This Earth Day, even the littlest green thumbs can join in on the celebration! From exploring the outdoors to starting a garden, there are so many ways parents can show kids how to appreciate and care for our planet. But it all starts with you. To help make Earth Day a family affair, parenting platform Babble.com is hosting a Twitter chat with celebrated scientist and mom, Stephanie Wear, on April 22 at 2pm EST / 11am PST .
Stephanie is a lead scientist for coral reef conservation at The Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest environmental organization. She also happened to be named one of Babble’s “Moms Who are Changing the World” in 2011. When she isn’t saving the world, this supermom of two enjoys exploring coastal North Carolina with her family. And her family is the reason why she loves what she does.
“I don’t work to protect the environment for the environment’s sake,” Stephanie told Babble in 2011. “I work to protect it for the billions of people that require clean air, clean water, and a healthy ocean to survive. It sounds cliché, but I do it for my children and their children, too.”
This is why Earth Day is so important and worth celebrating: it’s not just for us — it’s for the future generations of the world.
So join our Twitter chat with Wear this Earth Day, April 22, at 2pm EST / 11am PST to be part of the conversation! Just follow @BabbleEditors to send your questions and thoughts on all things nature using the hashtag #BabbleEarthChat.
Disney and First Book will provide for the donation of up to one million books to U.S. communities in need and will present families with free digital books from Disney Publishing Worldwide, through a new program announced today, Disney Junior’s Give a Book, Get a Book. Storytelling is the foundation of the initiative designed to inspire parents and caregivers to spend time each day sharing stories that help develop the critical thinking, vocabulary and language skills a preschooler needs. The program includes a redemption code offering a free Disney Digital book and a way for families to experience giving back by donating books to the community of their choice. Disney Junior’s Give a Book, Get a Book, also includes public service announcements, free storytime events at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Disney Store locations, and interactive Radio Disney events.
The program was announced by Nancy Kanter, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide and First Book Board Member, Dr. Martha Bernadett during the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration at the Disneyland Resort.
Ms. Kanter said, “With each and every one of our Disney Junior series, we let a child experience the magic and learning that comes with a story well told, and deepen the emotional connection and sense of wonder and adventure that have defined storytelling at the Disney company for generations.” She continued, “The Give a Book, Get a Book program is a way for families to share stories and enter the world of giving in a simple yet effective way.”
Coinciding with the program announcement today, lifelong children’s literacy advocate LeVar Burton, Cofounder and Curator-in-Chief of the award-winning Reading Rainbow app, spoke about the importance of building literacy and of storytelling in the digital age. Disney Junior stars Ariel Winter and Tim Gunn (of “Sofia the First”) and David Arquette (of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”) also participated in a storybook reading for event attendees and their families. Genevieve Goings (of Disney Junior’s “Choo Choo Soul”), who hosts the Give a Book, Get a Book public service announcements on Disney Channel, emceed the event.
“There are few things more powerful than stories to connect children to the world and help them imagine what they can become,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “Yet, books and stories are in short supply for kids in need. That’s why we’re proud to be joining forces with our friends at Disney to put brand new books into the hands of children who so desperately need them.”
“Through the donation of 30 million books over the last 15 years, Disney Publishing Worldwide’s collaboration with First Book has brought the magic of reading and storytelling to millions of children, unleashing their imaginations and opening their worlds,” said Andrew B. Sugerman, Executive Vice President, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “We’re thrilled to expand this program with Disney Junior’s Give a Book, Get a Book.”
Families can now take advantage of an all-new website, GiveaBookGetaBook.com, featuring tools and resources for parents and caregivers that promote the value of storytelling and offer interactive activities. Beginning April 21 in Disney Store locations and later this summer at other nationwide retailers, there are two ways to Give a Book, Get a Book. For a limited time, with the purchase of any specially-marked Disney Junior book or product, receipts or packaging will include a redemption code allowing kids and families to direct the donation of a book to First Book in the region of their choice and to access a free Disney Digital Book to share as a family. Additionally, Give a Book, Get a Book bookmarks with redemption codes will be distributed to visitors at participating public libraries and Radio Disney events throughout the summer. With the help of families across the United States, Disney and First Book will donate up to one million books through this program.
