New York State Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn M. Destito today announced the 14th annual Hannaford Kidz Expo will take place on Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., indoors at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center and concourse.  Admission is free and will feature meet and greets with Chase and Marshall of PAW Patrol and dozens of activities. Another highlight of the day will be demonstrations by Science Bob, presented by National Grid.

“We are all looking forward to March 2 when the Empire State Plaza will be filled with smiling children and their families enjoying a full day of fun and educational activities at this year’s Hannaford Kidz Expo,” Commissioner Destito said. “Watching Science Bob share the wonder of science through his experiments and getting to meet the brave and heroic characters from PAW Patrol are sure to make a great Saturday adventure. I am thankful that we are able to partner with Hannaford Supermarkets and all of our generous sponsors to offer this free, family event.”

“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 children’s characters, theater performances, bounce rides, arts and crafts, mini-golf, and even reptiles. Parents will find information from all of their favorite vendors in one convenient location: summer camps, health care, sports clubs, photographers, schools, dance studios, and amusement parks, just 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 2019 Hannaford Kidz Expo are:

Science Bob presented by National Grid (The Egg’s Hart Theatre) – Experience the world of science like never before with science teacher, author, and maker, Science Bob. A regular guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Nickelodeon’s “Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn,” Science Bob continues his work through presentations at events around the world, including the USA Science & Engineering Festival, the World Science Festival, and the White House Science Fair. Bob encourages parents and teachers to practice “random acts of science” by providing instructions and videos for interactive science experiments on his website, sciencebob.com. Showtimes are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.

PAW Patrol (Meeting Room 1) – Meet and greets with Chase and Marshall of PAW Patrol, a group of rescue dogs in training who always find a way to help those in need and provide kids with a fun way to learn about bravery and heroism. Each pup is inspired by a real-world job like fire fighter, police officer, and construction worker. Using his police truck and megaphone, Chase is a German Shepherd and an athletic natural leader who likes to take charge. Chase may be on the case, but he has to watch out for the cats and feathers because he’s allergic. From the firehouse to his fire truck, Marshall is a Dalmatian who is all action, easily excited, and the clumsy one of the group. The pups will always hear Marshall say, “I’m okay!” Meet and greets last approximately 30 minutes and will begin at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. 

Hannaford Supermarkets Healthy Kidz Room (Meeting Rooms 3–4) – The 2019 Hannaford Healthy Kidz Room will feature multiple activities designed to get kids on their feet and playing together. From tunnel crawls to hopper balls, balance beams to slalom poles, there is sure to be something for kids of all ages and skill levels to enjoy. But there's no time to sit around – this year's theme is fast-paced: Get in, get moving, and get on with the Hannaford Kidz Expo.

A great deal of entertainment and activities at the 2019 Hannaford Kidz Expo will be provided by performers and organizations from the Capital Region community, including STARLAB Planetarium presented by miSCi, strolling characters, train rides, bounce houses, Dance Dimensions, School of the Albany Berkshire Ballet, Debuts Theater Company, the Albany Community Charter Schools Drill Team, and local libraries. 

Also, the Empire “Skate” Plaza Ice Rink will be open for free skating, weather permitting, and there will be free learn-to-skate clinics presented by BlueShield of Northeastern NY and hosted by the Hudson Mohawk Figure Skating Club at 10 and 11 a.m. Pre-registration for the clinics is required and is now open at empirestateplaza.ny.gov. Skate rentals are available and are free all-day courtesy of Hannaford Supermarkets.

Paid visitor parking will be available in the V-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 include BlueShield of Northeastern New York, National Grid, NY’s 529 College Savings Program, Fidelis, Times Union, 107.7 WGNA, The Spot 518, Capital District Parent Pages, Renaissance Albany Hotel, Albany.com, MVP Health Care, and Total Events.