A mini pig, a monkey and a camel are among the live animals greeting families this weekend at the Orange County Convention Center, where “That Animal Guy” Jim DeBerry and his Wildlife Adventure Center team are bringing hands-on wildlife encounters to the 11th Annual Florida Kids & Family Expo. The two-day event runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside Hall C of the West Concourse.
DeBerry appeared with a mini pig, monkey and camel during a segment hosted by The 407 Studio, according to FOX 35 Orlando, previewing the ambassador-animal encounters he and Wildlife Adventure Center are bringing to the expo. Advance general admission tickets cost $10 online versus $20 at the door, with children under age three admitted free, per Fun 4 Seminole Kids.
A Mothers' Idea Grows Into a 200-Vendor Weekend
The expo was created in 2015 by a group of Central Florida mothers, including co-founder Brandi Zrallack, who wanted to gather local educational, health and activity resources for parents in one place instead of scattered across separate outlets, according to a post from My Central Florida Family. Eleven years later, the event has grown into a two-day showcase featuring more than 200 vendor exhibitors and over 10 interactive activity zones, including bounce houses, sports zones, a Touch-A-Truck exhibit, live stage performances and character meet-and-greets, per the same Fun 4 Seminole Kids listing. Participating exhibitors span schools, summer camps, healthcare providers and family entertainment businesses, according to the Lake Buena Vista Resort & Spa's event listing.
The animal encounters are the work of Wildlife Adventure Center, which previously operated under the name Cool Zoo and Cool Zoo Wildlife Center before opening a 10,000-square-foot indoor wildlife experience on Orlando's International Drive corridor in September 2023, as reported by Orlando Weekly. The organization runs a mobile animal ambassador program featuring sloths, kangaroos, mini pigs, monkeys and reptiles that regularly tour television broadcasts, feature films, comic conventions and state fairs nationwide, according to a Tupelo Con video description. Founder Jim DeBerry and his team host paid meet-and-greets and education sessions to help fund wildlife conservation work, the same description notes.
State Rules Govern Any Public Wildlife Display
Any organization exhibiting captive wild animals to the public in Florida, including at events like this one, must operate under state oversight. Under Florida Statutes § 379.3761 and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations, entities must secure FWC permits, follow strict caging standards and post financial performance bonds for high-risk species, according to Justia's summary of the law. The FWC enforces separate Class I, II and III captive wildlife rules meant to protect public safety and ensure humane treatment of the animals involved.
A Massive Venue Built for Big Crowds
The expo's scale is possible in part because of where it's held. The Orange County Convention Center spans roughly 7 million total square feet, with 2.1 million square feet of usable exhibit space, making it one of the largest convention facilities in the country, according to the venue's own figures. The complex hosts nearly 200 events and draws between 1.5 million and 2.3 million attendees annually, generating between $3.9 billion and $5 billion in yearly economic impact for Central Florida.
Orange County is also in the middle of expanding the facility further, having broken ground on a $560 million Grand Concourse project set for completion in 2029. The expansion will add 44,000 square feet of meeting space and a 100,000-square-foot ballroom, eventually pushing the North-South building's contiguous exhibit capacity to 1.15 million square feet. Hoodline previously covered another West Concourse event this year in its report on a smoky scare during setup for a beauty industry showcase, underscoring how frequently the venue's halls turn over between vastly different events.
Family-focused expos of this size aren't unique to Orlando. Miami's 18th Annual Children's Trust Family Expo drew similar crowds this month, relying on a large air-conditioned venue to offer parents summer relief alongside youth services and back-to-school resources, a pattern Hoodline detailed in South Florida earlier this month. For Central Florida parents this weekend, the draw is closer to home: a mini pig, a monkey, a camel and whatever else DeBerry's team brings through the doors of Hall C.
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