Children’s Water Festival
The goal of The Children’s Water Festival is to allow students to dive deeper into water related issues that face the South Platte River Basin, where our food comes from and how to be better stewards of our natural resources.
2025 – 2026 Children’s Water Festival Dates
Spring Festival - Wednesday, May 13, 2026
9:30 am to 1:30 pm
University of Northern Colorado
McKee Hall - 1200 21st St, Greeley, CO
Fall Festival - Wednesday, September 30, 2026
9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Adams County Fairgrounds
9755 Henderson Road, Brighton, CO
Central Colorado Water Conservancy District’s (CCWCD) oldest and most continuous education program is the Children’s Water Festival. First presented in 1991, it is the second oldest water festival in the country. CCWCD offers two-festivals annually. The spring festival is held the first week in May at the Poudre Learning Center in Greeley, Colorado. The fall festival is held the second week of October at the South Platte Valley Historic Park in Fort Lupton, Colorado.
The festival provides a free, one-day adventure for 4th and 5th grade students in Adams, Weld and Morgan Counties. Each festival attracts an average of 1,200 students each year, including public, private, and home school students. Focusing on water’s connection with all-natural resources and how it nourishes people through drinking water supplies and food production. Students learn concepts through hands-on activities, lively entertainment, and interactive displays.
Water professionals from around the state gather to support 4th and 5th grade students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) while meeting science academic standards and Common Core State Standards. Classes rotate through six different stations learning about a variety of water-related topics and conducting hands-on activities. The stations are administered by professionals with expertise in water and ecology-related science. These activities are meant to introduce the complex water issues facing our community and foster an appreciation for the value of water. There are representatives from Colorado State University, Forest Service, Foundation for Agriculture, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, National Weather Service, White Water Canoe, Rocky Mountain Flycasters, Metro Water Recovery, just to name a few.
Numerous volunteers are needed every year to help run the festival. Volunteers from local businesses and organizations such as FFA Clubs, the Poudre Learning Center, Poudre Heritage Alliance, South Platte Valley Historic Society, the City of Brighton and Fort Lupton, and the City of Greeley, all provide support to the festivals.
Festival organizers receive a huge helping hand each year from Colorado businesses and organizations who sponsor portions of the festival. These sponsorships not only help defray costs, but also allow classes to attend that otherwise would not be able to through a bus scholarship program.
Central staff will continue to look for new ways to keep the Children’s Water Festival fresh and exciting. To learn more about attending, presenting, sponsoring, or volunteering at the festival, contact Tammy Rusch at 970-330-4540.
Thank you for your support!
Your sponsorship will provide a unique opportunity for 4th and 5th grade students in Adams, Weld and Morgan Counties to participate in the festivals hands-on learning activities, as well as providing bus transportation to and from the festival for elementary schools with limited budgets. 100% of donations goes directly to the festivals.
