Kids can meet Mickey Mouse in the flesh on Saturday along with a host of other favorite cartoon characters at Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center’s Kids & Characters Summer Festival.

Ten characters will be on hand for kids to meet and take photos with at the festival, which is a major fundraising event for the TRCAC.

“Some of the characters are new this year and some are returning,” Executive Director Camille Downing said. “It’s great to be there to witness a kid seeing Mickey for the first time. Adults have as much fun as the kids.”

Characters that will be at the festival are Doc McStuffins, Minion from Despicable Me, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Smurfette, Hello Kitty, Cookie Monster, Elmo and Spongebob.

The festival is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Troy Recreation Complex on Enzor Road. The event will go on rain or shine with some activities planned indoors and some outside. Activities will include face painting, moon walk inflatables and carnival games. Concession stands will be open for snacks and drinks, and snow cones will be available. Souvenirs for each of the characters will be for sale at a booth.

All proceeds will benefit the PRCAC, which serves Pike, Bullock, Barbour and Coffee counties. The center supplies a coordinated multi-disciplinary approach in dealing with child sexual and physical abuse cases. All services provided by the PRCAC are free.

“One in five kids will be abused in their lifetime,” Downing said. “It’s part of our mission statement that we aim to lessen trauma for these kids and help them pick up the pieces and start to move on.”

Last year, the center raised a net of $4,000 at the festival, and Downing said she hopes to do better this year.

“We never set goals for fundraising, because everything counts, but we want to raise better each year,” Downing said.