STEAM-themed Imaginology returns to Costa Mesa

OC Fair & Event Center’s annual Imaginology event really does get creative with what children can do with the educational approach known as STEAM.

In fact, even the animals at the center’s Centennial Farm get to show what they do — including goat milking demonstrations, weavers and spinners displaying different types of animal fibers and an exhibit highlighting hens.

“Even though the acronym is STEAM, I always like to think of the A as both arts and agriculture,” said Evy Young, director of Agricultural Programs, noting that to raise healthy animals people need to know how to calculate how much feed they will need.

(Susan Hoffman)

“Even though the acronym is STEAM, I always like to think of the A as both arts and agriculture,” said Evy Young, director of Agricultural Programs. “When it comes to the animals, I think a lot of it really ties in with engineering. In fact, almost all of those letters with the science, technology, engineering, arts and math … to be able to raise animals, you need to be able to feed them, so to be able to calculate how much feed to provide your animal on a daily basis. There’s definitely science involved in making sure that they’re healthy and what other elements you need to be able to provide for them.”

A goat-milking demonstration was part of the 2023 Imaginology event.

(Susan Hoffman)

At the heart of Imaginology, which launched as Youth Expo in 1989 and was renamed in 2014, is offering STEAM education and hands-on learning from a diverse range of exhibitors, bolstered by youth competitions, demonstrations and entertainment.

A child digs potatoes and re-plants vegetables with help from volunteer in the Dig for Roots play garden at the 2024 Imaginology.

(Susan Hoffman)

Some of the 2025 exhibitors are theCoderSchool, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue, Costa Mesa Police Department SWAT, Fishing in the City, Hack Club, Hedgehog Lacers, American Cetacean Society of Orange County, Orange County Aerial Arts, Model T Ford Club, the Reptile Zoo, Rolling Robots, Orange County Scroll Saw Assn. and Wonders of Wildlife.

This year’s event takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Admission is free and parking is $12.

A child, attempts to form a bubble over the head of his classmate at the Bubble Mania station during the 2018 Imaginology at the OC Fair & Event Center.

(File Photo)

“We want to have an educational fair or festival that shows kids all of the different possibilities that land within the STEM or STEAM framework,” said Johanna Svensson, director of Exhibits and Education.

She said those particular disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math can seem scary to a lot of people. So having children interact with microscopes, for example, or practicing coding skills can help make these subjects less intimidating.

“We have an organization called the Hack Club that’s coming and so [children] can see how fun it is to do some of these things on kind of a project level and what it takes to design something that comes alive in some sense,” she said. “Be it a robot or just being able to code something on one side of the screen and seeing an animation, for example, come out of that. So yeah, it’s an opportunity for kids to see all of the different pathways that exist.”

Kids build robots using Legos from the Lego Mind Store during a recent Imaginology event.

(Susan Hoffman)

Other event highlights include the new Ninja Nation Boot Camp at Heroes Hall’s Sky Hawk lawn, an inflatable obstacle course with challenges testing physical strength and mental agility. Mind Works is full of hands-on STEAM activities, including a chance to compete in giant versions of classic games like Operation, chess and Connect Four. Guests can also get creative with magnets, Legos and Lincoln Logs, make giant bubbles and check out a Slinky staircase.

Competitions are a big part of Imaginology. Though the competitions deadline for online entry has passed, guests can see the projects on display — including murals, cardboard engineering and poster art incorporating STEAM themes. There are also 4-H competitions where local youth are judged on ability to raise small livestock, understanding of animal and veterinary sciences, and their projects.

Svensson said Megan the Bubbleologist will be performing with bubbles and music, and Zany Zoe will be roaming the grounds with her magic show.

Kids create clay fossils during a recent Imaginology at the OC Fair and Events Center.

(Susan Hoffman)

“Clay Play is in one of our exhibit buildings and kids will be able to make little sculptures with clay,” Svensson said. “That’s always a huge hit.”

The Orange County Scroll Saw Assn. is a returning organization.

“And they’re always a big hit because kids get to learn how to use a scroll saw, which sounds really dangerous, but they teach them how to do it,” she said. “It’s using a piece of wood, but you’re able to kind of manipulate the wood so you can make a design.”

An Imaginolgy attendee feeds a Painted Lady butterfly.

(File Photo)

Whether it’s farm animals, robots or playing with clay, it all comes back to the importance of educating future generations about STEAM.

“I think that it’s kind of how we as a population sort of stay on top of innovation and help make the world run,” Svensson said. “I feel like, especially for little girls, it’s important to see how they might be able to envision themselves in a position as a doctor or a scientist or an engineer, and what that actually means. We’re always going to be a nation that needs to innovate. We’re always going to be a nation that needs to build, and I just think that it’s a good way to show that learning can be fun and that it will be their meaningful careers for the greater good.”