Jackson Free Press

In order to promote healthy living in the Jackson area, "Parents & Kids" magazine partnered with Children's Healthcare of Mississippi and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi to present Saturday's Fitness Fest.

"We wanted to create something that would be educational, active, and fun for everyone and teach everyone that it really is fun to be fit. It's not a chore or labor in any way," says Rachel Perkins, managing editor and events coordinator of Parents & Kids magazine.

The interactive, full-day event will have numerous activities for children and their parents, such as a kid-sized grocery store, an inflatable walk-through heart and many sports demos. Special guests from Mississippi Public Broadcasting including Dr. Rick DeShazo, chef Rob Stinson and radio personality Ed Said will provide information, cooking lessons and live shows. The health department will be handing out literature on various health and fitness points for parents as well.

Perkins is most excited about the indoor walking track. "The goal will be that by the end of the day, everyone will have walked a mile and done 30 minutes of cardio," she says. "It's a really easy opportunity for everyone to get in their daily recommended exercise regimen."

With all of the activities in store, Perkins is positive that each child present will be able to find something that's beneficial to him or her. "One of the coolest things will be that every kid can figure out something they like to do or learn something new about something they knew they already loved, and every family can learn about a new way to experience fitness and health," she says.

"We feel strongly about improving the community and doing what we can to make healthy living more accessible to Jackson-area families. We care about the community and the community's health, and we think a lot of other people do too. So we tried to get everyone together to create something really cool."

Fitness Fest is July 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex (105 Pascagoula St.). Admission is $2 per person with a maximum of $10 per family. For more information, call Parents & Kids Magazine at 601-366-0901, or visit parents-kids.com.