Also starting April 21, Disney Store locations will provide an enhanced interactive “Storytime Powered by Give a Book, Get a Book” featuring two new stories from Disney Junior favorites, “Sofia the First” and “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.” In addition to the in-store readings, Disney Store locations will host special storytime events at Boys & Girls Clubs of America in multiple markets across the U.S. Children at these events will be given a free book along with a redemption code bookmark.
Now through September 15, Adults can enjoy the new Epcot After-Hours Wind Down following the nightly Illuminations: Reflections of Earth show. Choose from one of four spots in World Showcase for end-of-day relaxation with appetizers and beverages. Choose either La Cava Del Tequila at the Mexico Pavilion; Spice Road Table in the Morocco Pavilion; Tutto Gusto in the Italy Pavilion, or Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom Pavilion. Each location will have small bites paired with a beverage flight (additional beverages can be purchased) from 9:20 – 11 p.m. It’s a magical time as the park quiets down.
The cost for the Epcot After-Hours Wind Down is $35 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Epcot park admission is required. This is a great way to not only extend your day at Epcot but also to avoid the rush to exit the park after Illuminations: Reflections of Earth.
When Heather isn’t busy sharing Planning tips about Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort, Universal Orlando, and more, you can find her planning Disney and Universal Orlando vacations. Contact her on Facebook at Heather Abbott-Agent with Destinations in Florida. For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
On Thursday April 17, we were invited to Knott’s Berry Farm for an Exclusive event to see what plans are underway for enhancement to Camp Snoopy and the Calico Mine Ride. The creative teams are working tirelessly to have Camp Snoopy more themed to fit the High Sierras. Some of the favorite attractions will get a new paint scheme to tie into the wilderness. For example Lucy’s Tugboat that looked like a steam boat had now been transformed into a Raft. Another attraction that will be getting a makeover soon is the Rocky Road Truckin’ Company, instead of having the trucks look like just regular semis, they will get a new skin with a logging company theme. In addition new Peanuts fun will be coming to Grand Sierra Railroad. Linus Van Pelt will narrate the eight minute journey, pointing out the rustic sights and halarious Peanuts’ camping adventures along the way.
Video: Camp Snoopy Sneak Peak
Artist rendering of the new attractions coming in 2014 at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Camp Snoopy.
In addition they are adding in three new attractions; Pig Pen’s Mud Buggies, Charlie Brown’s Kite Flyer and Linus Launcher. Finally Snoopy and the Peanuts gang will have their very own permanent meet and greet location where the former Joe Cool’s GR8 SK8 attraction was. Now guests can meet the loveable Snoopy, Charlie Brown and his friends there.
Now what every miner has been waiting for is to strike it rich at the Calico Mine Ride. Soon the mountain full of prospectors will be running into the mine to see if they can strike it rich. Are you brave enough to go inside and see what’s in store? I have been looking forward to seeing this classic attraction brought back to life. I am pleased to confirm that Garner Holt Productions (GHP) has been working hard on bringing the miners and other surprises to life. Once completed there will be about 40 animatronics inside the mountain. GHP was also the ones that brought new life to the Timber Mountain Log Ride.
We were lucky enough to get a quick tour of a very small portion of the attraction. Crews were everywhere working hard refurbishing this classic ride. We also were able to take a sneak peak into the base of the “glory hole” this is the large open cavern in the attraction where you will see most of the animations. Updates to Camp Snoopy and Calico Mine Ride will open Summer 2014!
Check-out our Extensive Photo Gallery below of our Exclusive Construction tour.
Watch the new “Legacy” featurette (below), from MALEFICENT, featuring a behind-the-scenes interview with Angelina Jolie.
