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Big Nazo Band, one of the acts at Festival of Fools

Church Street Marketplace bustles with street theater this weekend, when the seventh annual Festival of Fools rolls into town on Friday. Families can watch an assortment of the best street performers around the globe — from larger-than-life mutant puppet creatures and yoyo experts, to knife jugglers and slapstick tap dancers. On Saturday, the south lawn of City Hall Park turns into a Kids Zone, with live music, face painting, art projects and a whole lot more wacky performances.

Looking for something a bit more mellow? During the Summer Naturalist Program at Mill Trail Cabin in Stowe on Saturday, kids and parents learn about the history and ecology of the land. Or take a woodsy Wildlife Walk at the Woodside Natural Area in Essex, where little ones learn about what makes a good animal habitat.

At Antique Tractor Day at the Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock on Sunday, young visitors peruse retro farm machines, make ice cream and play in the sandbox.

For more agricultural fun, head to Highgate for Franklin County Field Days Thursday through Sunday, where an alternative beauty pageant, demolition derby and minivan mash-up add some flavor to the customary rides, music and livestock offerings.

We’d would love to hear from you. What are your plans this weekend?

This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.

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Alison Novak is a staff writer at Seven Days, with a focus on K-12 education. A former elementary school teacher in the Bronx and Burlington, Vt., Novak previously served as managing editor of Kids VT, Seven Days' parenting publication. She won a first-place...