Take a selfie with Peter Rabbit, create your own clouds or take part in a giant game of Twister: You and your kids can do all of these things and more – much, much more! – at The Children’s Trust Family Expo, now happening on Saturday, October 21.
The Expo was scheduled to happen in September, until Hurricane Irma forced its cancellation. Thanks to a relatively quick storm recovery in Miami-Dade County, the event will again take place at the site of the Miami-Dade County Fair, where it’s been held for the past 10 years. At least 15,000 moms, dads, caregivers and kids are expected to take advantage of what’s on tap: all-day activities that engage and inspire children, as well as hundreds of academic, enrichment and health resources that families can connect with to enrich their lives, all in one exuberantly presented place.
“We come every year,” said a Hialeah mom of three at last year’s Expo. “I found after-school programs for all my kids here, and the book bag giveaway is really great.”
WHAT: The Children’s Trust 11th annual Family Expo, a free, fun-filled day of comprehensive resources, hands-on activities, live entertainment and great giveaways for children and parents
WHEN: Saturday, October 21, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
WHERE: Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo Center, 10901 Coral Way (SW 24th Street), Miami, FL 33165; entrances at 109th and 112th Avenues
For more information about the Expo, showtimes and other event details – and a video highlighting last year’s event – visit www.thechildrenstrust.org.
Bringing together resources from local organizations and putting them face to face with parents, the free to park, enter and enjoy Expo makes it easy for families to find out about the programs and services they need and want – including some targeted specifically to parents.
“I thought this would be all about my kids, but I found out about a couple of programs that are just for me,” said a mother of two from Miami. “That was a nice surprise.”
As in years past, Expo guests will find exhibitors sharing information on after-school and enrichment programs, pre-K registration, programs for children with special needs, health and nutrition education, KidCare outreach, injury prevention and community services. Other returning favorites include a low-cost book fair, face painters and balloon artists, a bounce house and rock climbing wall, storytellers and stilt walkers, music and dance performances, and meet-and-greets with beloved characters like Peter Rabbit, Elephant & Piggie, Madeline, Geronimo Stilton and Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Boulevard to Success, which promotes the academic, enrichment and wellness programs offered by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, will also be back, as will the crowd-pleasing arts and crafts area hosted by the Miami Children’s Museum. New for 2017 are hourly raffles for big-ticket prizes; an interactive robotics area; a tech zone that will expose kids to computer coding; a family fitness area featuring Zumba and yoga; a special racing exhibit with Homestead Speedway; and a hands-on installation from HistoryMiami showcasing the museum’s current special exhibit marking the 25th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew. There, Expo visitors can form clouds using cotton, chalk and charcoals; create Hurricane Andrew radar images; and see a tornado in a bottle.“We were heartbroken to cancel the event when we realized the trajectory of Hurricane Irma, but we were even more frightened at the thought of what a Category 5 storm could do to us,” says Trust Director of Communications Emily Cardenas. “Thankfully, we were spared the brunt of the storm, making it easy to quickly reschedule this vital community event for all.”