Storybook capital plans colorful Children’s Art & Literacy Festival for 2018

Seventh annual event celebrates “The Day the Crayons Quit” illustrator June 7–9; early bird discount tickets available through May 15

ABILENE — The official Storybook Capital of Texas is celebrating all things Oliver Jeffers at the seventh annual Children’s Art & Literacy Festival (CALF), from lost penguins to a moose named Marcel to fed-up crayons who quit and travel the world!

The festival is June 7–9, 2018, in downtown Abilene and takes places at fourteen venues. One of those is the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (the NCCIL), where the original artwork of Jeffers will go on display for the summer.

Jeffers is a Northern Ireland artist who now lives in Brooklyn. He has illustrated more than twenty children’s picture books, including the best-selling The Day the Crayons Came Home, The Way Back Home, Lost and Found, and The Incredible Book Eating Boy. The Day the Crayons Quit reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. Jeffers has authored and illustrated about fifteen children’s picture books.

In addition to his children’s books, Jeffers has achieved fame for his paintings, including “dipped paintings” — a series of performances where he dips his fully painted artwork into vats of enamel paint that permanently hides half or more of the painting. His film work includes music videos for the band U2, a 24-minute animated short film, Lost and Found, based on his book of the same name, and the opening video for the 2013 TED Talks.

Jeffers plans to fly to Abilene to take part in the CALF festivities, which start Thursday night, June 7, with a costume contest followed by the Storybook Parade down Cypress Street that ends at the Abilene Convention Center. There, the newest addition to the Storybook Sculpture Project will be unveiled at the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden. The Marcel the moose sculpture, based on the Jeffers book This Moose Belongs to Me, brings the total number of storybook sculptures here to 24. Abilene has the largest collection of public storybook sculptures in the U.S. In fact, Abilene has decided to re-brand itself the Storybook Capital of America and has applied to trademark the term.

“We really are the Storybook Capital of not just Texas, but the country,” said Lynn Barnett, executive director of the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council. “We define the theme with all that we have to offer here, from our storybook sculptures to the NCCIL, the festival, the costumed characters and the children’s literature themed events that happen here year round.”  The council hosts the CALF, commissions the storybook sculptures, and works closely with the NCCIL and other arts organizations to host activities that enhance a love of reading and art.

After the sculpture is unveiled Thursday night, families can enjoy food trucks and entertainment as they tour the sculpture garden. At 6:30 p.m., Jeffers will deliver an artist talk followed by a book signing at the Paramount Theatre. All Thursday night events are free.

On Friday and Saturday, families registered for the festival can continue the fun with lots of activities planned. They’ll be invited to listen to dramatic readings of Jeffers’ most popular books with a costumed character followed by an art activity; see ventriloquist Nancy Burks Worcester perform with her friends; sing along with Joe McDermott at the Storybook Garden; and dance with Geppetto’s Marionette Theater. There are also train rides, the Abilene Philharmonic Instrument Petting Zoo, Professor QB magic shows, and the balloon sculptor Kornpop.

Visitors earn buttons for festival lanyards as they complete each activity. Other activities include workshops, a Storybook Sculpture Audio Tour, and a festival scavenger hunt for mobile phone. Last year’s festival drew more than 4,780 people from nearly 81 cities across Texas and eight states.

Tickets are $8 for children (2 and under are free) and $13 for adults until May 15. After that date, tickets are $11 for children and $16 for adults.

The festival is sponsored by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, an affiliate of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce dedicated to promoting the arts in Abilene, a city of 119,000 people between Midland and Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.abilenecalf.com or call (325) 677-1161. For information on Abilene’s attractions and hotel accommodations, visit www.abilenevisitors.com, or call 800-727-7704.

(Information from organization’s press release and website)