Exciting Activities Throughout the Day

New York State Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn M. Destito today announced the 15th annual Hannaford Kidz Expo will take place on Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for this event, which attracts thousands of children and parents to the Empire State Plaza.

“A day full of wonderful entertainment as well as healthy foods and exciting educational activities for children of all ages awaits everyone who attends the Hannaford Kidz Expo on March 7,” Commissioner Destito said. “We are all looking forward to seeing the big smiles that will appear on children’s faces this year when they meet their favorite superheroes from The Avengers and participate in an interactive performance with The Smurfs. I want to thank Hannaford Supermarkets and all of our generous sponsors for making this free, family event possible.”

 “Hannaford Supermarkets is proud to once again partner with the New York State Office of General Services on an event that has become a true mainstay for Capital Region families. The Hannaford Kidz Expo is a great opportunity for kids to learn, grow, and stay active,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Community Relations Specialist Brian Fabre. “We look forward to welcoming families to the Empire State Plaza to enjoy a fun-filled day of exploration and education.”

 Kids will find activities galore – many of them focusing on a healthy and active lifestyle. There will be meet and greets with characters from Star Wars, theater performances, a planetarium, arts and crafts, mini-golf, bounce rides, and even reptiles. Parents will find information from dozens of their favorite vendors in one convenient location: summer camps, photographers, and college savings plans, to name a few. Also, a variety of food options will be available.

Exciting Activities for All Ages

Among the new and featured attractions for the 2020 Hannaford Kidz Expo are:

Meet and Greets with Black Panther and Captain America (The Egg’s Swyer Theatre) — A superhero fan’s dream come true. Here is your chance to take pictures with and hang out with two of your favorite Avengers: Black Panther and Captain America.

The Smurfs: A Musical Playdate (Meeting Room 6) — A fun, interactive live show with three of your favorite Smurfs:  Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and Clumsy Smurf!  For over 60 years, The Smurfs have become a global phenomenon – their series, movies, and comic books have been translated in over 40 languages spanning 90 countries. Make sure you save the date for singing and dancing with The Smurfs and a chance to meet them up close and personal!

Hannaford Supermarkets Farmstand (Base of The Egg) — Fuel up with FREE Healthy Snacks at the Hannaford Supermarkets Farmstand.

STARLAB Planetarium presented by National Grid (North Concourse) — View the night sky and all its wonders with an astronomer.

Mountain Ridge Adventure Zipline (Convention Hall) — The Capital Region’s only treetop challenge course and zip line park will be setting up an exciting zip line to try on the Convention Hall stage.

Country Karaoke with WGNA (Meeting Room 2) — Sing a country song, participate in a scavenger hunt, and win prizes with your favorite WGNA on-air talent.

Reptile Adventure (Meeting Rooms 3 – 4) — Stop by for a hands-on education and adventure with friendly animals and stranger-than-fiction facts.

Meet Our Heroes (North Concourse) — A chance to meet and learn about the people and programs that keep our communities safe, including a New York State Police interactive drone display, a New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Special Ops utility task vehicle and interactive display, and the Albany Police Department Safe Child ID program.

Ninja Lab (Meeting Room 1) — Find your inner Ninja at this indoor obstacle course.

A great deal of entertainment and activities at the 2020 Hannaford Kidz Expo will be provided by performers and organizations from the Capital Region community, including the Albany Berkshire Ballet and the Albany Charter School Drill Team.

Also, the Empire “Skate” Plaza Ice Rink will be open for free skating, weather permitting, and every Saturday at the rink is Hannaford Free Skate Rental Saturday.  There will also be free learn-to-skate clinics presented by BlueShield of Northeastern. Pre-registration at empirestateplaza.ny.gov is required.

Paid visitor parking will be available in the visitor lot under the Empire State Plaza for $5, and free parking will be available in the East Garage on Philip Street off Madison Avenue.

For more information about this year’s Hannaford Kidz Expo and other events at the Empire State Plaza, visit us online at empirestateplaza.ny.gov and follow @PlazaEvents on Twitter and @EmpireStatePlaza on Facebook, or call the OGS Convention & Cultural Events Office at (518) 474-4759.

In addition to Hannaford Supermarkets, sponsors of Kidz Expo include BlueShield of Northeastern New York, National Grid, NY’s 529 College Savings Program, Times Union, 107.7 WGNA, The Spot, Parent Pages, Renaissance Albany Hotel, Albany.com, MVP Health Care, and Total Events.