Sunday, March 27, 2011

The Tavern Kids Campaign

I’m always carrying on about various causes and campaigns, so here’s one I came across this week that I feel is very important and one which I actively promoted among my friends.

The Tavern Kids Campaign – an initiative of local family-friendly band, Hey Buster, is a “campaign to introduce the children of Ottawa to taverns.” The band cites findings at “the Hey Buster Beer Research Institute,” to advocate for taverns as an “integral part of Canada's cultural heritage that children have been heretofore excluded from experiencing.”

“To help repair this egregious gap in our children’s' education,” Hey Buster performed an all-ages concert at the storied Elmdale House Tavern on Wellington St in Ottawa today.

Hey Buster noted that “children must be accompanied by adults and are not allowed to drink beer; they may only experience beer consumption vicariously through their parents or parents' friends. Adults are allowed to drink without a child in attendance, but it is best to borrow a child for a day as they make a hip and happening drinking accessory.”

Eager to support the cause, M and I headed down to the tavern today after her nap. It actually worked in our favour that we were about half an hour late, since apparently there had been a line-up down the street and people, including some I had recruited to the cause, had been turned away. But I guess a few had left by the time we got there, so we were able to squeeze in.

It was crowded and noisy, but in a very happy, friendly way. Kids were everywhere – dancing in front of the stage, sitting at tables, perched on the shoulders of their parents or held in arms. Everyone grooving to the songs about boogers, poo, play dates and bellybuttons. We inched our way in and eventually got some seats at the back. M with her sippy-cup, and I, a glass of beer.

In her own quiet, observant way, M seemed to enjoy it – certainly she talked about it for the rest of the day. And I think it’s pretty cute to have a picture of her and her little friend sitting together at a concert in a bar.

No comments:

Post a Comment