Festival of Children opens Saturday to put spotlight on charities

The 17th annual Festival of Children kicks off Saturday to begin three weeks of entertainment and education at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa while showcasing more than 75 children’s charities.

Festival coordinators estimate the event annually introduces 2 million people to attending charities that tell visitors about the services they offer and how people can volunteer for their causes.

The festival will present activities and performances on Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 23.

Families who attend the opening Saturday can expect arts and crafts, Lego activities, dancers from the Festival Ballet Theatre, face painting, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu demonstration, a meet-up with therapy animals from Paws 4 Healing and more.

Among the activities Sunday will be a wild-animal show by Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo, an acting workshop, dancing by the WeBreak Hip-Hop Dance Company and musical theater by the Yorba Linda Spotlight Theater Company.

On Fridays starting Sept. 7, Children’s Hospital of Orange County will present free educational talks for parents over coffee and tea at 11 a.m. in South Coast Plaza’s Carousel Court.

“In 2002, we envisioned a community event that would celebrate our local children’s charities, and today Festival of Children has grown into one of Southern California’s most anticipated free family-fun festivals,” Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of the Festival of Children Foundation, said in a statement. “”

In 2003, Daniels established the foundation, which runs the festival and other children’s charity-focused programs. The foundation makes financial contributions to charities in its five focus areas — arts and culture, health and wellness, education and development, environmental education and social services.

For times and dates of more activities at this year’s festival, visit festivalofchildren.org.

Daniel Langhorne is a contributor to Times Community News.