ADVISORY/Los Angeles Times to Hold First KidCity July 19-20 at Exposition Park; Free Children's Event to Feature Science/Nature Demonstrations, Cultural Entertainment, Author Readings.

News Editors/Lifestyle Editors/Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Saturday - Sunday (July 19-20)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

What               First Los Angeles Times KidCity

                   A fun-filled weekend celebration of learning and
                   literacy, and a showcase for the literary and
                   creative arts, culture and history, science and
                   technology, and sports.  Designed for children
                   ages 7-13.

                   First major children's event at Exposition Park
                   involving all five park venues:
                   -- California African-American Museum
                   -- California Science Center
                   -- City of Los Angeles' Exposition Park
                      Intergenerational Community Complex
                   -- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Sports Arena
                   -- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

When               July 19-20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where              Exposition Park, 700 S. State St., Los Angeles

Media Check-in,    Location: Bungalow #3, west end of State Drive near
 Media Room                  California Science Center

                   Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, July 19;
                          10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, July 20

Admission          Free.   Parking: $6

Highlights         -- More than 60 themed exhibits and interactive
                      demonstrations -- Science, technology, nature,
                      arts, culture, literacy and sports

                   -- Six stages - Showcasing a variety of children's
                      and family entertainment including dance and
                      music performances, storytelling and hands-on
                      activities

                   -- Launch of:
                      - Above & Beyond awards program, which
                        recognizes the exceptional academic
                        achievements, community service and cultural
                        contributions of outstanding Southland
                        children
                      - Road To Reading Adventure, a multifaceted
                        literacy program developed by The Times'
                        Reading by 9 program

Stages             -- California Science Center Stage - Science
                      Spectacular Show demonstrates the power of air
                      and chemical reactions.

                   -- Heritage Stage - Storytelling by actress
                      Ellaraino ("The Fox Clubhouse," "Fire Down
                      Below," "Sneakers").  Asian Pacific Island
                      theater. African, American Blues, Aztec,
                      Filipino, Flamenco, Hawaiian, Japanese and
                      Korean music.

                   -- Live Action Stage - Debbie Allen Dance Academy.
                      High-energy hip-hop by Culture Shock Dance
                      Troupe. Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team.
                      Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do and National Wushu
                      Training Center martial arts demonstrations.
                      Jazz Tap Ensemble. Song/dance troupe L.A. Hip
                      Kids.

                   -- Mervyn's Stage - Young models show off the
                      latest kids' fashions.  Taping of KPCC-FM's Book
                      Club of the Air for Young Adults. First Los
                      Angeles Times Above & Beyond awards ceremony.
                      LeVar Burton, host/producer of Emmy
                      Award-winning PBS series, "Reading Rainbow."
                      Lula Washington Youth Dance Ensemble.
                      International Children's Choir of Long Beach.

                   -- Natural History Museum Stage - Presentations of
                      "Who's Afraid of Snakes" and "Albert's
                      Adventures in the Pits," a look at 89 years of
                      excavation history at the La Brea Tar Pits.
                      Wildlife education programs by STAR Eco Station
                      and Nature of Wildworks.

                   -- Reading by 9 Storytelling Stage - Karin Anna
                      Cheung, lead star in MTV Films' "Better Luck
                      Tomorrow."  Kiko Ellsworth of ABC Televisions'
                      daytime drama "Port Charles" and Sony Pictures'
                      "Bad Boys 2."  Arlen Escarpeta of NBC television
                      series "American Dreams." Clippers Reading
                      All-Star Team with forward Tremaine Fowlkes.

Interactive        -- Science & Technology - Sico Millennia, one of
                      the most sophisticated mobile robots in the
                      world. NASA Mars exploration rovers. Daytime
                      stargazing and sunspot observation. Hovercraft
                      and solar-power demonstrations. Make-believe
                      newscast from the KTLA News desk.

                   -- The Arts - Quilt-making and the Underground
                      Railroad. Journal-making. Traditional Latino
                      mural painting and mask making. Sidewalk chalk
                      painting, coloring wall, arts and crafts.

                   -- Nature - Dinosaur fossil dig. Coastal tidepool
                      exhibit. Tropical birds, "at risk" mammals,
                      endangered species and exotic reptiles.

                   -- History & Culture - Los Angeles Memorial
                      Coliseum and Olympic memorabilia. Mervyn's
                      "Moving Missions,"  Heritage Discovery Center
                      and Los Angeles Times historical exhibits.

                   -- Literacy - Create your own Los Angeles Times'
                      Kids Reading Room Page. Meet a newspaper editor.

                   -- Reading by 9 Reading Gazebo - Readings by
                      popular children's book authors including D.J.
                      MacHale ("Are You Afraid of the Dark?" series)
                      and Wendelin Van Draanen, Edgar Allen Poe
                      Award-winning author ("Sammy Keyes" mystery
                      series).

                   -- Ask the Reading Experts - Los Angeles Unified
                      School District literacy experts answer
                      questions about how best to help children learn
                      to read.

Sports Activities  -- Kids skate park - Free-style skateboarding and
                      safety tips
                   -- World of Gymnastics - Demonstrations by
                      Olympic-caliber gymnasts
                   -- Individual sports - Martial arts and rock
                      climbing demonstrations
                   -- Team sports - Basketball, volleyball, baseball,
                      hockey
                   -- Sports fun - Sumo wrestling, Velcro wall, bungee
                      run, bungee challenge

Above & Beyond     Created in 2003 to recognize exceptional academic
Awards             achievements, community service and cultural
                   contributions of outstanding children, ages 7-13.
                   Judging categories: Above & Beyond in my
                   Community, Above & Beyond in my Classroom, and
                   Above & Beyond in my Cultural Heritage.  Winners
                   selected by a panel of judges -- parents, teachers
                   and business and community leaders -- from Los
                   Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and
                   Ventura counties.

Road to Reading    The Road to Reading Adventure is a multifaceted
Adventure          literacy program that encourages kindergarten
                   through third-grade students to expand their
                   reading skills while discovering Southern
                   California's rich cultural heritage. Supplementing
                   the program's reading component are a variety of
                   arts, history, nature, science and cultural
                   activities offered by 17 institutions, museums,

                   school and public libraries and other local
                   organizations. The program was developed by
                   Reading by 9.

Reading by 9       Launched by the Los Angeles Times in 1998, Reading
                   by 9 is a multi-year initiative aimed at helping
                   Southern California kindergarten through
                   third-grade students read at grade level by the age
                   of nine. The program is conducted in Los Angeles,
                   Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura
                   counties, and is supported by almost 50 business,
                   civic, education, media and philanthropic
                   organizations.

Event Information  Web site: www.latimes.com/kidcity

                   July 13 edition, Los Angeles Times: KidCity event
                   program/supplement

Sponsors           Title -- Mervyn's
                   Presenting -- Bank of America
                   Major -- The California Wellness Foundation
                   Supporting -- Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier
                   Media -- KMEX-TV, KTLA-TV
                            KDIS-AM Radio Disney (1110), KKBT-FM
                             "The Beat" (100.3),
                            KPCC-FM (89.3)