Also, starting today, fans can enter for a chance to win a trip to the world premiere of the film in the Maleficent “Embrace Your Inner Evil” Sweepstakes. Fans can enter by recreating Maleficent’s laugh and posting the video to Instagram using #MaleficentLaughSweeps. Official Rules: http://di.sn/MaleficentLaugh
“Maleficent,” the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty,” reveals the events that hardened Maleficent’s heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora, only to later realize that the child may hold the key to peace in the land.
“Maleficent” is produced by Joe Roth and directed by Robert Stromberg, with Angelina Jolie, Michael Vieira, Don Hahn, Palak Patel, Matt Smith and Sarah Bradshaw serving as executive producers. Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay. “Maleficent” opens in U.S. theaters on May 30, 2014.
Even with Christopher Nolan’s Producer credit stamped in the lower left hand corner of Transcendence, it could not have saved itself from a lackluster performance from some of the most well-known names in Hollywood right now.
Among them are Johnny Depp, who plays Will Caster, the world’s most prominent research on Artificial Intelligence. His goal throughout the film is to create a god-like computer that could access all the information on the planet while harnessing human emotions and becoming a sentient self-aware super computer. What a mouth-full that was!
So here’s the thing; the directorial debut of Will Pfister (who can typically be found amidst the credits of Christopher Nolan films as the Cinematographer) falls short of pretty much all angles. The performances were dull at best, even with the likes of Depp, Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy, the list of stupendous acting talent goes on and on. But even with all that Hollywood star-power, it can’t save itself from poor writing, a hacked plot that took several downward spirals into the downright silly, most notably when Cillian Murphy’s character, Agent Buchanan claims the only way to stop Depp’s Frankenstein internet monster is to “Shut down the Internet”.
****SPOILER ALERT***
With Will Caster being targeted by anti-technology extremist groups nation-wide known as RIFT, he falls victim to an attack that leaves him with under a month to live. His wife Evelyn (played by Rebecca Hall) believes that through her husband’s accumulated research over the years, she could download his subconscious into a massive hard drive to save his brilliant mind.
Of course this turns out to be successful, but with unexpected chaotic results that lead Caster and his wife to a small town in the middle of nowhere to which they use Caster’s internet smarts to play Wall Street, make millions, and build an underground facility designed to take human evolution to a whole new level. Sounds a little like Mad Libs does it not?
From here the story takes an outrageous turn when a construction worker is mugged outside the facility and Caster takes him in to “heal” him. It is there that Caster miraculously uses the tech at their disposal to bring the near-death construction worker back to tip-top shape. But that is not all. In an effort to make him better than he was before, the construction worker is given super-human speed, strength and intelligence through a network created by Caster that links him to those he saves. When word gets around that the construction worker is by far better than before, people come from all over the world to be saved, believing that Will Caster has god-like healing powers.
It is at this point that the FBI and RIFT team together to take them all down and stop Caster before he gains control over the whole world by sending out nanobots into the earths atmosphere and infecting the entire planet.
All-in-all, Transcendence is a movie with a great cast, marginal performances at best from each of the big names you recognize, a plot that makes little sense plagued by constant left turns into “what the heck is happening right now” territory that leaves the audience confused and wondering just what kind of movie Transcendence was trying to be. A preposterous plot, boring performances, a director who should stick to cinematography and nothing more, and a score that sounds all too familiar to most other films with Christopher Nolan’s name attached to it.
Transcendence falls flat and ends up being one of those movies you are better off forgetting you heard about and curiously stumbling upon it on your Netflix subscription long after the dollar movie theaters have emptied their closets of copies of Transcendence 10 months from now. But even then, you may just want to skip over this one entirely and save your two hours doing something more entertaining such as watching paint dry.
Disney Club Penguin players can now experience the #1 virtual world for kids on iPhone and iPod Touch. The virtual world was brought to iPad as a playable experience in December, and today’s update brings the playable world to iPhone and iPod Touch. The Club Penguin app has reached nearly 5 million downloads and is available in six different languages.
