GET TO KNOW US!

Hello there, friend! I’m Rockford and I’m the mascot of the Children’s Festival of Saskatchewan. It’s so nice to meet you!

As you can see, I’m a sock monkey. I’m named after a town in the United States called Rockford, Illinois where the first sock monkey was created in 1932. A company called the Nelson Knitting Company in Rockford, IL invented work socks with a red heel. These socks became known as “Rockfords.” This period of time was a very difficult time for many people and was called the Great Depression. Money was scarce for many people, so they could not afford to buy stuffed animals for their children or grandchildren. So one mother, who was very creative and resourceful, took it upon herself to start making stuffed monkey teddies out of Rockford socks and filling them with whatever she had in the house - paper, rice…even old pantyhose!

Over the years, sock monkeys have become very popular, with museums and festivals dedicated just to us! However, my home and favourite festival is the Children’s Festival of Saskatchewan. At our festival, we have tons of different types of performances and activities for all children to take part in. Together, we learn, play, and make friends. I look forward to having you join us for buckets of fun this summer!

Sincerely,