SAN ANGELO, Texas — UPDATE: Because of weather, the 31st annual Children's Fair has been rescheduled for May 1.
ORIGINAL STORY: The 31st annual Children’s Fair set for Sunday is a fundraising event hosted by the San Angelo YMCA and open to organizations who serve children in the Concho Valley.
“Every year it gets bigger and it gets better and you know we’re only stronger together,” YMCA Chief Executive Director, Angel Flores, said.
The fair is an annual tradition in the Concho Valley. Healthy Families of San Angelo hosted the community event until 2021, when the YMCA took over as host.
The fair will have games, activities, food and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.
“First year was trial and error for us in the midst of COVID, not sure what expectations or what was going to happen but year two has been much better and it’s bigger and we’re expecting a lot more people,” Flores said.
Nonprofit organizations have the opportunity to not only fundraise for their cause, but to raise awareness for who they are and what they do.
“To have an opportunity for these places to all in one time support their cause for low cost and getting back 80 to 85 percent of the money raised for us it’s a no-brainer for us, it's something that’s easy and fun to do,” Flores said.
Girls Scouts of Central Texas is one of the participating organizations and will be using the funds raised towards the “SISTERS” program, which stands for “Stay In School To Enjoy Real Success.”
“That is where we take girl scout programing to all of the SAISD jr high and high schools and so that is a program where a lot of girls that wouldn't have the opportunity to be in girls scouts or to do any type activities and giving them a leadership journey that they might never have that opportunity for,” Girl Scouts of Central Texas Community Recruitment Officer, Donna Brosh, said.
Brosh says the “SISTERS” program used to be highly funded by the United Way, but the funding has been cut back. Since then, the Girl Scouts have been participating in fundraising events to continue giving young girls the opportunity to join the program.
The Children’s Fair will be from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 1 at Kirby Park, 1401 Edmund Blvd.
With rain in the forecast, organizers say they will be watching the weather closely.