Thousands turned up for Celebrate Youth’s 20th year

REXBURG – Residents could not wait to start the fun at Celebrate Youth in Porter Park on Tuesday.

Celebrate Youth is an annual community event to get kids in Madison School District 321 excited for the new school year. The event offered a plethora of activities, including a rock wall, bouncy houses, mechanical bull, snacks and more.

The event had more than 40 vendors, and organizers estimate between 10,000 to 13,000 people attended.

Macail Chavez, the communications director for Madison School District, says people started showing up 30 minutes early for the annual event.

“I feel like a lot of people are having fun, visiting with the vendors and just enjoying the raffle prizes and the games,” Chavez said.

Prize table at Celebrate Youth | Isabella Sosa-Salazar, EastIdahoNews.com

The raffle gave visitors a chance to win prizes ranging from baby toys to date nights. Some prizes were valued at $250. Those who bought raffle tickets could place them in buckets corresponding to specific prizes.

For the first time in Celebrate Youth’s history, local performers graced the stage at the Beehive Pavilion.

One of these performers was the band Danny and the Fat Apple, led by Danny Heslop, an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University-Idaho. They performed together for an audience for the first time at Celebrate Youth and played original pop songs.

“I didn’t know it was going to be this big of a function, so I was driving in and I thought, ‘Holy cow, this is way more people than I thought there was going to be,’” said Jackson Campbell, bass player of Danny and the Fat Apple.

Other performances included a color guard team, dance team and vocalist.

As they have for the last 10 years, the Rexburg Police Department provided free train rides for kids. The train rides are part of Operation Lifesaver, which focuses on railroad safety.

“We all come to this event and get to see all the kids in the schools that we work in,” said Peter Noel, the school resource officer with the Rexburg Police Department. “It’s always important for them to see us in a different light.”

Chavez says Celebrate Youth wouldn’t be possible without their volunteers from the Madison School District.

“Everyone that’s there is there for the kids and they want to participate on their own time,” Chavez said.

Isabella Sosa-Salazar, EastIdahoNews.com

Isabella Sosa-Salazar, EastIdahoNews.com Danny Heslop perfo
rming with Danny and the Fat Apple. | Isabella Sosa-Salazar, EastIdahoNews.com Isabella Sosa-Salazar, EastIdahoNews.com Isabella Sosa-Salazar, EastIdahoNews.com