Not the everyday shopping excursion

Alicia Robinson

Instead of the same old shopping expedition, families can visit with

SpongeBob SquarePants, build a birdhouse and see exotic animals this

month at South Coast Plaza.

The third annual Festival of Children begins today and will take

place every Friday through Sunday throughout the month of September.

Highlights include Barbie fashion shows, displays of soapbox derby

cars by top automakers, a book signing by renowned basketball coach

John Wooden, music and dance performances and activities for

children.

The free event is organized by the Festival of Children

Foundation, which was created to help children’s charities attract

community attention and volunteers, said festival Executive Director

Cherie Rolapp-Khan.

“It has been an interesting concept to get [across] because it’s

not like we’re on the front lines holding AIDS babies that are

dying,” she said. “We’re helping those charities that are on the

front lines.”

In a sense, the festival helps the charities help themselves,

Rolapp-Khan said. Festival workers get booths in high-traffic South

Coast Plaza, and they get the chance to network with each other and

talk to the people who come to enjoy the activities and entertainment

or just to shop.

“The core of how we got started was just to inspire families and

communities to come together,” she said. “It’s kind of at the

grass-roots level.”

The charities don’t solicit donations at the event, but they do

welcome volunteers. Participating groups include Kids Connected,

Child Help USA, Habitat for Humanity, Ballet Pacifica and the Orange

County High School of the Arts.

“We participate in the event because we feel it’s important to

partake in whatever community celebrations or any youth-focused

events that are happening in our community, and also because it

brings visibility to a variety of youth-serving organizations,” said

Orleda Roa, volunteer coordinator for Costa Mesa-based Girls Inc.,

which provides after-school programs and recreational activities for

girls aged 5 to 18.

More than a million people visited last year’s event, Rolapp-Khan

said. The organizers do a lot to publicize it, and that helps the

charities, Roa said.

“I know that there’s a lot of people out there that come to know

our organizations through this event,” she said.

Activities run from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at South Coast

Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. For more information or an event

schedule for the Festival of Children, visit

https://www.festivalofchildren.org.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.