I am always looking for something new and different to do with my girls. This is on the top of my summer list of cool things to go see in Austin in June! Erth Dinosaur Zoo Live! will be at the Long Center for 8 shows from June 17-22. Tickets are on sale now and start at just $18!

DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE! is an experiential theatre production which takes audiences on a prehistoric journey into a new dimension. Audiences get to meet a menagerie of insects, mammals and dinosaurs that once roamed the planet millions of years ago.  The shows features a large-scale cast of dinosaur puppets brought to life by sophisticated design and theatrical presentation and puppet mastery. These life-like dinosaur recreations connect children to paleontology in a fun and informative setting.  This new production will feature sixteen dinosaurs on stage, including the T-Rex and the awesome Triceratops uniquely created for the North American tour.  Children can watch and learn, but can also interact with the creatures in this fun, educational and unique presentation.

DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE! is the creation of one of Australia’s most innovative and creative companies, Erth Visual & Physical, Inc., who bring the impossible to life.  For over 21 years, the company has developed a truly fantastic aesthetic and an extraordinary box of tricks, which now serve as the foundations of its unique visual and physical theatre work. The company regularly tours internationally and more than a million people have seen its dinosaurs in museums and performance works.

The dinosaurs and other creature puppets, as well as the flora and fauna that make up the set are designed by Steve Howarth. From the Erth studio workshop he supervises a team of artists in the creation of the puppets, sets, props, costumes and associated elements that constantly tour the nation and the globe. He oversees the daily production of giant, teeth-gnashing dinosaurs and inflatable monsters that live alongside traditional fine arts and textiles work, and increasingly, he is incorporating new disciplines such as digital animation.

Tickets are available at TheLongCenter.org or by calling (512) 474.LONG (5664). Also available at the Long Center’s 3M Box Office located at 701 West Riverside Drive at South First Street.  For groups of 10 and more, please call 512-457-5161 or groupsales@thelongcenter.org.

LBJ Wildflower Center’s Summer Nature Nights starts June 12. This is a admission-free family friendly event you won’t want to miss.

Each night will include a scavenger hunt, nature hike, story time and demonstrations from experts in their fields.

Come play in the NEW Luci & Ian Family Garden at our first Nature Nights of the summer! Visitors can learn about Plants and Play while visiting a plant petting zoo, playing lawn chess on a giant board, blowing bubbles and more. Fossils are the focus June 19, with a dinosaur dig, a jumping game with the tracks near Dinosaur Creeks and more. And on June 26, learn about the importance of the Colorado River, sing songs about water and more with Lucas Miller, and check out a rainfall simulator.

Nature Nights take place through July 24, 2014

Visit the LBJ Wildflower Center’s website at http://www.wildflower.org/nature/ to find out more about Nature Night activities.

There was a time when the fine arts scene in Austin nearly ground to a sweltering halt during the summer months, but the Long Center is helping change that! For the third year in a row, we are proud to announce All Summer LONG, a series of free and low cost programming full of family activities, world class artists and exciting community events! This year more than 100,000 visitors are expected to participate!

From proven favorites like Sound and Cinema, Rhythm on Stage and Bubblepalooza!, to new experiences like our Father’s Day Gospel Brunch and Dell Hall: Dance Hall, this summer there is truly something for everyone at the Long Center. The Long Center’s City Terrace, Meredith Family Stage in Dell Hall and Rollins Studio Theatre provide the perfect setting for this community-wide celebration of Summer…perfect for friends, family, first dates and more!

Trailer Food Tuesdays

TFT has quickly become an Austin institution. It’s like a city wide outdoor dinner party, and the energy level on the City Terrace is off the chart! 10-12 of Austin’s finest food trailers offer up their most creative dishes. Add family-friendly, live music and Austin’s Best Downtown View…and you’ve got a HUGE hit!

Bring your picnic blanket, friends and family…and join us for Trailer Food Tuesdays the last Tuesday of every month, at 5 PM on the City Terrace!

50 Shades of Grey, The Musical – The Official Parody

This hilarious parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon makes for the perfect Austin girls night out.  It’s sexy, hysterical and critically acclaimed! This show was a New York Times Critics’ Pick. They called it, ‘…exuberant and very entertaining…! 50 Shades The Musical opens with a ladies book club deciding to read the Fifty Shades trilogy. Through their interpretation of the novel, the audience is led on an uproarious roller coaster ride of this unlikely bestseller. The show is full of dance numbers and original songs delivered by an outrageous cast with a live, on-stage band. June 3 & 4 in Del Hall.

Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries

Jeepers! Scooby-Doo and the Mystery, Inc. gang have been called in to solve an epic mystery! A trouble-making ghost is haunting a local theater, and Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, Velma and Scooby-Doo are on their way in the Mystery Machine to help solve the case. This hilarious live musical (presented by Warner Bros. and Life Like Touring) features crazy ghosts, perplexing puzzles and an abundance of Scooby Snacks. It’s Scooby-Doo and friends at their best, traveling across the June 8 in Dell Hall.

Bubblepalooza

Our favorite summer family event, Bubblepalooza! returns for its third year! It’s our annual celebration of open play, and everyone is invited to spend time on our City Terrace and front lawn enjoying live music, chalk art, water fun, and (of course) tons of bubbles.  And this year we’ll have even more fun – a special appearance by ERTH’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo’s T-Rex! Saturday, June 14, from 8 AM until 3 PM.

Father’s Day Gospel Brunch with The Jones Family Singers

Join us in celebration for our first ever Gospel Brunch served on the Meredith Family Stage in Dell Hall. The Jones Family Singers will be in from Houston as they prepare for their first appearance at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival later this summer. They are guaranteed to provide a joyous soundtrack as guests dine on a sumptuous brunch buffet provided by Sterling Events for $39.95. House Seat Only Tickets (no brunch) are available for $12.95, beverages available for purchase. Sunday, June 15, 11AM in Dell Hall.

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live

Get ready for the ultimate playdate – 65 million years in the making – as Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live

guides your family on a breathtaking tour beginning in pre-historic Australia.  You’ll observe, meet and interact with an eye-popping collection of amazingly life-like dinosaurs and other creatures presented in a theatrical performance that will thrill and entertain kids while stimulating their imaginations in ways that will forever connect them to their world.  Brought to life by a team of skilled performers and puppeteers, and designed with the help of professional paleontologists, Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live’s puppets are so extraordinarily realistic you may feel the urge to run and hide – but don’t!  June 17-22 in Dell Hall.

Austin Sound and Cinema

Another runaway summer hit, Sound and Cinema is a dream-team collaboration from the Long Center, Do512 and The Alamo Drafthouse. Bands will perform a tribute to the movie, followed by the film screening on The Alamo’s giant inflatable outdoor screen.  The events are all free, all ages and open to the public. Seating on the lawn is available on a first come/first served basis, and there will be a collection of food trucks and vendors serving soft drinks as well as alcoholic beverages to guests on the Long Center plaza. Films for the 2014 season are TBD. The food trailers open at 7 PM and the concerts start at 8. June 18, July 16, July 30, Aug 13, Aug 27 on our City Terrace.

Dell Hall: Dance Hall

New for All Summer Long 2014! We’ve invited some of Austin’s favorite dance studios, dance bands, and local businesses to create Austin’s next great Dance Hall. Dancing to the rhythms of Salsa, Soul, and the Argentine Tango on our main stage in Dell Hall will only enhance your experience. Join us early for instruction or come for the open dance.  $10 at the door/cash bar. June 24-August 26, 7 PM in Dell Hall.

June 24/Salsa

August 7/Soul Summit

August 16/1950’s Prom

August 26/Argentine Tango

Eddie Izzard

One of the most acclaimed comedians of his generation, Izzard’s unique, tangential, absurd and surreal comic narratives are lauded for their creativity and wit, earning him a New York Drama Desk Award and two Emmys for Dress to Kill, two British Comedy Awards for Top Stand-Up Comedian, and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement.

Force Majeure is the most extensive comedy tour ever; launched in March of 2013, the tour will take Izzard to 25 countries on five continents.  From Cardiff to Kathmandu and Moscow to Mumbai, Force Majeure will play throughout Europe, Africa, Russia, the U.K., Canada, the U.S., India, Nepal, The Far East and Australia.  Izzard recently completed runs in France performing entirely in French and in Berlin performing entirely in German. June 27 & 28 in Dell Hall.

Rhythm on Stage

Another summer family favorite – Free dance lessons on our Dell Hall Meredith Family Stage! Learn different kinds of dances by dancing with the pros, featuring instruction by a professional from Ballet Austin’s Butler Community School. Rhythm on Stage happens the first four Tuesdays in July, and with no cover charge, you’ve no excuse NOT to come and get your groove on.