The update coincides with one of Club Penguin’s most popular events in the virtual world, the Puffle Party. Features from the Puffle Party event will be included in the app, such as:
Members can now adopt up to 40 pet puffles, including the new dog and cat puffle
Members can walk puffles in the world and play and dig for cool clothing or coins
Players can roleplay in six new rooms like the Puffle Park, Hotel Rooftop and Pet Shop
It’s spring time and that must mean one thing, it’s Knott’s Berry Bloom event at Knott’s Berry Farm as well as their Annual Boysenberry Festival now through April 27th. This is their second year doing this event, and it’s a lot of fun for the entire family. At the main entrance you can take a photo with a display of overgrown flowers and butterflies. Step back in time into the old west in Ghost Town, there you can find a shack selling individual pots of strawberry, blackberry and of course boysenberry that you can take home and plant in your own garden.
For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
Also here you can try what the chefs have concocted for this spring event like the Jalapeno stuffed pepper with Boysenberry Cream Cheese coated in chocolate at The Calico Saloon or Alligator bites with Boysenberry Aioli at Calico Fry Co. just to tease you with a few. (Please see below for my personal review of the foods that I was able to try.) At certain dinning locations in Ghost Town and Calico Square you can purchase a punch card for $20.00 that will give you 6 unique menu offerings. I think this card is worth the $20 since if you bought the items a la carte they would range from $7.00 to $10.00 each, which it will cost you a whole lot more. If you have some little Peanuts in your family make sure to visit Camp Snoopy, there your little ones can meet with some of the world famous Peanuts characters take pictures and also go on the Search for the Easter Beagle. Children ages (3-11) can participate in the search that will send you around Camp snoopy, Fiesta Village, the Boardwalk. Throughout the entire park there were little interactive pop up spring egg and flower displays, such as a frog shooting water, or a ladybug roller coaster. Most had employees at each station encouraging children and ‘children at heart’ like myself to press the button and watch the scene come to life, while at the end of the little show Snoopy would pop out of a hiding place. From the different children activities that I did see my favorite was the talking Mayan like god statue with the bird on top that lays an egg at a push of a button.
Now for the adults Knott’s is offering wine tasting at the Towering Topiary Tasting Garden at the Wilderness Dance Hall. Here you can find different wineries offering tasting stations. It cost $15.00 and includes a punch card for up to 6 samples and a plate of cheese, crackers, fruits and nuts that will compliment the wines during the tasting. There are about 12 different wine vineyard stations that offer 3 wines to choose from. Just outside the dance hall is a beer tasting station as well if you do not fancy wine. Your children can partake as well with the punch card; they can use one of your punches to get lemonade or boysenberry punch. Wow time sure flies when you’re eating and drinking. Thankfully for this punch card you can come and go as you please, you can do a taste or two leave go watch a show or go on a ride and then come back and keep tasting. As the sun sets in the evening, the stage is set at the Boardwalk Circle Fountain for Bloomination Dance Party. Here a DJ spins the latest and greatest hits. Dancers take to the stage in white spandex like costumes and dance the night away while stilt walkers roam the stage area taking pictures with guests.
Calico Saloon: The Jalapeno Stuffed Pepper with Cream Cheese does sound like a very strange combination to me but for this instance it was a match made in heaven, a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. At first I was really hesitant of trying this offering. The jalapeno had a crunch like a crisp bell pepper and they boysenberry cream cheese was light and sweet. The apple smoked wood bacon was cooked to a crisp, covered in white chocolate and festive sprinkles; it made for a sweet and salty balance. They also did offer the bacon also covered in milk and dark chocolate as well, I do recommend to try it with the white chocolate its better. Later in the evening I did go back to eat another piece and they only had the milk or dark chocolate, I opted for the milk and it was way too sweet. I do have a sweet tooth but I tasted more chocolate than bacon, I was a little disappointed.
Little pop up stand with a grill (Left of the candy store): The Flank Steak with Boysenberry BBQ sauce on a stick. It was freshly grilled in front of me. The employee was very nice and made small talk as I waited for the meat to be cooked. At the first bite it was tender and the BBQ sauce was not overpowering the steak. Also the BBQ sauce had a hint of the boysenberry not like some food items that when an element is highlighted it becomes too overpowering.
