The LOU Excel By 5 Coalition will hold its fifth annual EXCELebration Saturday, in collaboration with the United Way of Oxford & Lafayette County.

EXCELebration is a circus-themed activity fair that aims to connect local families with local organizations. The event is free and open to the public, but it specifically targets families with children ages 5 years and younger.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the University of Mississippi’s Jackson Avenue Center and will include arts and crafts, literacy activities, educational resources, songs and stories, car seat checks and refreshments.

Children can have fun painting, building, cooking, making necklaces, posing in the photo booth, visiting horses and the fire engine or testing the obstacle course, while their parents receive valuable information on car seat safety and early childhood resources.

A Baby Zone will be provided by the LOU Excel by 5 Lending Library for families of children ages 0-18 months who may need a break from the excitement. The main stage will have scheduled storytelling, songs, and a puppet show. In addition, a balloon expert will be on hand throughout the event to provide colorful souvenirs.

In 2013, the LOU community was certified as a child-friendly community and it was re-certified in Spring 2016. The certification demonstrates the LOU community supports a child’s overall development from birth to age 5 by focusing on the roles parents, early childhood caregivers, and the community play in the lives of our youngest children.

For more information, contact Edy Dingus at 662-236-4265 or at edy@unitedwayoxfordms.org.