July 1/Bollywood

July 8/Zumba

July 15/Hip Hop

July 22/West African

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, featuring Edie Brickell will perform songs from their album Love Has Come for You. The concert will showcase new material performed by Martin and Brickell, along with the unique hybrid of bluegrass and comedy that Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers have been delighting audiences with at their sold-out, critically acclaimed shows. July 29 in Dell Hall.

Tori Amos

Her brand new studio album, Unrepentant Geraldines is pop/rock in both content and feel and is a change in pace from Amos’ most recent releases.  The album is both one step further in the evolution of one of the most successful and influential artists of her generation, and a return to the inspiring and personal music that Amos is known for all around the world.

July 30 in Dell Hall.

Ray Lamontagne

Four years after releasing his Grammy Award-winning God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, Ray LaMontagne is dropped his fifth studio album, Supernova, on May 6 on RCA Records. Opening act: The Belle Brigade. August 1 in Dell Hall.

America’s Test Kitchen Live

Christopher Kimball, star of the popular television show America’s Test Kitchen, is bringing an informative and lively look at the PBS program to the Long Center! A limited number of VIP tickets are available and include a post-show meet and greet as well as a signed copy of The America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook.

Audience members will get an insider’s view into America’s Test Kitchen, which has become one of the strongest rated shows on television, surpassing The Food Network’s top cooking shows. The evening will include a behind-the-scenes look into how the equipment testings, food tastings, and science experiments take place. Find out what it’s really like to work at and host one of the most popular food programs airing today. In this multi-media experience, fans will get to meet some colorful personalities via video and audio such Mrs. Patmore from Downton Abbey, vengeful cheese makers, and Mary Roach who spent years investigating the inner workings of the digestive tract. Fans will also have a chance to ask questions during the Q&A with Christopher. August 13 in Dell Hall.

Crosby Stills & Nash

More than four decades since CSN first harmonized in Laurel Canyon, and played their first-ever concert as a trio at the legendary Woodstock festival, its members continue a creative partnership that is one of the most influential and enduring in music. David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash have each been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two times-once with Crosby, Stills & Nash, and a second time with The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies, respectively. They have also been inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, with the honor recognizing both CSN as a group, and each member as individual solo artists.

CSN’s music first became a cornerstone of rock ‘n roll with the self-titled 1969 debut LP, one of Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Ever since-through changing times, various configurations, and acclaimed solo careers-Crosby, Stills & Nash have continued to tour and record as “three together.” August 28 in Dell Hall.

Long Center Open House

Join us on August 31^st, as Austin’s Creative Home opens its doors to the entire community for an historic evening! The Long Center will host its first ever open house, featuring special vignettes from our Founding Resident Companies (Austin Lyric Opera, Austin Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Austin) and Resident Companies (Austin Shakespeare, Conspirare, Pollyanna Theatre Company and Tapestry Dance Company).

This free event will showcase the cutting edge design and functionality of the Long Center, as well as the iconic performance groups who call it home! Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase throughout the entire space, from our fabulous City Terrace and “West Pincer,’ to our beautiful indoor lobbies and event venues.

With plenty of fun activities for the young ones and performances in every available space, including our ‘black box’ Rollins Studio Theatre and the gorgeous, acoustically grand Dell Hall…it will be a night to remember, whether you’re a season subscriber or a first time visitor! August 31/Time TBD.

Tickets are available at TheLongCenter.org or by calling (512) 474.LONG (5664). Also available at the Long Center’s 3M Box Office located at 701 West Riverside Drive at South First Street.  For groups of 10 and more, please call 512-457-5161 or groupsales@thelongcenter.org. 

Necktie? Been there. Cufflinks? Done that. This year, stray from traditional Father’s Day gifts and treat dad to a new kind of accessory – a SANUS® TV wall mount. Offering a complete range of high-quality mounts, including full motion, fixed position and tilting, SANUS, the #1 best selling TV mount brand in the United States, will elevate dad’s entertainment experience and transform his man cave.

This Father’s Day, enter the SANUS Father’s Day Sweepstakes for a chance to win the ultimate gift for dad. Four lucky winners will receive a VIZIO 32″ E-Series Smart HDTV and a SANUS Premium Series VSF415 Full Motion Mount ($410 value) to give dad on his big day. From May 19 through June 12 simply “like” the SANUS Facebook page and agree to the official rules for a chance to win the ultimate media makeover for dad. Winners will be selected at random every Friday during the promotion period.

SANUS’ sleek mounting solutions are engineered with top industry technologies and tested to UL2442 standards, guaranteeing both style and safety. SANUS mounts are available at Best Buy, Costco, Target and Walmart stores, as well as local audio and video retailers nationwide.

