SPANISH FORT, Ala. — In less than 24 hours, hundreds of area fourth-graders will swarm 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center for an environmental education no traditional classroom could ever provide.

And with live music, expanded class offerings and hands-on activities designed to educate and enamor participants with the Mobile-Tensaw Delta during Saturday’s free Family Day, Spanish Fort’s third annual Delta Woods and Waters Expo sits poised to shatter both resource and attendance records.

“Everything’s looking pretty good. I think we’re a go,” said Joe Bridgeforth, steering committee chairman for the three-day environmental extravaganza and community celebration.

“We just need some good weather, and it looks like we might get it, so barring any last-minute (presenter) dropouts, we should have a pretty exceptional festival,” he said.

Slated for April 28-30, the first two days of the expo cater exclusively to area fourth-graders, but Family Day is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Westminster Village offering shuttle service and several area vendors providing food for nominal costs.

Created in 2009 to expose area youth to the virtues of environmental consciousness and importance of marine safety, organizers also saw the opportunity to address the city’s long-range goal of creating a communitywide event that defines and unites its residents.

Debbie Bonner, the expo’s volunteer coordinator, said as of press time all bases appeared to be covered.

“It usually all comes together the last week,” she said, noting three years of practice have helped organizers learn which groups to target for assistance and expertise.

Indeed, from small-boat handling and turkey calling to yarn spinning and marine safety, festival-goers will have an array of demonstrations and tutorials to experience throughout the day.

Donna Dunning, one of the city’s two liaisons to the expo’s steering committee, said the only presenter cancellation as of press time was Belle Shain Kennel’s Labrador retriever demonstration due to illness. The slot was quickly filled, however, by another trainer in Fairhope who will feature springer spaniels instead.

Another last-minute addition, she said, has been a silent auction to accommodate about a half-dozen of the higher-end “prizes” community merchants have donated to the cause, including a kayak provided by Bass Pro Shops and a handmade child’s fly-fishing casting rod, complete with one free casting lesson. A time has not been set yet for the auction.

Opening ceremonies, however, will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with Spanish Fort High School’s Rebecca Womack singing the National Anthem, Dunning said.

Mayor Joe Bonner said the week of the festival is always “frantic,” but organizers have learned a few tricks along the way to help things run smoother.

“We’ve made our list. We’re checking it twice, and I feel a lot more comfortable with things this year than I have the last two because I’ve seen some of the volunteers come to life with their expertise, and I can just see really good things happening,” Bonner said. “It’s just magic how a group of people can come together and make something this extraordinary happen.”

Map:

View Larger Map