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The Children’s Playhouse Celebrates 12 Birthday with Five Days of Free Admission and Special Treats Nov. 4-8

Meeting a snake during the Birthday Bash

Oct. 28, 2014. The High Country’s only children’s museum, The Children’s Playhouse, will celebrate its 12th birthday with a five day celebration running from Tuesday, Nov. 4 through Saturday, Nov. 8. The Playhouse 12th Birthday Bash will feature free admission, membership discounts, special activities all week and free pizza and cake on Saturday. The Children’s Playhouse is located at 400 Tracy Circle in Boone.

“If you’ve never visited The Children’s Playhouse, this is your no-excuses chance to check it out,” said Playhouse co-founder and current executive director Kathy Parham.

“Thanks to our generous sponsors, admission will be free all five days and we will be offering $5 off of a one year family membership and $10 off a Passport membership.”

Normally $100, a family membership gives a while family unlimited admission and other discounts at The Playhouse for a while year. Passport memberships, normally $125, offer the same benefits, plus half price admission to more than 150 other children’s museums around the country. Because The Playhouse is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, $75 of the membership fee is tax-deductible.

The Playhouse Birthday Bash is presented by the Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentists Drs. Mayhew, Scheffler, Hardaway & Conn. Addition “Free Play Days” are sponsored by Greenway Medical

Associates (Marshall C. Murrey M.D., Anita Henderson M.D.,

Sue Sweeting FNP), Harmony Center for Women’s Health and Vitality, Kiwanis Club of Boone, and the Mast General Store.  Media sponsors are Lamar Advertising, Ray’s Weather, and Todd’s Calendar.  Prize books provided by The Scholars Bookshop, ASU Bookstore. Pizza will be provided by Earth Fare, and cake provided by Stick Boy Bread Company.

The museum will host special free activities all week. Highlights include a visit from Grandfather Mountain’s Jill Goodwin who will bring “Creepy Critters” including owls, snakes, and hissing cockroaches on Thursday morning. Birdie, Birdie will be providing professional face painting on Wednesday morning. Workshops on “Cornbread—From Stalk to Plate” (10:30 am Tuesday November 4th) and “Old Fashioned Cider Pressing” (4:00 pm Thursday November 6th) will allow kids hands-on opportunities to grind corn and press apple and sample the results.  Farmer Rebekah Tobiassen will be sharing her corn harvest while the apple press workshop will be led by Joanna Weintraub with apples donated by Bill Moretz.  For more information, see sidebar or www.goplayhouse.org.

“Saturday is going to be super fun” says Parham, “We’ll have Music with Mr. Tommy at 11 am,  followed by a while-supplies-last party featuring Earth Fare pizza and Stickboy birthday cake. “

Members are encouraged to bring in new guests and when they do will be entered into daily prize drawings for a free Parents’ Night Out.  All Bash attendees will be entered into twice daily drawings for children’s books donated by the ASU Bookstore.

Playhouse fans will have opportunities to give back as well.  “Like any 12 year old, we love presents!” jokes Parham.  “Truly, we have to fundraise year round to keep improving our facility and to keep our fees low for families.” Admission and membership fees cover less than 30% of the museums total budget and The Playhouse also gave away over 68 free memberships last fiscal year to low-income families and social service agencies. During the Birthday Bash, the museum will post a wish list of needed items ranging from glue sticks to money. When families bring in a donation, they can add a decoration to a giant birthday cake poster.

About The Children’s Playhouse

A nonprofit children’s museum founded in 2002, The Children’s Playhouse provides an enriching play environment for children from birth to age eight while at the same time offering parents and caregivers friendly support in the important job of raising children.      It is located at 400 Tracy Circle near downtown Boone.  Daily admission is $5 per person. A one year Playhouse Passport Membership for $125 includes admission to The Playhouse and half-price admission to more than 150 children’s museums nationwide. Scholarship memberships are available for families that meet income guidelines. For more information, call 828-263-0011, like it on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Childrens.Playhouse), or visit the website, www.goplayhouse.org.