Holding baby chicks is a crowd favorite at the LSU AgCenter’s annual AgMagic, an interactive event that teaches children about agriculture. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Attendees of the LSU AgCenter’s annual AgMagic can learn about various facets of agriculture, from crops and insects to farm animals and good nutrition. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

The LSU AgCenter’s annual AgMagic gives children a chance to interact with farm animals and learn about their importance. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

News Release Distributed 03/27/15

BATON ROUGE, La. – AgMagic, an interactive event that teaches children about agriculture, will be held April 20 to 26 at the Parker Coliseum on LSU’s Baton Rouge campus.

The event, which the LSU AgCenter has hosted since 2004, annually attracts about 11,000 visitors. Through fun exhibits and activities, AgMagic strives to help attendees understand the role agriculture plays in their daily lives and the industry’s importance to Louisiana.

“Youth and adults who travel through AgMagic experience the diverse opportunities Louisiana agriculture offers,” said Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture. “Agriculture provides the food you eat, the clothes you wear and the homes you live in.”

Visitors can tour eight portals that explore various facets of agriculture, from crops and insects to farm animals and good nutrition, said AgCenter communications director Frankie Gould. A new portal focusing on 4-H program offerings has been added this year.

Children will have a chance to make rubbings of insects and leaf stamps, dig for worms and sweet potatoes, and make wildlife tracks in sand. They can watch eggs hatch, hold baby chicks and pet other animals, including cows, pigs, sheep and goats.

Rabbits will be on display for the first time this year, thanks to a new AgMagic partner, the Southern University Ag Center. They will also bring a biofuels processing demonstration and a nutrition game.

AgMagic is open to registered school groups from April 20 to 24. The public is invited to attend from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 25 and 26. Admission is free.

AgMagic on the River, which launched last year, will be held again at Docville Farms in Violet near New Orleans. School groups will attend May 13 to 15, and it will open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 16.

AgMagic will travel to the State Fair in Shreveport from Oct. 22 to Nov. 8.

For more information about AgMagic, visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/AgMagic.

Olivia McClure