For nearly the last month, ArtsRevive has been partnering with different organizations in the community to dive in a little deeper to the conversation about water. They currently have Water/Ways, a Smithsonian exhibit on display at the Carneal building, and now plan to close out the series with a family fun day.

“Family Fun Day is our semi closure to the Water/Ways exhibition and we wanted to bring people down town,” said ArtsRevive volunteer Martha Lockett, who spearheaded the events. “We thought this would be a nice way to end this.”

The fun day is set for Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Carneal building at the corner of Church Street and Water Avenue, complete with activities for the kids, and a chance for children ages 8 to 18 to learn how to kayak.

The Autauga Creek Improvement Committee will be giving free lessons to a number of kids who are interested in learning the basics of kayaking. The sign up for those lessons is at 10 a.m. on the morning of the fun day. A parent must accompany all children to the lesson, which will not involve getting in the water.

“The idea is, if you get the kids interested in being on the river, then the parents will follow and we can help activate this part of the river,” Lockett said. “The river is an asset that we just don’t use. It’s a resource that we need to find a way to bring back. If we can get the kids interested in being on the water, then their parents are going to follow.”

Lockett said if there is enough interest in kayaking, that the 4-H RiverKids program would be willing to donate 20 youth kayaks and 10 trailers to start a program here in the city.

Becky Youngblood, executive director of ArtsRevive, said the fun day is another way to invite people down to see the Smithsonian exhibit and to bring the community together.

“We are excited. It’s another great opportunity to share this exhibition with a different part of the community and the children,” Youngblood said.

“It’s a great way to bring our community together, and that’s what we’re all about is community building.”

Lockett said she is looking forward to the event and having children come and see the exhibit and be part of ArtsRevive.

“We want kids in here all the time,” Lockett said. “Kids need to be involved, they need a place where they can go where they can have fun, where they can learn and we thought that would be a neat way to connect the arts to the water issue and have a day of art activities.”