The 18th annual CoastFest is set for Oct. 6 at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Regional Headquarters in Brunswick.

With environmental, educational, research and resource exhibitors from throughout the Southeast providing interactive exhibits and displays, CoastFest highlights Georgia’s unique coastal environment in a free family-friendly day of fun and education.

New to CoastFest 2012 is storyteller and musician Braima Moiwai. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, Moiwai specializes in the oral traditions of the coastal regions of West Africa and their influences on the Gullah culture of the Georgia Sea Islands. Braima uses a variety of Moiwai instruments mixed with lots of audience participation shows that are sure to please.

The expanded Coastal Resources exhibit has added a 4,000-gallon saltwater aquarium for this year’s event. See casting demonstrations, learn about saltwater species and their habitat, and get fishing tips.

Throughout the day under the show tents, visitors will be entertained by bubble-ologist Keith Johnson, who uses imagination and science to explore how bubbles work; reptiles and raptors from the Center for Wildlife Education at Georgia Southern University will soar and slither on center stage; magician Arthur Atsma will amaze visitors with science and physics through fast-paced magic tricks; and Jim Sawgrass and his family will highlight Native American customs and folklore.

There’s also an expanded historic village with military re-enactors from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and a variety of historic games for kids.

Visitors of all ages can participate in activities from recycling to coastal weather, native plants to invasive species, bee keeping to archeology, herpetology to geology, stingrays to shrimp. There are touch tanks with sea life, an oyster shell midden, U.S. Coast Guard boats to explore and plenty of “make-it-take” projects that will keep families busy.

CoastFest is Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.