Youth Expo Is a Kid’s World
Kids who cook, care for animals, create crafts, are budding musicians or future scientists will reveal their talents at the 22nd annual Youth Expo, opening Friday at the Orange County Fairgrounds.
While education is one goal, the event is also about having fun--offering entertainment, carnival rides, games, a petting zoo, music and other activities over three days.
Becky Bailey-Findley, general manager of the fairgrounds, helped organize the first expo more than 20 years ago as a way to encourage more youth participation in the County Fair. While the traditional County Fair, held in the summer, offers opportunities for kids with pets and projects, the Youth Expo is a more relaxed environment, designed strictly for and about kids, from preschool through 12th grade.
“It’s our way of honoring youth organizations, supporting the efforts of teachers and uplifting the personal achievements of children,” Bailey-Findley says.
The expo is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but the involvement of many kids goes far beyond the public hours.
“This is what we do every year in April,” says Nancy Tovaas of Anaheim, whose children--Megan, 16, and Doug, 14--spent last weekend setting up for the Youth Expo with their 4-H group, the Yorba Linda Cloverleaf Club. This year, Doug will present his prized rabbit in a showmanship class, while Megan enters handmade crafts and a table setting in a design competition. Both kids have designed marine biology posters for a science contest and will probably enter the cooking contest. In the past, their mom says, the kids have made cookies, cakes and candy.
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The Tovaas children have won their share of gold and blue ribbons in the seven years they’ve competed (every kid gets a ribbon for participating; the color is based on how well they follow the criteria), but participation seems to be the greatest reward.
“They have a great time,” Nancy says. “They meet kids from all over the county; they can interact with each other and work and play. They really look forward to it.”
Among the activities on tap is the 11th annual Youth Expo Jazz Festival, featuring junior high bands on Friday and senior high bands Saturday.
For animal lovers, there are equestrian and livestock competitions, as well as the fourth annual Pampered Pets Contest on Sunday at 10 a.m., open to anyone aged 5-18. Categories include Silly Pet Tricks, Homely Hounds and Owner Look-a-Likes.
Petless families can visit the All Creatures Great and Small petting zoo, which features everything from a baby donkey to water buffalo.
On Saturday and Sunday, a talent search will be ongoing on the Centennial Stage, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. both days. Expect to see the winners perform at the Orange County Fair in July.
About 7,000 school projects and 2,500 4-H exhibits will be on display during Youth Expo. When the event began in 1979, there were only a couple of hundred exhibits, mostly 4-H projects, because the expo incorporated what had been the smaller spring 4-H fair. Later, the Science and Engineering Fair also merged into the expo.
Only a few Girl Scouts numbered among the original expo participants. This weekend, about 1,000 of them will take over an entire building and turn the fairgrounds into their campground for two days.
“The troops put on educational-type exhibits and activities, all very hands-on,” says Bailey-Findley. “You get a sampling of what the Girl Scouts is all about, and there’s learning on both sides of the table.”
Between the spectators and participants in the Youth Expo, the numbers have grown from barely 5,000 to as many as 25,000 today, according to fairground estimates.
Some youth clubs benefit economically from the expo. When the kids are not tending to their exhibits, many operate food booths to raise funds for their group. Often, the earnings determine the clubs’ budgets for the year, Bailey-Findley says.
As a parent of three children who have been active in the expo, Bailey-Findley believes the event provides a physical and emotional “safe zone” for kids. “It’s their time,” she says, “when the fairgrounds is theirs.”
* Youth Expo, Orange County Fair & Exposition Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free admission and parking. Information: (714) 708-1543. Internet: https://www.ocfair.com.