Children will take center stage April 23, as downtown Enumclaw will be given over to Kids Day.

Planned are five hours of fun and games, including live entertainment and a special appearance by Northwest icon J.P. Patches. There will be music and story telling, face painting, arts and crafts, pony rides and more. Everything is planned for the parking lot at the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue.

Aside from activities offered by local artists and business owners, the schedule calls for the following:

€ 11 to 11:45 a.m. - Pet and doll parade

€ Noon - jazz band performs

€ 12:30 to 1 p.m. - Heartbeats

€ 1 to 1:30 p.m. - Enumclaw Native American dancers

€ 1:30 to 3 p.m. - J.P. Patches

€ 3 to 3:15 p.m. - Tae Kwon Do Connection

€ 3:30 to 4 p.m. - Ballet and jazz dancing to Stephanie Fessler.

The event is again being organized by Enumclaw Youth and Family Services. The primary sponsor this year is Mutual of Enumclaw and co-sponsors are The Printers Inc., Live Well Chiropractic and the city of Enumclaw.

Favorite clown making

repeat appearance

Since first hitting the local airwaves in 1958, J.P. Patches has been a regional favorite. That was certainly true a year ago in Enumclaw, when kids of all ages lined up following his Kids Day show to purchase memorabilia and have it signed.

J.P. Patches was billed as "a retired clown from the Ding-a-Ling Circus" when he appeared in 1958 as the first live show on KIRO television. Actor Chris Wedes has portrayed J.P. Patches since day one.

He appeared on TV for nearly 25 years, entertaining audiences with cartoons, characters, skits and special guests.