Calico Fry Co.: Alligator with Boysenberry aioli was worth the wait. You get three bite size pieces of alligator that is battered and deep fried. It is served in a cone shaped carrier with a bed of french fries and a generous scoop of fresh boysenberry aioli that is nestled in a little cup at the top of the cone. It is hard to get good alligator here on the west coast. I know a lot of readers will be hesitant in trying this but it does taste a lot like chicken but it’s just a little chewier. I think once you do try it, it grows on you. I hope that this food offering will stay.
Little pop up stand with a grill (Left of Sutter’s): This little stand has a sign posted for Chicken Wings and the Alligator bites. It was a little frustrating to stand in the line and reach the employee to tell me that they offer the wings and corn on the cob instead. If I wanted the alligator bites I had to go around the corner to Calico Fry Co. to wait in another line get that. As for the hot wings they are precooked in the Sutter’s kitchen building and then walked over to the pop up stand in each boat you get about 4 or 5 chicken wings. Then they are placed on the grill to heat them up once again then tossed into a bowl with the boysenberry BBQ sauce. This sauce utilizes the same base from the flank steak but this one seems to have a few more spices so it had a really nice kick.
Ghost Town Bakery: Offers the sweet treat of Waffle on a Stick and Waffle Tacos. The concept is good but sadly this one fell flat. Waiting about 45 to 50 minutes before I was able to order and when I did I was informed that the regular waffle iron that makes the tacos was malfunctioning and if I wanted that, I could check back later. They only have one waffle iron that makes four waffles on a stick per batch and they only had one iron. The employees seem to have a hard time keeping up with the demand of this unique treat. A few guests a head was a lady and her children they were waiting for more than 30 minutes for the order that they already placed, it seemed like the cooks accidentally lost her order. Either utilize another waffle iron or do not offer this because they can not seem to keep up with the demand.
Little pop up stand with grill (Next to the train tracks): Sweet potato with boysenberry butter, this sounds strange but quite delicious and light. I just wished that when they pull out the sweet potato out of the smoke box that they would open up the foil and cut a slit down the middle like a baked potato. Also here you can pick up your turkey leg with a boysenberry glaze over the leg. Sadly my turkey leg was very dry on the outside and a little chewy, but love the boysenberry BBQ sauce.
Gourmet Churro Factory: The Churros are freshly made and fried and can be plain with just cinnamon and sugar or you can be adventurous and try it filled with boysenberry, custard or I think strawberry. I tried the regular cinnamon and sugar churro at the end of the night as Knott’s was closing. It was still warm and tasty.
On a slightly frustrated note, I was not able to try the deep fried boysenberry ice cream at the Ghost Town Grub. Sadly they did not appear to be prepared for a large turnout on an opening day. I do hope that they see this as a good sign and hopefully they can keep this permanently, I would love to go and try it soon, I hope. Overall Knott’s Berry Bloom is EGGcellent. The spring time decor of the over sized flowers and animals are amazing.
The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. The beloved characters from the original “X-Men” film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from the past, “X-Men: First Class,” in order to change a major historical event and fight in an epic battle that could save our future.
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Action-adventure
Release: May 23, 2014, in 3D
Director: Bryan Singer
Screenplay by: Simon Kinberg; Story by Simon Kinberg and Matthew Vaughn & Jane Goldman
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Hutch Parker
Cast: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage and Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Evan Peters, Omar Sy
Disney is giving amateur baseball pitchers in the nation a chance to compete for a $1 million prize in the Million Dollar Arm Pitching Contest. The Million Dollar Arm Pitching Contest is being held to celebrate the opening of Disney’s “Million Dollar Arm,” an incredible true story about two young men who went from never throwing a baseball to getting a Major League tryout.
Amateur baseball pitchers—male or female, who are legal United States residents at least 18 years of age or older—are invited to qualify to compete in the preliminary rounds of the Million Dollar Arm Pitching Contest at either Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, Disneyland® Resort in California or at the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day at the Tribeca Family Festival in New York City. The three contestants from each location who throw the fastest pitches will advance to the finals and have a chance to compete for a $1 million prize at the world premiere of Disney’s “Million Dollar Arm” in Hollywood, California. Official rules are available on Disney.com’s “Million Dollar Arm” homepage at http://disney.com/PitchingContest.
