SAN MARCOS -- Hundreds of North County residents came together Sunday to celebrate the homegrown art of music, dance, painting and crafts at the 11th annual San Marcos Alive fair.

"I wasn't expecting this many people, and it wasn't just parents," said Alexis Samet, 16, of Carlsbad.

Samet was one of 70 young dancers ages 6 through 18 who took turns performing on an outdoor stage to pop, jazz, ballet and folk music. Local middle school and high school jazz bands also performed for cheering audiences on the grounds of the San Marcos Civic Center.

Hurjade Vongsachang, 16, of San Marcos, a member of the San Marcos Youth Commission, said the annual fair always attracts crowds.

"San Marcos is small, and everyone's really close," Hurjade said. "We just like to celebrate the season with everybody else."

High school students displayed paintings, while younger children created on-the-spot art with paper and crayons at one of dozens of community and vendor booths.

Zach Ramirez, 17, of San Marcos was spending his second year at the fair demonstrating the art of making pottery for children and adult fans.

"It's fun to do, it's relaxing, it's different," Zach said.

San Diego County regional librarian Wynne Weiss was heading up a spin-the-wheel contest that also required answers to questions about art, reading, science or popular culture.

"I really am encouraging kids to visit the library," admitted Weiss, who supervises 10 libraries in San Marcos and other area cities.

"We want families to know that we're a fun place, an inviting place," Weiss said.

Proceeds from vendor fees and sponsors will benefit local family and youth programs.

"I am so thrilled. This is a big crowd," said Cathy Cronin, a supervisor in the city's community services department.

Cronin said fair organizers received more than 500 entries from local elementary and middle schools for one art contest. Participants were required to submit a drawing and an answer to the question: "How can you inspire the world to protect the environment through art?"

Emily Gilpin, 11, a sixth-grader at Woodland Park Elementary School in San Marcos, said her first-place drawing of a horse was to promote her campaign to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption abroad.

Her winning answer to the contest's question embraced a larger topic, urging people "to protect the environment by expressing the importance of our world and showing what's happening to it."

Emily said children and adults can make a difference.

"You can plant trees, recycle -- all kinds of things to protect the environment," she said.