At the heart of the upcoming Winterfest event lies one shared vision: Every Kid. Every Day. In Real Life. Spokane Public Schools (SPS) and LaunchNW created this mantra to encourage youth to spend less time on technology and more time engaging in real-life activities, and rallied the Spokane community to join the Engage IRL initiative.
Ben Small, executive director of LaunchNW, explained that since the COVID-19 pandemic, youth isolation, a sense of belonging, and mental health have deteriorated. He asked, “So, the question becomes, ‘How do we, as an entire community, come together to solve this? How do we help our young people thrive?’”
Since launching Engage IRL in August 2024, thousands of previously unengaged SPS students have joined a club, a team or group where they can connect with peers and role models over shared interests. SPS observed better attendance, improved academics, and fewer behavioral incidents for engaged students last year.
But more than one-third of SPS students still aren’t engaged.
Winterfest was created to get those kids connected.
Ben explained that the aim of this event is to help families discover what activities are available through more than 40 youth serving organizations while enjoying student performances and family-friendly attractions in Riverfront Parks and downtown Spokane.
With support from local partners, these activities will be available at no cost to families during Winterfest. Ben noted that the businesses and organizations partnering with SPS and LaunchNW send a strong message to families that encouraging children to engage in real life is important.
One of the local partners involved in the event is Visit Spokane, sponsoring a raffle prize during Winterfest. Rose Noble, president and CEO of Visit Spokane, explained that although the organization’s primary aim is to promote Spokane to visitors, its broader mission is to elevate the region through visitor spending.
“Anytime we can support functions that emphasize the importance of community, it’s also a benefit to us,” Rose said.
Downtown Spokane Partnerships will also be hosting a scavenger hunt where families will have the opportunity to win gift cards to local businesses and explore downtown Spokane.
Elizabeth Hooker, vice president of marketing and programming, at Downtown Spokane Partnerships said, “This is a perfect opportunity to connect students and families to really unique downtown businesses.”
Winterfest offers families an opportunity to spend time together, get outside, and experience all the wonderful things Spokane has to offer, while also encouraging youth connection.