Presented by SUBWAY® restaurants, the three qualifying events will take place on April 25 and 26, from 7 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at both Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, Calif. and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World® and on April 26 only, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day during the Tribeca Family Festival in New York City. Contestants will throw three pitches, each tracked by a radar gun, in an attempt to throw the fastest pitch. All participants will receive tickets for themselves and a guest to see an advance screening of Disney’s “Million Dollar Arm” at an AMC Theatres location later that evening.
Nine finalists chosen during these qualifying events will have a chance to compete for the $1 million prize at the world premiere of Disney’s “Million Dollar Arm.” The top three eligible pitchers with the fastest pitches from each qualifying round location will be flown with his or her guest to the final contest, which will take place at the world premiere of Disney’s “Million Dollar Arm” in Hollywood, Calif., on May 6. Each of these finalists will throw three pitches on Hollywood Boulevard. Any eligible finalist who throws one 100 mph strike (out of three pitches) will become a potential winner of the $1 million grand prize.
The nine finalists and their guests will be VIPs at the film’s premiere along with stars, filmmakers, major league players, coaches, scouts and celebrities.
In Disney Magical World, players pick from a selection of characters and can customize with Disney-themed outfits and accessories. The personalized character explores the world by managing a café, planting crops, and collecting Disney character cards in a new magical world. Favorite Disney characters also join in the fun to find missing items and solve problems.
After creating a personalized avatar and a customized dream life, players embark on a 3D fantasy adventure featuring more than 60 iconic Disney characters across a main central plaza and its four surrounding worlds inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh. It’s all Disney, all the time as players design their own outfits, interact with beloved characters, manage a café to earn in-game coins, set off on ghost-hunting quests and even visit friends’ towns via StreetPass.
The game also leverages unique features of the Nintendo 3DS system. By scanning AR Cards – which will be distributed online, in stores and at special events – using the Nintendo 3DS camera, players can unlock new clothes, accessories and furniture items for a limited time. The game also offers additional paid downloadable content, including one free monthly Disney-themed avatar T-shirt, via Wi-Fi to players using a broadband Internet connection. Players also can opt in to receive free downloadable items like clothing and furniture every season, starting today.
The Disney Magical World game is now available in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS for $29.99. For more information about the game, visit http://disneymagicalworld.nintendo.com.
The second annual Knott’s Berry Bloom returns this spring season with larger-than-life displays of beautiful spring colors, interactive family-friendly activities, expanded gourmet food and wine tasting opportunities, and more! New for 2014, celebrate the nostalgic history of Knott’s roots (literally!) at the Ghost Town Boysenberry Festival. This immersive festival honors the delectable berry that started it all in inventive and delicious ways.
This spring, the historic theme park will host the inaugural Ghost Town Boysenberry Festival where guests can wine, dine, and buy boysenberry inspired products throughout the windings streets of the Old West. Festival entrances feature rustic banners and oversized boysenberries, just ripe for taking that special photo. Walter & Cordelia Knott’s Original Roadside Boysenberry Stand will be recreated for the special event, from which guests can purchase authentic boysenberry plants. The Knott family sold freshly picked boysenberries from the original stand, and the rest, as they say, is history!
As part of the festival, inside Wilderness Dance Hall guests will find a variety of boysenberry inspired gourmet food and wine offerings from around the world. Just outside of the Dance Hall, towering sculpted topiaries provide shade during warm April days and twinkle brighter than stars at night. Ghost Town will be filled with the mouthwatering aroma of ribs, chicken, alligator and other charbroiled treats smothered with boysenberry glaze and cooked on open-air barbeques throughout the streets of the festival.
On School House Road, guests can try their hand at western themed games with a boysenberry twist! Winners can take home an exclusive Boysenberry Festival prize. And what’s a festival without a pie eating contest? Daily boysenberry pie eating contests will also take place in front of the Bird Cage Theatre. It’s almost too much fun to stomach.
