UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — A free expo for families will highlight the works of regional youth groups as diverse as arts and science to martial arts and more.
The free creative endeavors of student artists will take center stage at the Young at Art expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus, 2809 Saucon Valley Road.
Student artists will be joined by faculty and staff from local organizations that represent a range of creative disciplines such as visual arts, music, dance, theater, martial arts and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education.
Among the vendors will be Baum School of Art, Community Music School, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, Lehigh Valley Parkour Academy and Nurture Nature Center.
Also, ArtsQuest, Lehigh Valley Martial Arts, Sigal Museum, Creative Learning Lab, Appalachian Fiddle & Bluegrass Association and Mikayla's Voice.
The expo, sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance, is in its seventh year.
'Common threads'
Representatives from Mikayla's Voice, a nonprofit that inspires kids of all abilities to share the message of inclusion, have participated in the Young at Art expo for five years.
It was founded in 2010 and named after Mikayla Resh, who was born with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy and who passed away in 2019.
"It's important for every individual, whether they're young or old, to know that they feel connected."Sharon Jones, program director at Mikayla's Voice
Locally, the organization works closely with schools and offers empowering art programs such as like its Wheel of Friendship.
"It doesn't matter if somebody is 10, someone is 3 or someone is 18," Mikayla's Voice Program Director Sharon Jones said.
"We want to make sure that we're creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to work on art and to feel included."
Jones said she enjoys the variety of programs for children in the Lehigh Valley, many of whom will be at the expo on Saturday.
"There will be karate in one room, music in another room, and everyone gets to hear everyone else's presentation," Jones said.
"I think it's really just a nice spread of everything. We all have one common thread — we're all working together. And I have found going there people are kind and open to learning.
"It's important for every culture to know that they're not being segregated. It's important for every individual, whether they're young or old, to know that they feel connected.
"It's networking, but also more of that community feeling and that's why I enjoy going there every year — to meet new people and to make sure that families know this is what is available for them."
What's new in 2025
The event, which sees about 600 to 800 attendees year, will feature more than 24 organizations.
It has expanded its footprint over the years.
"Last year we expanded the event, adding at least 50 percent more space and giving exhibitors more room to show off their offerings at their table areas," LVACA Assistant Managing Director Meg Mikovits said.
For example, Lehigh Valley Parkour will bring equipment to set up a mini obstacle course and Creativity Moves Lehigh Valley will hold an activity in which kids pick from cards with movements printed on them and choreograph a little dance at their table.
"Having more space has allowed the movement organizations to really show off their programming in fun and interactive ways."LVACA Assistant Managing Director Meg Mikovits
"It's fun to see kids leaping from block to block and navigating balance bars," Mikovits said.
"Having more space has allowed the movement organizations to really show off their programming in fun and interactive ways."
Additionally, there will be an area dedicated for group lessons and experiences.
"Community Music School brings a lot of ukuleles and invites kids to join for a beginner lesson," Mikovits said.
"Appalachian Fiddle & Bluegrass will be hosting a square dance and Lehigh Valley Martial Arts will offer a karate class for anyone to join in."
In total, seven demonstrations are scheduled.
"It will be a nice complement to the performance stage, where groups like Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and the Young People's Philharmonic will run brief performances featuring their students," Mikovits said.
There also will be two new hosts at the expo: Michael Judkins, a creative director, screenwriter, content creator, and mental health advocate; and DARIA (Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou), a songwriter, folksinger and ethnomusicologist with four decades of contributions to folk/family music.
Scavenger hunt, giveaways
While on campus, attendees also will be able to visit the newly renovated Ronald De Long art gallery.
The gallery recently was relocated from the third floor to the first floor, and will hold a scavenger hunt for kids to find items and images among the current folk art exhibit, "A Fly on the Wall, A Story Untold: Objects Imbued with the Human Soul."
"We seem to get more interest from sponsors and donors every year, which we're very thankful for."LVACA Assistant Managing Director Meg Mikovits
"We seem to get more interest from sponsors and donors every year, which we're very thankful for," Mikovits said.
"This year we'll have giveaway items from the Arts at Lafayette, Crayola, Blick Art Supplies, Just Born, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and Red Robin."
The Young at Art expo is supported by Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the Martin Guitar Foundation, PPL, ESSA Bank, the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, radio station WDIY-FM and Penn State Lehigh Valley.
To register for the event or to learn more about the exhibitors, visit LVACA's Young at Art website.
