Heat no sweat for children a little damp

Tag : heat socks
Children's Art Festival -- the worker on the CoventGarden Market roof or the woman in the clown outfit.
While trying to speak to the man on the roof proved impossible,Carol Crooks, a.k.a. CLarol the CLown, could testify to just howhot she was in the 30 C heat that felt close to 40 with thehumidity.
"Right now I can feel the trickle of sweat down my back," saidCrooks, wearing wool socks up to her knees, a turtle neck with adress, bloomers and a heavy wig.
Heat stroke is an occupational hazard when you're a clown, butCrooks, with 20 years experience, knows what to do.
"I've got my sweat sopper-upper," she said, pulling out a cloth.
Still, she said she usually experiences heat stroke three times asummer.
"I go home with a headache and I'm vomiting."
Ice cream, sippy cups and sun hats were found in abundance on theconcrete court at the market as the four-day festival experiencedits busiest day so far.
"The humidity doesn't seem to be affecting (the turnout)," saidRebecca Vergunst, the festival co-ordinator, who added thatchildren like it hot.
"It is the first hot, hot day of the summer. It's nice for thekids."
Seven-year-old Lila Nakano said H2O is the best drink to beat theheat. "I don't drink anything else, only water."
Keeping hydrated meant crowded washrooms, though, and patience wasneeded.
Over in the first-aid tent, Matt Moss of Voyageur Patient TransferServices, was prepared for the weather.
"The humidity could be dangerous."
He had plenty of water bottles -- which might be banned in somecity parks by this time next year -- at the ready. Moss alsorecommended "jumping into the market (building) where there's airconditioning" for those who felt they were over-heating.
Oswaldo DeLeon Kantule, a London artist who brought histhree-year-old daughter Nayli to the market, just smiled when askedif he was hot.
A native of Panama, he said yesterday's heat wasn't that hard tobear. "It's terrible in Panama; this is nothing today."
Nayli and other children in market square were entertained by theLondon Ontario Fire Conclave on the outdoor stage.
Led by Bryson Ingram, who decided not to use fire as he spun hispoles and poi (balls on ropes), the children had the opportunity totry some tricks of their own with poi.
Keeping up with Ingram as he did different moves was AlyssaTisdale, a Grade one pupil at Kensal Park elementary school.
Tisdale said she was having fun spinning the rope and yellow tennisball, but she was moving on to other things.
"I'm going to get my hands painted," she said.
Not her face, though, because "that takes a long time" and there isplenty else to see and do.