Iran (IMNA) — Speaking to IMNA on the sidelines of the festival, Alireza Khaksar, head of the festival’s side-events committee, said the expanded program was designed to extend the festival atmosphere from the main festival venue to different parts of Isfahan and make it more accessible to residents.
He said the approach, which was seriously introduced during the festival’s 25th edition, has been expanded this year with more extensive neighborhood-based programming.
“More than 1,000 side events have been planned across the city in cooperation with the cultural deputies and cultural affairs heads of Isfahan’s municipal districts,” Khaksar said.
Some of the programs are being organized centrally by the side-events committee, while others are being delivered through neighborhood and district committees, allowing the festival to reach a broader section of the city.
One of the notable features of this year’s program is the presence of artists and familiar figures from the children’s and young adults’ entertainment sector at festival booths and neighborhood events. The initiative is intended to create more direct interaction between children, families and the artists they know from children’s media.
The festival has also placed particular emphasis on equitable access to cultural activities, with special attention given to schools, particularly those located in less-privileged areas.
According to Khaksar, between 70 and 75 student entertainment programs have been scheduled at schools from Saturday through Wednesday. The program is intended to bring festival activities directly into school environments rather than requiring children to travel to the city’s main cultural venues.
A special “Happiness Parade” is also being held using the city’s metro system, with programs planned across six municipal districts over six days. The events are scheduled between 3 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., providing another way for families in different parts of Isfahan to participate in the festival.
Public spaces along Chaharbagh Avenue are also being incorporated into the festival program. In cooperation with the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, health authorities, charities and sports organizations, a series of booths and activity stations have been set up along the route from Enghelab Square toward Amadegah Street.
The booths, which operate from 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. through Wednesday, October 7, are offering activities for children and families as part of the festival’s broader effort to create a citywide atmosphere around the event.
Meanwhile, a nightly urban stage is being held at the main festival venue, with programs beginning at around 7:30 p.m. and featuring presenters and production teams from Iran’s Pooya children's television network. The programs are also being broadcast live on the Pooya and Nahal networks.
Transportation has been another part of the festival’s effort to improve accessibility. Special bus services have been arranged from three major points in Isfahan — Jomhouri Square, Imam Hossein Square and Azadi Square — to transport residents to the International Conference Center before the programs and return them to the same locations afterward.
By spreading activities across neighborhoods, schools, public transport and major public spaces, the festival is seeking to make children’s cultural programming part of everyday urban life rather than limiting it to a single central venue.
The approach also reflects a broader effort to use citywide cultural events to strengthen community participation and give children and families in different districts more equal opportunities to experience the festival.
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