Child Start to Host Their First ‘Family Jam Fest’ in Wichita | October 9, 2021

Child Start’s Family Jam Fest is scheduled for October 9, 2021 from 10am-2pm at the Capitol Federal Amphitheater. The Family Jam Fest is a family-friendly, mini music festival for families with young children. There will be story-tellers, clowns/entertainers, musical acts, food trucks, and booths for local businesses and vendors.

In addition to a fun and musical event, Child Start wants to raise awareness about its programs and the importance of quality, early childhood education for all children.

Tickets are $15 for adults (ages 13 and older) and $8 for children (ages 3-12), children 2 and under are FREE. Due to social distancing requirements, tickets are limited!

Visit HERE to purchase your tickets before it is too late! 

The Family Jam Fest Acts

Koo Koo Kangaroo

Koo Koo Kanga Roo was created by Bryan and Neil in 2008.  After being in a campus rock band for the first few years of college, the guys created Koo Koo as an experimental project for SMU’s annual battle of the bands. The idea centered around crowd participation, comedy and dance music, stretching the concept of a what a “band” could be.

In 2010 the band was chosen to support Orange County superhero rock band The Aquabats on their east coast tour, leading to more support slots with Reel Big Fish and Yo Gabba Gabba Live. Meanwhile, Koo Koo began creating “dance-a-long” videos for their songs in order to help demonstrate the moves that audiences would need to know at their shows. These videos were unexpectedly a hit with elementary school teachers, which led Koo Koo into the world of children’s music and becoming a “real” kid’s band.

In 2021 Bryan and Neil released the album “Slow Clap” presenting a more hip-hop-centric sound with plenty of grooving bass lines and monstrous drums, while retaining the catchy, weirdo-energy fans expect from the band.

Marcee Cosby – Music Together of Wichita

Marcee has been a Music Together® Center director and teacher for 19 years! Marcee attended Music Together classes in New York City with her oldest son.  When she moved back to Kansas, she saw the immense need for the Music Together program to be in the Midwest, so she opened up the first center in Kansas!  Marcee is a licensed director, registered and Certification 1 Music Together teacher.  

Richard Renner- Vodville Entertainment Company

Actor, Juggler, Orangutan, Poet and Fool all describe Richard Renner as he performs his special brand of humor. Whether juggling, unicycling, ropewalking, or creating a zany improvisation, Richard performs with unbounded energy and skill.

Wichita Children’s Theater

For more than 40 years, the Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center has been a staple of the Wichita Arts Community. A non-profit theatre and dance school, its mission is to provide arts opportunities to young people of all ages and backgrounds in Wichita and the surrounding area. The Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center is proud to enhance the cultural life of south-central Kansas by providing the highest quality performing arts education to its youth.

Rosie Cutrer

Rosie Cutrer, a storyteller from Topeka, Kansas, has been telling stories professionally for the past fifteen years, presenting at festivals, schools, libraries and museums.  In October of 2010 she made a storytelling tour of Ireland telling stories in schools and libraries in County Wexford and in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Aaron Fowler

Aaron has been performing since he was 16. Working alongside several musicians throughout his career he has built a breadth of musical experiences from house concerts to festivals and concert halls. His passion for the music and the power it can have with groups of people is part of why he keeps bringing the music to audiences across the country.

Priscilla Howe

Priscilla Howe, a full-time storyteller since 1993, travels the world (14 countries and counting) with a bag full of puppets and a head full of stories for all ages. She tells personal stories, folktales and stories from books at schools, libraries, festivals and even in her own backyard in Lawrence, KS. Priscilla is also looking for the best restaurant pie on earth.

Music Scene Jazz

Music Scene Jazz is comprised of high school musicians, coupled with older musicians that meet every Tuesday evening at Music Scene in Andover.  Formed in 2017, the group plays big band jazz at community events around Wichita and surrounding areas.

The Vendors and Community Partners

  • Just Face It – free face painting for all attendees!
  • Wade Waffle Company
  • Music Together – kiddos can play with instruments during the event!
  • Popcorner
  • Storytime Village – scheduled story times throughout the event!
  • U Hungry Food Truck
  • Music Scene
  • Big Chill Ice Cream and Italian Ice
  • Troubles the Clown – free balloon animals!
  • College Hill Pediatric Dentistry
  • Flow Foundry – with hula hoops to try out during the event!
  • Hot-2-Trot Gourmet Hot Dogs
  • The Shake Truck
  • United Way of the Plains – free books with accompanying activities!
  • The Wing Express
  • Andover Fire Department
  • Dr. Mom Pediatrics LLC
  • Lett’s Love Dessert
  • Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland – with a STEM activity!
  • Small petting zoo with baby goats! 

****Child Start is still accepting vendor booth applications, visit HERE for more information.

The Sponsors

  • RSM 
  • UBS 
  • Valley Offset Printing, Inc.
  • BKD
  • Trimmell Anders & White Orthodontics
  • Spirit

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Visit HERE for more information.


Child Start was established in 1958, in response to unmet needs for child care in the community. Although much has changed in the last 64 years, the need for and the right to quality, early childhood education has only grown more apparent and urgent. Child Start has spent the years advocating for, as well as providing early childhood education to the children who need it most. It is a great hope that one day soon quality, affordable, early childhood education will be available for all children. Until that day comes, Child Start will be at the forefront, continuing to push for that right. Help Child Start continue the fight by fundraising or donating to their Virtual Giving Campaign


Fundraise for Child Start and receive FREE tickets for your whole family! Visit HERE to learn how!