ABOUT The American Bible Challenge

5 Things you didn’t know about The American Bible Challenge:

1. All the money won in every single episode is donated to charities
2. All of the questions come from the old and new testament
3. Your bible knowledge will be tested in physical challenges as well
4. The American Bible Challenge is the highest rated TV program in Game Show Network history
5. It is nominated for two daytime emmy awards: Outstanding Game Show, and Outstanding Game Show Host Jeff Foxworthy

THE AMERICAN BIBLE CHALLENGE is a spirited game show that celebrates the Bible and its place in American culture. Bible enthusiasts from all across the country compete in a variety of challenges that put their knowledge of the Good Book to the test. The show’s prizing further reflects the celebration of faith, as teams earn money for the charity of their choice.

The American Bible Challenge returns for a two hour block May 22nd at 8/7c on Game Show Network. Don’t for get to tune in June 5th for the first episode of It Takes a Church premiering right after The American Bible Challenge.

Keep up with The American Bible Challenge on Twitter & Facebook
https://twitter.com/BibleChallenge
https://www.facebook.com/theamericanbiblechallenge

Giveaway!

How would you like to win this really cool The American Bible Challenge Prize Pack. It INCLUDES:
– 1 official “The American Bible Challenge” Tee-shirt
– 1 11×17 official Season 3 poster

All you have to do is enter below!

Each household is only eligible to win One (1) The American Bible Challenge Prize Pack via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this giveaway. This post is sponsored by Game Show Network & The American Bible Challenge. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Brain Chase Productions, the new online entertainment and education company, announced that they will give the winner of their nationwide six-week online summer learning challenge and global treasure hunt a $10,000 college scholarship fund, along with buried treasure and a trip around the world to claim it.

Brain Chase’s challenge is designed to motivate students in grades 2-8 to stay smart over the summer by completing weekly learning challenges to unlock animated online webisodes containing clues to the location of a real life buried treasure. Studies show that the average student loses a month of math and reading ability during summer break, and Brain Chase seeks to help students avoid this “summer slide.” Registration ($199 per student) is currently open at brainchase.com and the adventure begins on June 30 at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“We can’t wait to see the look on the lucky student’s face when their shovel hits the crate and they open the treasure chest,” said Allan Staker, CEO of Brain Chase. “We hope it will be as big of an adventure for them as it’s been for us.”

Participating students begin by completing customized weekly assignments in reading, writing, and math, plus bonus challenges in art, science, and orienteering to unlock the next animated webisode. The webisodes contain hidden clues, puzzles, and riddles leading students to the location of the buried Globe of Magellan – a gold-plated, mechanical trophy with a hidden compartment that holds the key to a nearby safe deposit box and a $10,000 college scholarship fund. The globe has already been buried under a rose bush somewhere on Earth. The first participant to complete the six-week Challenge and correctly guess the treasure’s location within a 2-mile radius will be flown with a parent to the secret location to unearth the treasure, unlock the safe, and take it all home.

“Right now, while kids across the country are counting down the days to summer break, the Globe of Magellan is resting patiently under a rosebush somewhere on Earth, just waiting to be claimed,” Staker added.

Brain Chase Productions was launched in 2013 by CEO Allan Staker and Chief Learning Designer Heather Staker. Based in Austin, TX, Brain Chase prevents summer learning loss among 2nd – 8th graders by offering a 6-week Summer Learning Challenge disguised as a massive global treasure hunt. The Season One Challenge begins on June 30, 2014 and features a gold-plated “Globe of Magellan” holding a $10,000 scholarship. Brain Chase will release Seasons Two through Six, with new adventures, mysteries, treasures, and riddles, in subsequent summers. Follow along on Facebook at Facebook.com/brainchase or on Twitter @BrainChase.

STUDENTS AGES 6-16 AND THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS LEGALLY RESIDING IN THE 44 UNITED STATES & D.C. (excluding AZ, CO, MD, MT, NE, TN). VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Entries close 07/18/2014. Contest ends no later than 12/31/2014. For Official Rules, prize descriptions and odds disclosure, visit www.brainchase.com.

Viva Day Spa is offering pampering Mothers day packages that includes everything she needs to escape leaving feeling relaxed, feel calm, and refreshed.

Mother Nurture Spa Package (Approx. 1.75 Hour; $179)

She’ll choose a Swedish, Deep Tissue, or Pregnancy technique for her 60 Minute Massage – with oils of lavender, grapefruit, coriander and vitamin E (pregnancy safe), hot herbal steam towel treatment, cocoa butter foot hydration treatment, take home natural bristle dry brush, and served with choice of team or chocolates.

