Youth Expo kicks off at fairgrounds

Cassady Jeremias

Water buffalo, professional skateboarders and a gigantic inflatable

saber-toothed tiger slide can all be found in one place this weekend

-- at the 24th annual Youth Expo.

The Costa Mesa expo began Friday and ends Sunday, attracting

toddlers through teenagers, many eager to see how they placed in

competitions, and some to perform in talent and music shows.

Friday was field trip day, with busloads of students at the

fairgrounds. The weekend promises to be more family oriented,

fairgrounds spokeswoman Pam Highwart said.

“It’s a fair just for kids,” she said. “They get to compete in

things and win prizes.”

The Youth Expo’s theme, “Once Upon a Vine,” plays off the Orange

County Fair’s tomato theme.

There are echoes of the theme everywhere, in the 4-H Club and Girl

Scout buildings, with home-grown tomato plants, and in the arts and

crafts building, which features art from students of all ages.

More than 500 science and engineering projects are on display, on

which lipstick lasts the longest and whether gender affects

short-term memory.

Free surf lessons on the grass drew a line Friday afternoon. Kip

Jerger, owner of Kanoa Surf School, was teaching children how to get

up on the board.

“OK, come on up, bend the knees, lean forward,” he said.

“Now, try a wipeout and jump off into the ocean,” he instructed,

as one boy jumped off into a full combat roll onto the grass.

Olympic gymnast John Macready gave demos on the pommel horse

Friday and will be replaced by local gymnastic groups this weekend.

Also drawing crowds is the Glory Skateboard team, with five

professional skateboarders providing demos at noon, 2 and 3 p.m.

today and Sunday. School jazz bands will perform for judges at

Heritage Stage. Judge Dana Wheaton, Orange Coast College’s chair of

the music department, said he has been impressed so far with the

junior high school age group he has seen.

“To see these kids stand up and play solo, as well as a cohesive

unit, is really great. Some of these songs are 60 years old, and [the

kids] are really recapturing jazz style,” he said.

Blue ribbon winners from the band at La Paz Intermediate School in

Mission Viejo were proud to display their ribbons, but were also

excited about the monster truck bus ride.

“I got to scream all I want, and I think we’re going to do the

slide next,” said Ben Rixford, 14, eighth-grader and drum player.