Local grandparents and grandchildren are invited to spend an afternoon full of fun — and free — activities and entertainment at the Cass County COA Friday.

The local agency hosts its 13th annual Grand Festival that afternoon, beginning at 2 p.m., at its Lowe Center facility in Cassopolis. As with previous years, organizers with the COA will transform the back lawn of the Lowe Center into an amusement park, featuring a slew of games and activities for young and old alike, all free of charge.

“It gives grandparents a way to spend some quality time with their grandkids,” said organizer Sandi Hoger. “This is a good safe place for them to come, with lots of fun things to do and some free food to boot.”

Among the activities include:

• Hayrides, provided by the local Wyant family

• A rock climbing wall

• A toddler area, with a sandbox and miniature pond

• Jumping castles

• An exhibit by Sarett Nature Center

• Finger printing

• A craft tent

• A miniature golf course

New to this year’s event is a visit by firefighters with the Penn Township fire department, who will show off one of their fire engines.

Also new is an arcade-style basketball game, where children can challenge each other or grandma or grandpa in a one-on-one competition.

On top of the slate of activities, the event will feature a live indoor magic show by Ronald McDonald at 4 p.m. and free hotdogs and hamburgers for visitors beginning at 5 p.m.

The Grand Festival is one of three major summer events hosted by the COA every year, along with the senior day during the county fair and the summer cookout, also hosted at the fairgrounds after the fair, Hoger said.

The Grand Festival usually draws close to 400 children and grandparents to the Lowe Center every year, Hoger said.

On top of giving local families a cheap and entertainting way to spend a summer afternoon, the event fulfills one of the COA’s major goals of connecting senior citizens and local children, along with other activities such as the agency’s pen pals program or its annual Camp Safe Kids event, which took place late last month.

“We try to host as many intergenerational events as we can, because kids and senior citizens make such a good match for each other,” Hoger said.

The Cass County COA Lowe Center is located at 60525 Decatur Road in Cassopolis. For more information, contact the COA at (269) 445-8110.