jayden Kuhn of Elizabethton stopped in to see the National Guard after spending time on the inflatables at Kid’s Island.
“I liked the football game the best,” Kuhn said. “It was fun.”
The festival continues all day Saturday for the final day of festival festivities.
Closing day features Rock Night, with entertainment starts at 4 p.m. with Shooter. Trail Blazer Cloggers will perform at 5 p.m.; the Thursday Night Boys will play at 5:30 p.m. and Bulls Eye Band will perform at 6:30 p.m. The Beach Nite Band will play at 7:30 p.m. and Watts Dance Studio will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. Brad Puckett is the headlining entertainment and will perform at 9 p.m.
In addition to the arts and crafts vendors and food vendors, there will also be the E Street yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Elizabethton Municipal Airport will offer flights over Elizabethton from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $20 per person. The Carter County Car Club Cruise-In is from 5 to 9 p.m.