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Steamboat Springs — At this point, Paul Hands has pouring pancakes down to a science.

"I personally supervise and cook the pancakes under my stringent qualifications," he said, offering his 7-inch diameter, minimal thickness description of the perfect flapjack. From 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Hands expects to make enough of those to feed about 300 people at the 27th annual fishing derby and pancake breakfast at Walton Pond. The breakfast and derby is one of many family-friendly events going on this Father's Day weekend.

Presented by the Steamboat Springs Optimist and Rotary clubs, the derby usually draws about 100 children to fish, Hands said. The two-decade member of the Optimist Club spent every day this week completing a different task for the family-oriented event, he said.

"I've run around the last few days like a mad man trying to get stuff together," Hands said Thursday afternoon. "Like today, I'll be searching for worms. No matter where I have to go and how much I have to spend, we'll have live worms, because those fish aren't biting on anything other than live bait."

With the help of Curt and Tara Weiss, of Walton Pond Mini Storage, the Optimist and Rotary clubs provide volunteers from 9 to 10:30 a.m. to help children fish, set them up with their own rods or one of about 20 loaners, and take down the size and time for each catch.

In the 20 years Hands has been involved in the event, he said there hasn't been a rain-out he can remember, and it seems most young fishers have luck at the pond.

"The pond has just been stocked with 1,000 trout : and they're hungry," Hands said.

The event is sponsored by Hands' Mountain Home Realty, The Egg & I, Wal-Mart, Steamboat Flyfisher, Colorado Group Realty, Walton Pond Mini Storage, Starbucks, Vectra Bank and Wells Fargo Bank.

Free Family Fun Fest

The third annual Free Family Fun Fest offers more activities and a new location compared to years past.

By teaming up with Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. and shifting from the event's former venue at Colorado Mountain College's Alpine Campus, organizers at KFMU 104.1 FM are able to offer a more confined area and a more central location for families, said Lee Smith, office manager for KFMU.

"We decided that teaming up with the mountain on their opening weekend was good for both of us," Smith said. Organizers expect about 1,500 people to turn out for the event, she said.

All activities during the event are free and open to children of all ages; parents who want to participate are welcome on most of the attractions, Smith said. The festival offers a bungee trampoline, mechanical bull, bouncy house, giant climbing wall, human gyro, ropes course and face painting. Bear River Bar & Grill, Gondola Joe's and City Cafe will sell food at the event. Local businesses and nonprofits will have displays, and costumed entertainers will be on hand.

Children younger than 18 will need a waiver signed by a parent to participate in most activities; waivers are available at six locations, Smith said, including Ride Sports and the Gondola Transit Center.