In what appears to be the last such event on the same scale, at least for now, children can learn about nutrition and more at the 13th Annual Kids in the Kitchen healthy eating and exercise fair Saturday.

The free event, hosted by Junior League of Long Beach and Long Beach Health Department’s Healthy Active Long Beach, runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1950 Lemon Ave.

The event has grown so popular that many other similar events have popped up around the region, event chair Jessica Widdup said. The event grew from 100 attendees at first to more than 900 last year.

Widdup said copycat events could take over where the event left off, and there will be other official spin-offs.

“The main event kind of spawned mini events,” Widdup said. Those include monthly visits to the Boys & Girls Clubs, offering healthy tips to as many as 50 children, she said.

“We’re finding those have a more quantifiable impact… more quality over quantity,” Widdup said, adding that the smaller events allow for more flexibility, hands-on experience, repetition with the same children, and relationship opportunities.

“They provide more impact on kids,” Widdup said.

Activities Saturday will include:

A food demo booth showcasing an “Amazing Fruit Salad”;

“Rethink Your Drink,” with smoothie and flavored water samples;

Peace Garden tours;

Walk and Roll Long Beach, focusing on pedestrian safety.

Features include booths from HALB, Long Beach Beekeepers, Long Beach Dental Hygienist Society’s and Cerritos College Dental’s Children’s Dental Clinic, Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) Explorers, LBPD Senior Police Partners, Health Department’s WIC program, L.A. Department of Public Social Services, The Children’s Clinic, USA Taekwondo performance, Welcome Baby and the Long Beach Public Library.

Even though Kids in the Kitchen is ending for now, its purpose — to educate children and families about healthy eating and exercise in an entertaining way — will endure with other events and offerings.

“The kids are expressing how fun it is,” Widdup said of mini events. “We’re working with some kids who don’t have fresh produce.”