ANN ARBOR, Mich. – On Saturday at the 2|42 Community Center, the inaugural Ann Arbor Family Expo will kick off with kids' activities, local family-friendly vendors, storytelling and a bounce house.
Beginning at 3 p.m., the free family expo will host over 40 kid-friendly businesses and organizations from around Washtenaw County like the Leslie Nature and Science Center, the Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum and Ann Arbor Baby Beginnings.
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Activities will include "Touch a Truck" from 4 p.m to 7 p.m., as well as face painting, giant Jenga, balloon animals, sensory table and hand drums, among others. There will also be food vendors, an expert from the University of Michigan Pediatric Trauma Program, as well as prize giveaways scheduled throughout the event.
The focus of the event is to help families find resources about children's health, chronic illness resources and other forms of assistance.
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The Ann Arbor Family Expo is the brainchild of Meghan Endahl, who decided to organize the expo after struggling to find family-centered resources for own family after her son was diagnosed with celiac disease.
To organize the vendors and activities, Endahl said that she reached out to well over 100 vendors and that many of the participating vendors signed up after hearing about the expo via word-of-mouth. She wants families to know they have resources in the area that they can reach out to.
"More than anything, I want families to feel encouraged, especially if they're struggling. I made it my goal to have as many family-support businesses in attendance as possible, and thankfully that goal was achieved," Endahl said via email. "We will have doulas, adoption services, foster care services, U of M Child Life Services and much more!"
Tickets to the event are free and can be reserved through Eventbrite here. Some activities may be changed due to weather.
The Ann Arbor Family Expo will run from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. For a list of the vendors, visit the expo website.
The 2|42 Community Center is at 648 S. Wagner Road.
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