By Lookout Staff

April 12, 2024 -- For four hours on a Saturday this month robots will take over Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica, City officials announced this week.

The free 10th annual Arts & Literacy Festival -- which takes place April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. -- will feature robotic demonstrations, robot stories and a robot dance party.

The event -- a collaboration between the City and School District with “The robots are here” theme -- will host more than 30 community organizations offering games and activities.

The event also includes an obstacle course organized by the Santa Monica Fire Department, whose new Chief, Matthew Hallock, will join local librarians in reading robot-themed books.

Delivery robot Coco will make special deliveries, Curby the Robot will be on hand to teach children about recycling and the popular Steve’s Machine Empire will showcase "participatory machines and contraptions," event organizers said.

In addition, the SaMo Tech Robotics Team will offer robotic demonstrations.

There will also be some humans taking the stage, including the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra’s Mariachi Ensemble and Balkan Ensemble, Bollypop interactive dance performance, Elemental Music’s Prelude program and the Santa Monica Ballet Folklorico.

The event aligns with Santa Monica Cradle to Career Building Blocks for Kindergarten campaign, which "brings together community partners to make sure all Santa Monica children start kindergarten ready to learn, inside and outside the classroom," organizers said.

For more information on the 10th annual Arts & Literacy Festival, visit santamonica.gov/places/parks/virginia-avenue-park.