Children and their families enjoying a week of school vacation got to enjoy a day out at Warwick Mall at the sixth annual Family Fun Expo this past Thursday.

The expo was run in collaboration with Beacon Communications, and featured tables manned by non profits and businesses.

Neighborhood Health Plan of RI, Catholic Cemeteries, Family Service of RI, Ocean State Center for Independent Living, College Bound Saver, Mentor RI, Sweet Deliveries, The Household Hero, Project Undercover and Altered Reality- set up booths throughout the middle of the mall, educating the public about the services that they provide.

According to Linda Campbell, Warwick Mall’s marketing director, the expo was timed for the April school break. 

“We’re always looking for something for the kids to do during school vacations,” Campbell said. “We try to get as many events going on for the people at the mall as possible.”

Campbell and Warwick Mall General Manager Domenic Schiavone credited the weather, which was noticeably cooler, cloudier and rainier on Thursday than earlier in the week, with the family turnout.

The event, Schiavone said, was something that Warwick Mall has looked forward to doing every year.

“We really enjoy doing these types of events,” Schiavone said. “It becomes a great part of the community.”

Pulling the strings

Center stage in the mall, though, was occupied by one man and his puppets.

Wayne Martin held three puppet shows throughout the event- at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Throughout each, multiple puppets went out on stage, singing, dancing, and acting out short skits in front of a crowd of over 50 people.

Originally hailing from the Cincinnati area, Martin went pro in puppeteering at only 8 years old in 1966, and has been working his craft since.

“I saw a puppeteer on television when I was three and a half, and I was just fascinated,” Martin said. “My parents started taking me around town to see him perform live and I got to know him and focus on some of the shows.”

Martin moved to Boston, where his wife’s family lives, in the 1990s, and has worked shows in the Northeast since. He’ll be back at Warwick Mall again in the fall.

The impact that Martin has had on the mall, Campbell said, was visible in all the years that he’s been coming.

“We have people who have children who came here as children to watch this puppet show,” Campbell said. “So coming here, making a plan, making a day of it is special.”

Martin agreed, saying that what keeps him coming back to Warwick is its community.

“Malls have changed so much,” Martin said. “But this one hasn’t. It’s still a tight-knit community, which is so good to see.”

Cosplaying the day away

A fully-in-costume Ashley Medeiros, dressed as Anna from the Frozen movies, had a long line of children waiting for her to give them temporary tattoos.

According to Kiley Knott, dressed as Megara from the Disney movie Hercules, Medeiros started doing temporary tattoos during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has kept going since there.

“She started it to help bring some joy to families when they could come out and do stuff,” Knott said. “She’s always been talented with tattoos and doing a lot of generous stuff- it’s always been volunteer-related.”

The two only took tips for their work throughout the day, giving out temporary glitter tattoos to anyone looking for one throughout the day.

Also entertaining families at the event were cosplayers Ryan Wallace and Paul Giovannucci, dressed as the character Gen Asagiri from the anime Dr. Stone and the eponymous Mandalorian, respectively. The two, alongside characters ranging from Pikachu to Jigsaw, were advertising Rhode Island Comic Con, which will be coming to the Rhode Island Convention Center on Nov. 1, as well as Rhode Island Anime Con, in the same place from June 15-16.

“Every little kid’s come up to see Pikachu, a couple of different characters- people are loving it,” Michael Bergy, who was advertising but not in costume, said. “Walk around, the parents are having a blast too, because they’re seeing Harley Quinn, this is Boba Fett, you know they’re just having fun. We’re just having fun bringing a smile to people.”

So did the event, as it claimed, bring family fun?

Seven-year-olds Ava D’Ambra and Soraya Bader did not have to think long about their answer to that question.

“Yes!” they said in unison.