Happy Feet at the Eagle Rock Music Festival

The 14th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival kicks off today, Saturday, at 2 p.m.—two hours earlier than last year’s festival so that families have more time to enjoy one of Southern California’s most popular music events.

That’s all the more reason to hit the festival prepared. You’ll want to know the best places to hear music geared toward families, kid-friendly places to take a break, and booths and boutiques where the whole family can engage in fun projects.

So, here's what to do at the Eagle Rock Music Festival with kids:

The Family Stage

Check out the Family Stage at Eagle Rock City Hall, where you can bop around to the music of six incredible children's bands. The Center for the Arts has also set up tables at which kids and parents can make some terrific arts and crafts projects, run by the Center's art instructors. The projects include building a clay dinosaur, mask making, comic book coloring and group murals. 

Here a list of music events scheduled for the Family Stage:

2:30pm: Apple Brains
3:30pm: Ellen and Matt
4:30pm: Bloom School of Music Rock Band
5:30pm: NINE
6:30pm: Ukulele Orchestra of the Western Hemisphere
7:30pm: Glen Iris

Eagle Rock City Hall, 2035 Colorado Blvd.

Create—and Chill Out—at the Purple Twig Art Exploration Studio  

Purple Twig owner Samara Caughey and her hands-on crew will be helping kids to make backstage passes, using a laminating machine. “The kids will be making little drawings and collages that we will then send through the machine to make cards to go around their necks," says Caughey. This project is by donation to cover materials. But, says Caughey: "Feel free to stop by for a quieter place to breast feed if need be or to read a book to a little one."

Open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. during the festival. 

Purple Twig, 2038 Colorado Blvd., (323) 254-8944

Pound a Few Drums at Bloom School of Music 

The Bloom School of Music will offer kids a chance to express themselves—with a boom and a bang. Join this Eagle Rock music school for its free drum circle from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the school’s inside front room.

For families interested in trying out music classes or hip hop dance ($10/class), Bloom will be running classes every half hour from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (If a family registers for classes that day, the class fee will go toward their registration fee. Bloom students can stop in and take classes free of cost.)

Check out Bloom's Ask a Music Teacher event in front of the studio. Instructors will answer questions such as, "How do I get my child to practice?" ("We have some very innovative ideas on this!" says owner Laura Porter) and "What age is a good age to start music lessons?"

Bloom School of Music, 2116 Colorado Blvd, (323) 982-1655

Relax and Let the Kids Roam Free at Peekaboo Playland

For $9, parents can escape the craziness of the music festival for a while to enjoy complimentary coffee while their kids play in a safe environment at Peekaboo Playland. Adults should bring along of pair of socks to wear inside the playground. 

Open 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Peekaboo Playland, 2030 Colorado Blvd., (323) 255-1400

Learn to Dance with Your Darlings 

Core Club LA is having an open house at their yoga studio during the music festival. The studio will be offering a variety of free classes (from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and a free kids class at 4 p.m.

Or, says owner Gabrielle Benoit: "You can drop them off for a short class and enjoy the festival on your own for a little while." 

Core Club LA, 2150 Colorado Blvd., (323) 682-8434

Click here to read more about what the Eagle Rock Music Festival has in store for you.