Water Safety Festival 2023

Water Safety Festival

Join us April 30th, 9am-4pm, at the Jean K Freeman Aquatic Center to learn more about water safety through a day of FREE swim clinics, lessons, performances, activities, and games! Registration required for some activities (registration opening April 10th). All ages welcome, children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by a guardian.

Check back for more information and registration links. Registration will begin April 10th, 2023!

Questions? Contact Bryna McElligott: [email protected]

Schedule

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Events and Performances

  • 10:00am-11:00am Exhibition Swim Meet 
    • Comp Pool, Natatorium
  • 11:30-12:15pm MDA performance
    • Diving Well
  • 2:00-2:30 Syncro performance
    • Diving Well
  • Featured Speakers
    • Dry Classroom
      • 12:30 Drain Safety in pools
      • 1:00pm Drowning Survivor 
      • 1:30pm Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Water Safety Talk
      • 2:30pm Paralympian Summer Schmidt

Lessons and Clinics

  • 10am-4pm Water safety demos/lifeguarding skills, and free swim, 
    • Cooke 15
    • No registration required
    • All ages
  • 10:30am-2:30pm Swim Lessons age 4-12, 40 minute lessons
    • Cooke 10
    • **Registration Required**, Ages: 4-12
      • 10:30am
      • 11:30am
      • 12:30pm
      • 1:30pm
  • 12:30pm Tri Clinics 
    • Comp Pool, Natatorium
    • **Registration Required**, must be able to swim 50 yards without assistance
  • 2:45pm- 3:45pm Adult Fear of Water
    • Cooke 10
    • **Registration Required**, Ages: 18+

Activities

  • 11:30-12:15 Yoga paddle boarding 
    • West pool, Natatorium 
    • **Registration Required**, Ages: 16+
  • 12:15-1pm Open paddle board play 
    • West Pool, Natatorium
    • No registration
    • All ages 
  • 12:30-1:45pm Open dive/swim
    • Diving Well
    • No registration
    • Must be able to swim 25 yards unassisted or will need a lifejacket
  • 1:45pm Open Swim/Lap Swim 
    • Comp Pool, Natatorium
    • No Registration
    • Must be able to swim 25 yards unassisted or will need a lifejacket
  • 2:00-3:00pm Underwater Hockey Game/Teaching 
    • West pool, Natatorium
    • No registration
    • All ages
  • 2:30-3:30 Open dive/swim
    • Diving Well
    • No registration
    • Must be able to swim 25 yards unassisted or will need a lifejacket
water safety participants prating CPR on pool deck

General Information

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Parking & Facility Access

The two closest parking ramps are Washington Ave  and University Ave. 

For more information about parking and potential parking rates for your event, please visit UMN Parking and Transportation. 

There are two entrances into the Aquatic Center for events. 

  • South Side Aquatic Center Entrance not the RecWell Entrance. (closest to Washington Ave. Parking Ramp) 

photo of the aquatics center entrance near the washington avenue parking ramp

  • North Side (closest to University Ave. Parking Ramp)

aquatics center entrance near the university avenue parking ramp

The Aquatic Center main entrance and lobby are open during events/rentals only.  

Community Partners

We are excited from all the support from our local community. Stay tuned to see all the community partners involved in our event!

Support the Water Safety Festival with a day of family fun!

Want to help support Water Safety Day? University Recreation and Wellness Center is inviting you to our first community pool party and auction of 2023! This community pool party and auction will take place at the St. Paul Gymnasium on Saturday, April 22nd from 1-3pm and is $10 per 6 family members.

Support The Fundraiser!