MARYSVILLE — Asbery Field came alive with a cacophony of children’s laughter and activity as the Kids Day Party in the Park on June 13 helped mark the start of this year’s Marysville Strawberry Festival.

At age 3, Michael Woodbury attended for the first time and was greeted by clear skies and a warm sun as he dug through one of the wading pools filled with sand for the “berried treasure” of plastic coins. “Berried Treasure, Let it Shine” is the theme of the festival.

Michael’s mom, Sarah, admitted that her son enjoyed playing in the sand more than he cared about finding the coins.

“Besides the sand, he’s loved the fire trucks and the gymnastic tumbling,” Sarah Woodbury said, as members of Rising Stars Gymnastics continued to guide youngsters along their practice mats. “Me, I’m excited about the Bubbleman,” she giggled.

Gary Golightly, the Bubbleman of Seattle, drew cheers by showing families how any number of ordinary inexpensive household items, from flyswatters to fishing nets, could be turned into “cheap toys.” He instructed parents and kids alike to yell — by dipping items in soap and blowing bubbles through the holes.

Even as the Bubbleman’s young audience squealed with joy, so too were the bungee-trampolines eliciting equal shrieks of delight, as the elastic cords allowed kids to fly high without worrying about crash landings.

Monica Pierce, 10, is a five-time veteran of the bungee-trampoline, and has developed a technique to achieve altitude without losing her lunch of kettle-corn in the process.

“Look at something in the distance that’s not moving, so you don’t throw up, and don’t look down,” Monica said. “Oh, and hang on tight.”

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig O’Neill demonstrated how tight a hold he’s able to maintain on suspects, by temporarily slapping handcuffs on kids who were eager to see what it felt like.

“You have, like, no control at all,” said Colton Lindstrand, a Totem Middle School student. “He can walk you backwards and forwards, and do whatever.”

Lindstrand laughed as he agreed that the experience is an effective deterrent for any lawbreaking impulses that kids his age might have.