"There were kids at the show, and it was actually very reckless," Russ Johnson, the president of the Phoenix Herpetological Society told Reuters.
Why were there 'kids' at the show? (I don't have a clue of age certificate, but I reckon it's at least a 15)

And why is it important or at all relevant that there were?

Why not say 'there were middle-aged people at the show'?