Kids gathered in LaVanch Hursh Park in Arbuckle on Friday for some summer fun and music.
The childrens fair was the first of several planned community outreach events, hosted by the Colusa County Office of Education.
Childrens Services Director Joe Moye, who took over the position from Dolores Gomez in April, organized the event to raise awareness of CCOE childrens programs and to recruit teachers and staff.
Moye said the event started because the childrens center in Arbuckle had openings for children, but it expanded when other organizations contacted him to participate.
” Its really exciting to have the community step up and say they are supporting us and want to help,” Moye said.
Moye, who has more than 20 years in early childhood education, was also the Childrens Fair Music Man.
Moyes experience goes beyond working in Head Start programs and child development: he is a veteran of theater and art, sings in a rock and roll band, and started his own childrens entertainment company, where he was known as SideShow Joe until the COVID-19 pandemic shut him down.
Moyes humor, music, and comedic style had a number of small children dancing.
Kids also had an opportunity to draw sidewalk pictures, do arts and crafts, plant seeds, and dig in the homemade sand for make-believe bones and fossils.
Each booth at the fair had a variety of information, offered free books or handouts, or had an interactive activity. Participants also included Woodland Community College, First Five Colusa County, Ampla Health, the Colusa County Free Library Literacy Program, and others.
Moye said Colusa County Childrens Services plan to continue their community outreach by hosting similar childrens fairs in Williams and Colusa. –