Lorain County Community College will host its 15th annual FamilyFest from 12- 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, on the LCCC campus.

This year’s event will include food, entertainment, hands-on kids’ activities, inflatable attractions, pony rides, and trick-or-treat for kids, and an open house to the Library/Community Resource Center.

Admission to the festival on the LCCC campus is free.

Hue People, an eclectic and talented vocal ensemble, will provide musical entertainment on the main stage. They’re set to perform from 3:30-4:45 p.m. A drum circle by Creative Rhythm will perform from 5-6 p.m. on the main stage and will feature an amazing percussion event complete with audience participation.

Additionally on the Courtyard Stage, the LCCC Scholar Salute will be held from 1-1:30 p.m. Scholar Salute honors top high school graduates in Lorain County as well as Post Secondary Enrollment Options students and Early College High School students. Rachel Stephens, an LCCC graduate who is now a producer on “That’s Life with Robin Swoboda” on Fox 8 TV, will host the Scholar Salute.

New to this year’s FamilyFest will be a salute our students who are military veterans. The Veterans Salute will be presented on the main stage at approximately 2 p.m. and will feature a special guest speaker to greet and honor our men and women in uniform.

Art Fest at FamilyFest, now in its third year, will be held in the Stocker Arts Center. It will include art demonstrations and items for sale by LCCC arts faculty, instructors in the LifeLong Learning Program, as well as LCCC students. There will also be live music in the Stocker Arts Center lobby during the Art Fest.

Kids’ activities include: The Discovery Tent, located next to the Amphitheatre Stage, with hands-on activities, a family picnic area, art demonstrations, and activities, safety presentations and services and much more. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in costumes for the campus-wide trick-or-treat event presented by LCCC’s Student Life. The trick-or-treat event will begin in the “Haunted College Center” on the first floor and will lead the kids all over campus to collect treats from costumed hosts.

This year’s Cakewalk features Mama Joe’s Pies. TheCake (pie) walk event is a “musical chairs” type of activity where participants can win cakes that are baked by LCCC volunteers. And, several cartoon characters will make appearances during FamilyFest. Kids can also play street hockey for free as the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL will again bring its Breakaway Street Hockey activity to FamilyFest.

The Pony Rides will be located in the University Center courtyard near the Physical Science and Health Science buildings. Tickets for Pony Rides and Inflatable attractions will be $1 each. The Ewing Activities Center will be FamilyFest¹s excitement headquarters this year. Guests can tackle the rock-climbing wall (12 and older; $1 per turn), try their luck at Corn Hole, or watch an amazing Martial Arts demonstration by the students and staff at Mr. Dee¹s Karate, Jujitsu & Kobudo Academy. This event will include Jujitsu sparring, board breaking and demonstrations by students ages 4 and older. And don¹t forget to check out the LCCC academic divisions including demonstrations in Engineering, Allied Health and Nursing and others. Plus, more than 45 community organizations will be on campus in the Courtyard Tent. You can get info about all kinds of services that are available to you as a Lorain County resident.

In the event of rain, the Courtyard Stage entertainment, Scholar Salute and LCCC Military Veterans Salute will be moved inside to the Stocker Arts Center stage.

For more information, call the LCCC FamilyFest hotline at 440-366-4109 or email [email protected] or visit: www.lorainccc.edu/familyfest.