Fletcher Allen is holding an open house at its new Emergency Department on Saturday, July 9 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The event will include tours of the new facility, fun activities for the kids, including face-painting with Frannie the Clown and magic with Joey the Clown, give-aways for kids and adults, including a squeeze-able toy ambulance, bike reflectors, water bottles, First Aid kits -- and much more. The Burlington Fire Department and Fletcher Allen's transport service, Fletcher Allen Coordinated Transport (FACT), will be on hand with their emergency vehicles.

Fletcher Allen's new Emergency Department is located next to the old facility on the Medical Center Campus in Burlington. The new department is twice the size as the old facility, providing much-needed space for emergency patients and their family members. It provides a more family-friendly environment with enhanced privacy for patients, quicker registration and advanced technology and diagnostic capabilities, along with other improvements.

To get to the open house, people should access the Medical Center Campus from entrances off of Main Street (Route 2) or East Avenue, and park in the Water Tower Lot. There will be signs and staff available to direct visitors to the Open House from the Water Tower Lot.

For more information about the event, call the Office of Public Relations & Marketing at (802) 847-2886.