AUGUSTA – The Maine Elks Association will hold its seventh annual “Youthfest” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Augusta Elks Lodge, Route 27. The free program will be held rain or shine.

Members of the Maine Elks Association and the 22 lodges from across the state put together the annual event to provide families of disabled or disadvantaged preteen children, their friends and families of active duty military personnel with a day of fun and entertainment.

Several children’s support organizations have been invited to attend the special event, including the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, Casey Family Services, Pine Tree Society, Maine Parent Federation, John F. Murphy Homes, Goodwill Hinckley, Bread of Life Ministries, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, Spurwink School, Salvation Army, Maine Special Olympics, A Family for ME, Child Welfare Training Institute, the March of Dimes, as well as children in foster care.

The event will feature carnival games, face painting, pony rides, emergency vehicle displays, crafts, a hoop shoot and soccer shoot, music, animated characters, bounce houses, prize drawings, food and music. Rick Charette will perform and Slugger the Seadog of the Portland Seadogs baseball team will visit.

Each year, the Maine Elks provide youth programs in the form of scholarships, hoop shoot and soccer shoot competitions, drug awareness programs and several other contests and events.

For more information on the Youthfest, contact Wayne or Kathleen Cotterly at 998-2282.