Young horticultural wizards will turn a corner of Centennial Farm into Storybook Magic Gardens as part of this year's 24th annual Youth Expo, May 2-4.

The agricultural alchemy is part of the panoply of activities celebrating Orange County youth's accomplishments at the Orange County Fair & Exposition Center. Youth Expo is sponsored and underwritten by the Orange County Fair.

This year's Expo, themed "Once Upon a Vine… Salute to Tomatoes and Magical Gardens," is expected to attract well over 30,000 participants and spectators. The Expo is held concurrently with the annual Orange County Science & Engineering Fair, the annual Talent Search and annual Jazz Festival.

At Centennial Farm, participating groups (nonprofit youth organizations, clubs and schools) will be given an 8' x 8' plot and given two days to turn it into a representation of a fairytale, nursery rhyme, poem, a literary classic or another form of storytelling. Youth Expo supplies fencing and soil, and the groups furnish all the other materials, from plants and trees to ground cover and display items.

Each mini-garden must be designed, constructed and installed by members of the youth group under an advisor's supervision. There will be elementary, junior and high school divisions, with cash premiums for the top three places in each division.

Storybook Magical Gardens is one of the new competitions at this year's Youth Expo. Another, "Lil' Sprouts," a junior farm and garden contest, gives school and youth organizations an opportunity to show off their homegrown fruits and vegetables.

Some of the other competitions include computer technology, creative writing, sculpture, California missions, quilt-making, social studies, murals, scarecrows, architectural drawing, journalism, home arts and photography.

Most competition is by school grade level. In addition, there are separate programs for 4-H and Girl Scout members.

For animal lovers there is the Pampered Pet contest on Sunday, May 4, at 10 a.m. Winners will be selected in a number of categories, such as longest ears, prettiest eyes, best-dressed, softest fur, look-alike (master and pet), etc. Large animals such as cattle and horses won't be admitted, nor will venomous reptiles or insects.

For further information, call (714) 708-1553 or visit www.ocfair.com.