For the 10th annual Youth Fair, the Cayuga County Human Services Coalition' s Children and Family Task Group has organized free events and informational booths manned by non-profit organizations to be stationed throughout Fingerlakes Mall.

Approximately 30 representatives from community organizations will provide information about their services and activities for children. Each table will have an activity for children, such as games and crafts.

Fancy Footwork Dance Studio, Absolute Dance and participants in the Partnership for Results Extended School Day program will provide entertainment.

The Extended School Day Program, which serves more than 300 students in third through fifth grades will present step dancing from Genesee and Casey Park elementary schools and a musical excerpt from Casey Park Elementary School.

“We're hoping we can get all our kids out there that day,” Susan Muldoon, in charge of the afterschool program, said.

“It always draws a big crowd,” Tracy Murphy, marketing manager for the mall, said. “It has a big impact on tenants in the mall, and they have shoppers in and out all day. On this day, it's particularly non-stop.”

In addition to the performances, Abner, the Doubleday baseball team's mascot, will be on hand, as will the Easter Bunny, RAP Bumblebee, the Kiwanis Duck and a number of other characters in costume.

The Boy Scouts' Seward pack will be doing a trash-to-treasure recycling show, turning common household waste into usable items. The pack from Genesee School will make rainsticks - long tubes containing rice and nails that make a sound like rain falling. A Union Springs pack will show a display of animals in their natural habitat, including animal tracks.

A major event for the Cub Scouts will begin at 1 p.m. when all of the 13 cub packs throughout Cayuga County have been invited to race cars in the annual Pinewood Derby. The event is expected to take a couple of hours to complete.

“An open invitation has been given to each Cub Scout that has a car from Red Creek to Moravia,” Don Grillo, executive director for the Cayuga County BSA Council said. “We've had some 50 or 60 racers in a typical year.”

Grillo noted that the number of new Cub Scouts enrolled this year has doubled over last year.

The scouts have been racing pinewood cars in a derby for about 20 or 30 years, according to Grillo. They have been held at the mall for at least the past 15 years.

For a $6 registration fee, a boy will get a Pinewood Derby patch and a carrying case for his car, in addition to any other award received for finishing the race.

The Cato cub pack, led by Dan Pultz, Cato cubmaster, is hosting the event at the mall this year in the food court area close to the movie theater. Racers will register at noon, and the race will begin after all cars have been measured and weighed. Each car is made from a pinewood kit supplied to each cub scout. The car can't be more than seven inches long and 2-and-3/4 inches wide. It also can't weigh more than 5 ounces. Cars will be raced four or six cars at a time in three different heats each, with electronic sensors at the finish line to record the exact winners.

Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net

If you go

What: Youth Fair

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8

Where: Fingerlakes Mall, Aurelius

How much: Free

Info: Call 255-1188