While strolling the streets of Ghost Town, guests can capture the moment and the memories at boysenberry themed stand-in cutouts, each featuring fun historical facts and special moments from Knott’s history. Some will resemble original photo ops from the historic Pitchur Gallery on Main Street. While enjoying the festival, guests may meet Logan Berry, the mayor of Ghost Town, presiding over the Boysenberry Festival. But watch out for bandits hankerin’ to steal a piece of boysenberry pie. From day to night, Ghost Town has never looked so deliciously fun.
When the sun sets, things get krazy when Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies mount their toe tappin’, knee-slappin’, gut-bustin’ country comedy show in front of the Bird Cage Theatre that has Knott’s audiences clamoring for more! It’s the perfectly krazy end to a day at Knott’s Berry Bloom.
Knott’s Berry Bloom also features an extensive line up of live and interactive entertainment. The iconic Charleston Circle fountain transforms into a beautiful floral fountain, adorned with colorful flowers creating an iconic centerpiece for Bloom. Located in the Boardwalk area, the stunning monument will serve as a dramatic backdrop for two spectacular interactive shows. Peanuts Party in the Park returns bigger and more interactive than ever with an all-new rockin’ set list, more Peanuts characters, and tons of fun surprises in Charleston Circle. And this year Knott’s debuts a new nighttime dance party, Bloomination! After sundown, larger-than-life flowers and vines affixed to the Charleston fountain light the night with LED lighting effects; butterfly stilt walkers prance among the crowd, and a DJ spins the hottest dance music for all ages.
Last year’s guest favorite, the Search for the Easter Beagle returns this year as the Easter Beagle’s ENORMOUS Egg Hunt. This year, all five of the interactive Easter Beagle locations will also be prize locations for kids 3-11 years old who are on the hunt for spring time fun. The path will lead explorers to a grand finale meet and greet location with the one and only Snoopy, himself in an area of Camp Snoopy created just for this experience!
Near Xcelerator, challenge one another to an oversized game of shuffle board, giant tic tac toe, larger than life bowling, and more at Big Boardwalk Games. This season, Big Boardwalk Games has sprouted new and exciting games, and throughout the day, Sally and Peppermint Patty come out to play along and challenge park guests to some friendly competition. Let the good times roll!
In the Camp Snoopy Theatre, Lucy’s Really BIG Show, will showcase the Peanuts pals singing, dancing, and celebrating springtime to cheerful tunes – and they just might invite little ones on stage to celebrate with them! As part of the 30th celebration of Camp Snoopy and renovation of the entire land dedicated to kids, guests will enjoy the show in the comfort of the new audience shade structure!
Guests don’t have to be experts at the cha-cha-cha to enjoy Salsa Dancing in Fiesta Village, where everyone can to take to the floor with some of their favorite dance music.
Most of the exciting Knott’s Berry Bloom activities are included with admission to Knott’s Berry Farm, which also offers a full day of thrilling coasters and family fun rides, like the all-new Boardwalk attractions and the beautifully restored Timber Mountain Log Ride.
Knott’s is open extended hours from 10am to 10pm during Knott’s Berry Bloom, April 12 – 27, 2014 allowing guests extra time to take advantage of all of the limited-time offerings.
Stereophonic, the highest Tony-nominated play of all time, has finally opened in Los Angeles. I went into this one entirely blind, only having heard...
Disney and First Book will provide for the donation of up to one million books to U.S. communities in need and will present families with free digital books from Disney Publishing Worldwide, through a new program announced today, Disney Junior’s Give a Book, Get a Book. Storytelling is the foundation of the initiative designed to inspire parents and caregivers to spend time each day sharing stories that help develop the critical thinking, vocabulary and language skills a preschooler needs. The program includes a redemption code offering a free Disney Digital book and a way for families to experience giving back by donating books to the community of their choice. Disney Junior’s Give a Book, Get a Book, also includes public service announcements, free storytime events at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Disney Store locations, and interactive Radio Disney events.
