Families gathered in Broxton Plaza on Saturday for the Big Play Date – an event featuring face painting, story reading, a petting zoo and other children’s activities.
The Westwood Village Improvement Association collaborated with Prikli Agency – a branding and event strategy agency – to host the free, outdoor event. The goal was to create an event geared toward young families in the Westwood area, said Megan Furey, the director of programs and partnerships for the WVIA.
“I definitely see a lot of people with young families walking around, and there’s not a lot of … events that are geared towards those younger families,” Furey said. “I thought it would be really great to plan a bigger event, along with our other smaller programming, that’s a more cohesive event that focuses on that demographic.”
Furey added that she believes the Big Play Date fits into WVIA’s overall mission of bringing local residents into Westwood Village and fostering community. She added that WVIA tries to work with local partners such as Westwood Orthodontics and Diddy Riese for their programming.
Sean Fazende, an attendee and local parent, said events like the Big Play Date are important to get people out of the house. He said he appreciated that the event was free.
“It’s definitely a nice little community, especially this walkway on Broxton which is closed down to traffic,” Fazende said. “I wish there was (a) more walkable area in LA in general, so this is a great place for families and kids.”
Bri Jones, a UCLA alumnus and event attendee, said she often finds herself searching for outdoor activities to do with her four-year-old daughter and six-month-old son on weekends. She added that she embraces any opportunity to come back to Westwood.
Diana Morales, the founder of Prikli Agency, said the event was designed so there were different activities available every hour.
The event featured multiple story readings, including a musical story time with Books and Cookies LA, which offers interactive literacy programs. Children were given instruments and sang along to songs such as “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”
The event’s petting zoo was a big hit, Furey said. The lines had up to 30 people, and the zoo hosted rabbits, ducks and other animals.
“What’s most rewarding … seeing everything come together,” Morales said. “All the people walking through the space – all the kids smiling – the kids dancing to the DJ.”
WVIA aims to host more children’s events in the future, Furey said. The Big Play Date’s attendance exceeded expectations, she added, and people seemed excited despite lines for some activities.
Jones said she reached out to her fellow UCLA alumni with children to ask if they were interested in attending after hearing about the event.
“If there’s any opportunity that I could show my kids UCLA – and where I used to be and where I used to walk around – so that they could eventually walk these same halls or streets, it would be amazing,” Jones said. “I’m glad there’s an opportunity like this to bring kids and families to Westwood.”
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