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If we think spring, maybe it will really, finally arrive. A brand new pair of flip flops will at least get us in the mood for warmer weather.

Despite continuing cold temperatures and snow like cement, Kids In Motion’s annual Flip Flop Festival will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 3 at Tri-Valley Community School and Library.

This celebration of spring is also the second annual Denali Borough Spring Health Fair. This is the place to visit for low-cost comprehensive blood tests provided by the Alaska Health Fair Inc., free screenings for blood pressure, vision, bone density, height, weight and body mass index.

Mammograms are available by referral only. Call the Interior Community Health Clinic at 683-2211 for an appointment.

Public health nurse Felicia Musick will be there to provide immunizations for children.

Update your training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation with school nurse Patti Jordan in the Tri-Valley School multi-purpose room from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To register, e-mail pjordan@dbsd.org.

Everyone who visits all the health-related booths will receive a free pair of flip flops.

A variety of healthy activities are on the schedule.

The American Heart Walk, a 3-kilometer run/walk in Healy, will begin at 10 a.m. Get pledges now for this worthy cause or just come for the walk itself.

Kids In Motion will debut its new Frisbee golf course — if volunteers are able to work through the late-spring snow on the ground — with a frisbie golf tournament at noon.

Denali National Park will host a junior ranger program. You’ll find the park educator in the “forest” inside the school.

Look for healthy booths by students. Second- and third-graders will show you how to pack a healthy lunch. Fourth- and fifth-graders will demonstrate how to make a healthy smoothie. Kindergarteners will explain some special rules families can follow to keep children safe. High schoolers will host a booth called “Health Mythbusters.”

Youngsters may enjoy trying their hand at container gardening.

Kids In Motion will launch a new Letterboxing project, which should get families hiking throughout the area all summer long. For a hint of what that involves, go to www.letterboxing.org. This is a kind of scavenger hunt that involves navigational skills and some creative rubber-stamping. It’s like geo-caching without using a global positioning system. There are already several letterboxing sites in this area. After the Health Fair, there should be more.

It’s not too early to think about fly fishing. An expert from Two River Rods will be on hand for personal instruction on how to build the perfect fishing rod.

Need a stress-free moment? Paul Earp will provide chair massages.

Kids In Motion will also launch an array of summer programs, including four one-week sessions of robotics, for a variety of ages, taught by Ann Marie Vollstedt; ballet with Susanna Whitaker; gymnastics with Katie Stainbrook; a week-long art camp for children ages 8 and up; water safety classes through the Denali Water Safety Program and Denali Outdoor Center; and yoga for children with Alyson Rigby-Ronnigen.

Kids In Motion is also partnering with Alaska Theatre of Youth to host a week-long theater camp Aug. 10-17, based at Otto Lake. Youngsters ages 9 and up will learn circus tricks such as unicycling, spinning plates and juggling. They’ll also practice Shakespeare with a well-known instructor. A  final performance will be hosted at the end of the week — perhaps on the shores of Otto Lake. Or maybe at the new Lions Club Pavillion, scheduled to be built in July.

Adults can sign up for some classes, too. Salsa dancer/instructor Judith Kreith will be in Healy the week of May 19, working with high schoolers, who are studying Latin culture. In the evenings, she will hold salsa dancing classes for the community.

Trail Access

Don’t miss this important hearing Thursday to discuss proposed public easement conveyances to Ahtna Native Corp. Hosted by the Bureau of Land Management, this gathering will be held from 4-7 p.m. at the Cantwell School. The public comment period has also been extended to May 16.

Ahtna has submitted its final list of lands to be conveyed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and BLM is in the process of reviewing those. The public is invited to participate in this process by proposing where public access should remain, across Native village lands, to reach public lands.