A royal invite has been extended to kings, princes and knights to step inside White Rock’s own world of enchantment Aug. 24 at the fourth annual Princess Party.
The magical event, created by Myra Merkal, is a day of fun and learning for the pint-sized royalty, which in previous years were exclusively girls.
This year, Merkal and co-organizer Alyssa Nielson decided to include boys ages two to five in the fun in order to reach out to as many members of the community as possible.
“Every year, the meaning of what we’re doing gets deeper,” Merkal said. “We want to touch more families and the way to do that is to invite the boys.”
The Princess Party – which Merkal noted may undergo a name change in coming years – includes typical fun fare such as face painting, games and treats, however, the day is also an opportunity to teach about inner qualities, she said.
“We look at it as potential for bringing the children and parents in our effort to build a positive community, because it starts with the children,” she said.
“The activities will include a cake walk that focuses on courtesy, with children walking on words such as ‘please,’ ‘thank you’ and ‘manners.’
“It shows the children the impact they can have on others and hopefully, parents can watch and carry that on at home.”
The party also raises funds for an all-abilities park on White Rock’s waterfront – the brainchild of Merkal’s son and White Rock firefighter Evan Bird.
Last year, the party brought in more than $11,000, with Merkal hoping to beat that amount this time around.
Helping her reach that goal will be members of the White Rock fire department, who will be on hand for the day, as well as the White Rock chapter of Job’s Daughters and the White Rock Youth Ambassadors.
Local seniors have also been invited to the day, with Merkal working with CARP’s April Lewis, who will volunteer at the party.
“We want this to be intergenerational. We will have our table for seniors, with the kids all making bookmarks for them, and later we’re going to go visit them at the senior homes,” Merkal said. “Then on the other hand, we have the Job’s Daughters and the ambassadors. It’s a real mix of all ages.”
Also scheduled for the day will be a visit from Princess Aurora, as well as a new magic show, cookie decorating and a magical castle.
“At the end of the day, this is a prince and princess party,” Merkal said. “It’s a place of enchantment.”
The Princess Party will be held at the Star of the Sea Community Centre, 15262 Pacific Ave. from 12:30-3 p.m. For more information or for tickets, visit www.wrprincessparty.com