Children hand Luis Rodriguez, right, their pinewood cars so Rodriguez can place them on the track. Rodriguez, from Science City at Union Station in Kansas City, MO., was operating a large pinewood racing track for children at the Confabularryum event Saturday at Southwest Junior High School. Activities included hat making, pinewood car making and racing, design workshops and an air guitar workshop.

Imagination was abound Saturday at ConfabuLarryum, a free community festival celebrating and cultivating creativity at Southwest Middle School.

But just because it was a creativity festival, don’t think it was only arts and crafts. The event was chock full of engaging scientific and artistic activities, presentations and workshops beginning at 9 a.m. and lasting throughout the afternoon.

ConfabuLarryum encouraged visitors so see creativity as more than being artistic — it’s about problem solving, as presenter Stephen Mumaw said during his “Creativity Boot Camp” at the event.

“In the research I’ve done, I’ve found creativity is problem solving, at its core,” Mumaw said. “If creativity is problem solving, then that means every one of us is creative.”

Mumaw is the creative director at Lawrence-based marketing agency Callahan Creek, which co-hosted the event with Lawrence Public Schools. Mumaw said creativity is more accessible than some believe.

“Creativity is not a talent; it’s a skill,” Mumaw said. “That means we can get better at it. And how do we get better at anything? Practice.”

Lawrencians of all ages practiced being creative at the festival at more than a dozen stations featuring an assortment of activities like derby car racing, a 3D animation class, electronic circuit science experiments and paper hat making.

Jerry Kemble, assistant superintendent of educational programs and technology for Lawrence Public Schools, said the activities were designed to inspire attendees of all ages to think outside the box.

“The level of engagement here is great,” Kemble said. “I have been so excited to see adults so engaged alongside children.”

Kemble said that it is important to foster creativity in children because of the tremendous effects it has outside of the art room.

“When you let the kids create instead of regurgitate information, it’s great,” Kemble said. “It is creativity that is going to help them solve problems, and that’s the way the world is going.”