Portland’s schools will hold a free picnic for students and parents Wednesday at Deering Oaks.

The event, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., is part of the school district’s annual meals program, which provides healthy, consistent meals to kids 18 and younger during the school year and the summer.

When students are out of the classroom in the summer, the school department establishes 18 sites throughout the city where it distributes free lunch each day.

Part of the initiative this year includes additional learning opportunities for students at each site, such as science experiments, reading, art and games.

The picnic will include entertainment by the Circus Conservatory of America, the Portland Public Library Bookmobile, and Slugger the Sea Dog.

In case of rain, the event will be postponed until Thursday.

The picnic is part of an effort called Feeding Bodies & Minds, a collaboration between Portland Public Schools, Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative, The Opportunity Alliance, Healthy Portland, 211 Maine and other organizations.

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