The Children's Museum of Richmond held its eighth annual Kids' Carniball fundraiser Feb. 2 at its Broad Street home.

Produced by the CMoR volunteer Guild team, led by president Lee Dolan and vice president Shannon Weisleder, this year's theme was "African Safari Adventure."

The guests: From 4 until 8 p.m., more than 900 children (some in costume), with parents and friends from the Richmond community, trooped through the main doors and ventured into a world far away.

The highlights: Live entertainment included energetic dancers and drummers garbed in rich colors and textures. Several costumed critters, notably a zebra, a lion and a tiger, pranced their way through the crowd, amusing and startling more than a few young folks. Special greeters included a masked and feathered Zulu warrior and amiable safari guides on stilts who swooped and swayed with ease.

While adults enjoyed authentic African cuisine, children ate kid-friendly goodies. Many little guests such as Charlotte and John Wishnack, along with dad Josh, were seen decorating and devouring cookies while their mom, Guild member Samantha, toiled behind the scenes. Other families patiently waited in line to have colors and ethnic patterns painted on their faces.

In the crafts area, animal masks, binoculars and beaded necklaces were rapidly assembled by busy little hands and worn as fashionable accessories. Visits to the Teddy Bear Clinic and to the Petting Zoo of exotic animals assured a good time for everyone.

Attracting the grown-ups to place bids at the silent auction were items such as tickets to Dave Matthews Band, opera, ballet, symphony, NASCAR, as well as vacation getaways, private parties, foods and wine.

Inspiration: The activities were inspired by themes from African folktales and fables, particularly the book "The Leopard's Drum." In the months leading up to Carniball, the Guild made certain that local preschools were equipped with special teaching materials and guides that culminated in art projects created for display at the museum. Katy Haskell, a member of the Guild's art committee, said, "Many of the families whose children participated in the project came to this event especially to see their child's artwork on display." Windows and walls throughout the museum were hung with school banners accented with paper masks and artwork.

The cause: Funds raised will benefit the museum's educational programs. Guild president Lee Dolan said, "The guild's mission is to foster, promote and increase awareness of programs offered by CMoR to the Richmond community. Kids' Carniball 'African Safari Adventure' did that by providing a rich environment for children to learn about a different country. I am thrilled with the success of this event and believe we really brought a new cultural experience to the families who attended."