Want to entertain the kids on a budget this month? Then make your plans now for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, taking place Feb. 12–14 throughout downtown Charleston, including Marion Square, Brittlebank Park, Gaillard Auditorium and Charleston Place.

Now in its 28th year, SEWE is expected to attract more than 40,000 attendees to downtown Charleston.

“There’s so much to do and see,” says Ashley Slane, marketing director for SEWE. “Even if you’re not necessarily an art connoisseur or a hunter or a fisherman.

“It’s very dog friendly and it’s a great place to come out and see a lot of different things, you can try things … there’s really something for everyone.”

Tickets drop from $20 to $10 on Sunday and kids 10 and younger are free with a ticketed adult throughout the weekend.

Slane says the Expo is an affordable activity for families. “Your ticket gets you in to all of the events and activities with a very few exceptions.”

Marion Square hosts many of the kid-related and kid-centered events. The Charleston Museum will offer arts and crafts and science stations from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on Saturday. A conservation tent is hosted by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, and other conservation groups have plenty of opportunities for children can touch, see and do.

Edisto Island Serpentarium will provide a petting zoo, and The Center for Birds of Prey will present free-flight falconry demos.

“They’ll actually fly the birds in this big ring and fly them overhead,” Slane says. “A lot of times they’ll fly them up to one of the hotel roofs and then call the birds back. That’s really neat to watch those birds.”

Pony and camel rides, a power rock-climbing wall, a spider jump and elaborate face painting are all available at Marion Square for nominal charges separate from the SEWE ticket.

The family fun goes beyond the square. The Sporting Village area at Brittlebank Park offers plenty for families to see and do.

The Charleston Angler will have plenty of hands-on age-appropriate activities for children at its booth. BeBe Harrison, local aquatic education consultant, will have coloring and fish printing for the little ones. She’ll teach older kids how to rig and to cast spinning reels.

“We want to promote the sport and art of fishing, educate the kids about the wildlife around them and give them the tools to learn,” says Caroline Rhodes, owner of The Charleston Angler.

The DockDogs competitions return for the third year and are always fun for the kids. John Powell, SEWE exhibitors coordinator, says kids love the dock dogs as much as adults. Some dogs travel the pro circuit with DockDogs and compete all over the country, but slots are held for local waterdogs.

“They’re just used to doing it off their own docks, and sometimes those dogs do incredibly well,” Slane says.

The retreiver demos are another fun “dog” event which will be solely at Brittlebank Park this year. In the past, the demos have been at Marion Square as well. Cooper River Retriever Club members will host two demos per day during all three days of the event.

Cooper River Retriever Club Vice President Tom McKenzie and his 9-year-old dog Marty will participate this year. The exciting event starts with a duck-hunting scenario. McKenzie shoots blanks and Marty, a finished retriever, goes and brings back all of the ducks. They’ll do fun competitions, hunt tests and field trials with their American Kennel Club registered retrievers – from puppies to more seasoned, finished retrievers.

If you want to see some exotic animals without visiting a zoo, go see Jack Hanna and his crew. Hanna, well-known naturalist and director emeritus for the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, joins the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary to present live animal demonstrations at Gaillard Auditorium.

“We never know what types of animals and birds they’re going to bring with them but they always put on a great show,” Powell says. “And it’s also educational at the same time.”

Survival Outreach Sanctuary, an organization located in Spring Hill, Fla., that provides permanent homes to abused, unwanted and abandoned animals of all species, also brings exotic animals to the expo.

One new event for kids this year is celebrity story-reading time at the Charleston County Public Library Main branch on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Suzi Hanna, Jack Hanna’s wife, is just one of the famous people slated to read.

“It’s hard to find that much entertainment, especially quality entertainment (because there are so many educational aspects to it),” Powell says. “But to bring the whole family, with kids getting in free, for the price of a ticket, it’s really hard to beat. It’s just such a great value. You’re helping to support conservation, you’re helping to support the community. SEWE is a boon to the local economy.”

Tickets to SEWE cost $20 for adults Friday and Saturday and $10 Sunday. Kids 10 and younger get in free with a ticketed adult. Three-day passes are available for $40; some of the classes and programs cost extra.

Call 723-1748 or visit www.sewe.com for advance tickets, schedules and more.

Kids for Conservation

is a program that promotes wildlife and environmental conservation awareness in young people. The organization recently announced the winners in it’s annual competition for all tri-county-area students in grades 1-12.

Kids for Conservation sponsors a poster competition for elementary school students, photography and poetry competitions for middle school students and birdhousemaking for high school students. The winning birdhouses will be on display at the Charleston County Main Library through Feb. 28. Kids for Conservation poster, poetry, photography and conservation project entries will be on display in the group’s tent throughout the weekend. Winners won savings bonds and passes to SEWE.

For more information, contact Natalie Wooten at 723-1748 or e-mail nwooten@sewe.com.