A month of inspiration

They’re fun, they’re family-friendly, and many are free.

The theme for this year’s countywide Imagination Celebration is “Spark Your Imagination!” The monthlong celebration begins Saturday, and includes free and low-cost entertainment and education options for kids and their families put on by Arts Orange County and the county Department of Education.

Below are several of the local events that will be going on this month.

Digital Diversions

At Family Day at the Beall Center of the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, families can enjoy free, hands-on art and science activities for all ages. Participants will learn about light and vision, check out 3-D modeling and laser cutting, design a new digital species and enjoy an art exhibit by Shih Chieh Huang, “EX-I-09,” that combines recycled materials and stripped electronic parts. For more information, visit uci.edu.

Symphonic Selections

The Pacific Symphony presents family concerts featuring popular selections by Leonard Bernstein, including music from “West Side Story” and “Our Town,” at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday. There will be a musical carnival in the hour before each concert. Tickets are $18 to $35. The symphony presents the final season performance by its three Youth Ensembles at 4 p.m. May 17. Tickets are $20 for adults and $16 for children and students. Both programs will be in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. For more information, visit pacificsymphony.org.

Dancing Divas

Jennifer Backhaus and her company, Backhausdance, take kids on a behind-the-scenes peek at the world of dance at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive. Youth will see examples of different kinds of dance, and learn about how dancers train and audition, then selected kids will come onstage to learn a new dance. Admission is $8. For more information, visit backhausdance.org.

Theatre Antics

South Coast Repertory will hold a free Kids Open House from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Julianne Argyros Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Kids 8 and older will turn the repertory’s education studios and take mini acting workshops and enjoy theatre games. For more information, visit scr.org.

Puppets and Stories