Kids’ last chance to camp out

The first day of school is less than a month away and it’s likely your kids have been hiding inside with the air conditioning on and their video games, televisions and MP3 players going.

If you are looking for one last chance to get your kids outside before the summer is gone, the National Wildlife Foundation has the answer for you.

On Saturday, Aug. 20, families, friends and neighbors across the country will participate in the first ever Great American Backyard Campout.

There are many benefits to backyard camping. For instance, you don’t have to pack up your tents and barbecues and sleeping bags and kids and dogs and drive for an hour in the hot car to find a campground, if you and your family simply camp out in your back yard.

And just in case you are unsure what to bring with you, they have set up a Web site with tips for packing, recipes, a guide of nocturnal wildlife and even a star-gazing chart.

As of last week, www.backyardcampout.org had more than 12,000 campers registered for the big night, but if you don’t feel like signing up, you can still pitch a tent and tell ghost stories in the back yard.

Another obvious benefit: if everyone gets cold you don’t have to drive all the way home – your warm bed is just a minute away.

Moms Expo

Creative Edge Marketing and Event Management and Just Between Friends is presenting a Moms Expo on Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lair at Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St.

The event will include information booths and exhibits, as well as a consignment sale to benefit the Union Gospel Mission/Anna Ogden Hall Ministries of Spokane.

Anyone attending the expo can donate school supplies for the Court Appointed Special Advocates’ My School Bag project, which provides backpacks full of clothing, toiletries, a book, stuffed animals or toys for children going into foster care.

For information, call the Moms Expo at 939-9698.

Kids Day

Spokane Parks and Recreation Department is presenting Kids Day in Riverfront Park on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The day will include entertainment geared toward children and their families, activities and information booths.

For information, call 242-2505.

Summer movies

The Liberty Lake Pavillion Park is filling your need for speed Friday with the movie, “Top Gun.” The movie scheduled for Saturday will be “Ghostbusters.”

The movies on Aug. 19 and 20 are “Driving Miss Daisy” and “Aladdin.”

The movies start at dusk and everyone should bring their own blankets and lawn chairs. Concessions will be available, but you can bring your own snacks.

For information, call 928-6174.

This week’s free movie at the Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave., is “Are We There Yet?”

The doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the show starts at 9:30 Monday through Friday.

For information, call the theater at 327-1050.

And the Shop, 924 S. Perry St., is presenting the movies “Buckaroo Banzai,” Saturday and the Hitchcock classic, “Vertigo,” on Aug. 20.

Bring your own chairs and blankets. Both shows start at dusk.

As usual, the shows are free, but donations will be taken to cover the cost of licensing fees.

For information, call the Shop at 534-1647.