O.C. Department of Education to Host First Father Fest

The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) is launching a new event focused on fathers and male mentors. The first Father Fest is coming to Anaheim next weekend.

Organizers describe the free event as a celebration aimed at supporting and empowering fathers and mentors, while connecting them with tools, resources, strategies and community partners.

“OCDE is launching Father Fest now because there is a growing recognition that fathers and male mentors often feel unheard or overlooked in schools and community spaces,” Janis Price, OCDE’s coordinator of Family and Community Engagement, wrote in an email to Spotlight Schools.

Father Fest is being held on Saturday, October 4 at the Harbor Learning Center in Anaheim from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. It is free, but registration is required due to space limitations.

The five-and-a-half-hour event has two parts. The morning session from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. is for fathers and male mentors only. It will feature a keynote speech from Jerry Tello, author and co-founder of National Compadres Network where “fathers will be invited to reflect on the importance of healing, emotional honesty, intentional engagement and the sacred role they play in the lives of their children,” according to the event’s website. 

Participants can also take part in breakout sessions with other speakers from local community organizations and agencies covering topics such as parenting in the digital age, the importance of play, and positive communication with kids and partners.

At noon, families are invited to join Father Fest for a free BBQ lunch and festival-style activities including games, face painting, crafts, a chance to learn how to DJ, and a visit from members of the Star Wars 501st Legion. 

“Strong schools are built on strong families, and Father Fest is about honoring the vital role that fathers and mentors play in shaping the lives of young people,” Orange County Superintendent of Schools Stefan Bean, Ed.D., a father of four, said in a statement. “By creating space for connection, encouragement and learning, we’re strengthening the bonds between families, schools and communities — which is at the heart of our work in education,” he added. 

Father Fest is the product of work done by the Orange County Fatherhood Coalition, a program formed in 2022 by First 5 Orange County, with a vision "to improve outcomes for children and families by increasing fatherhood engagement with the most underserved populations in Orange County." Other collaborators include Fristers, Boot Camp for New Dads, and O.C. Child Support Services. 

“We recognize the important role that fathers play in our community, and we wanted to create a space where dads can come together and connect with other dads,” reads a joint post on Instagram from Latino Dad Connection and LatinX Parenting, two locally-based groups that are also participating in Father Fest.

The Fourth District Parent Teacher Association, which covers all school-based PTAs across Orange County, is also promoting the event. Schools are also spreading the word, according to the OCDE. Registrants are asked to share their child's school and district to better connect families, schools and community resources.

OCDE’s ACCESS (Alternative, Community, Correctional, Education, Schools, & Services) program is a supporter of Father Fest. The event is being held at an ACCESS campus. ACCESS is also part of a cohort within California's Community Engagement Initiative (CEI), where participants pilot new programs that can be shared and replicated elsewhere in the state.

In its inaugural year, Price said the goal is to provide a supportive and empowering experience. “By creating space for reflection, learning and joy, organizers hope [Father Fest] attendees leave with renewed confidence in their roles and stronger connections to their families and communities." 

Find more information at the Father Fest website.