Festive atmosphere for children, charity

When Kodi Lee plays the keyboard and sings the Isley Brothers’ classic “Shout!” it’s easy to forget that the 10-year-old is autistic and blind.

Kodi, the official ambassador of the Festival of Children, kicked off the month-long event with a brief concert Saturday at carousel court in South Coast Plaza.

“Celebrating children, it’s a wonderful thing,” said Orange County Supervisor Tom Wilson.

The fifth annual festival is put on by the Festival of Children Foundation. Throughout September, the festival offers free family activities and information about more than 50 children’s charities.

The opening ceremonies — and entire month of festivities — is all about kids. The charities — including the Girl Scouts, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and others — will have informational booths set up inside South Coast Plaza for the festival’s duration.

“Bringing in all the wonderful acts is a way to bring people into the charities,” said Sandy Segerstrom-Daniels, founder and executive director of the Festival of Children Foundation.

Children and their parents filled the court to take in all the opening ceremony festivities, which included singing and dancing by various groups. Some kids waited in line to get their faces painted, and others were busy gluing glitter on wood picture frames.

Kodi’s mother, Tina Lee, said her son was excited when he learned that it was once again time for the Festival of Children. Kodi has been involved with the festival for four years since his mother found out about the foundation through a friend.

“It was a perfect match,” Lee said.

Performing each year as the official festival ambassador has been a growing experience for Kodi, who is a savant — after hearing a song only once, he can play and sing it perfectly. Being around other children helps him socialize and learn to better communicate. Saturday’s performance was the first time Kodi spoke to the crowd between songs, Lee said.