Love Your Mother Spa Package (Approx. 2 Hours; $179)

Relax in a sauna with cool peppermint towels and enjoy a one hour Swedish massage along with hydrating lavender lotus body butter wrap, full body dry brush exfoliation, magic mint scalp treatment, cool cucumber on the eyes, take home gift bag, served with chamomile tea.

Sweet Mama Facial Package (Approx. 1.5 Hour; $149)

Enjoy a fountain of youth facial with Vitamin C masque, emollient organic eye treatment, exfoliating organic lip treatment, neck shoulder & arm massage with lavender lotus body lotion, warm cocoa butter hand hydration treatment, take home gift bag, served with Chamomile tea.

Pretty Hands & Feet Nail Package (Approx. 1.5 Hours; $95)

Enjoy an express pedicure and manicure along with a massage with warm stones on feet, lavender lotus hand hydration treatment, served with hot tea or wine and chocolates.

Mommy’s Time Out Spa Package (Approx. 4 Hours; $275)

Treat her to a one-hour Swedish massage with lavender lotus body butter, express manicure and pedicure, fountain of youth facial with Vitamin C masque, emollient organic eye treatment, and exfoliation organic lip treatment.

ABOUT VIVA DAY SPA

Austin’s premier day spa, Viva Day Spa delivers award-winning treatments for the mind, body and spirit in an environment that is warm and relaxing.  Annually rated one of the best day spas in Austin, guests are invited to indulge in a wide array of spa treatments including massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, spa packages and hair removal.

The Austin Chronicle named Viva Day Spa the Best Spa in Austin in 2011 and 2012, and the Austin Business Journal named it one of the “Best Places to Work” in 2012. Viva Day Spa’s “Viva Diva” was voted the “Best Spa Package” in 2011 and “Best Day of Beauty Package” 2012 by Austin Monthly Magazine, and dubbed “Best Manicure/Pedicure” by Austin360 in 2012.

Viva Day Spa has two Austin locations, Viva Day Spa on 35th at 1811 West 35th St and Viva Day Spa on Lamar at 215 South Lamar Blvd. For more information about Viva Day Spa, visit www.vivadayspa.com.

I am really excited about X-Men: Days of Future Past. It looks like it is going to be really good.

The biggest basketball tournament of the year is around the corner – are you ready?  Between the cheering fans and children running around, a secured flat panel TV and safe media entertainment system should be top of mind.  SANUS® invites you to “Take a Shot” and enter for a chance to transform your space and ensure safe game day viewing just in time for the championship game on April 7^th, 2014.

 The game plan is simple, enter the SANUS® “Take a Shot” sweepstakes on Facebook for a chance to win a championship prize pack (valued at $1,150) which includes the following:

• Vizio 50” Smart TV
• Full-Motion Mount for TVs 51 to 70” (Model VLF525)
• In-wall Cable Management System (Model ELM806)
• Party Snack Gift Basket

AUSTIN—The Texas Book Festival, considered one of the premier literary events in the nation, will be held Oct. 25 and 26 in 2014, and for the first time will be “bookended” by the newly-named Texas Teen Book Festival on Oct. 18.  

The Texas Teen Book Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the nation, a major annual event in the young adult YA world that draws some of the most popular authors who write for the age group. YA literature is one of the hottest categories in book publishing today, drawing not only teen but adult readers in significant numbers.

Formerly known as the Austin Teen Book Festival, the gathering of young adult authors and readers, which attracted a record audience of 4,000 in 2013, has been sponsored by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation since 2011.

“It’s invigorating to join forces with the dedicated collaborative that has nurtured this grassroots young adult literary festival to where it is today,” says Lois Kim, executive director of the Texas Book Festival. “With back-to-back festivals, we aim to put books and reading front and center for all Texans this October.”

This year, the Texas Teen Book Festival will be co-presented by the Library Foundation and the Texas Book Festival. Other key players are programming partner and co-founder BookPeople and venue sponsor St. Edward’s University, where the Texas Teen Book Festival will be held in 2014.

Both the Texas Book Festival, held in and around the State Capitol, and the Texas Teen Book Festival are free and open to the public thanks to generous donors, sponsors, and volunteers.

Fans of the Texas Book Festival can expect to see more of everything they love about the festival this year, especially in the blocked-off streets surrounding the Capitol, Kim says.

“In 2014 the Festival will offer even more on the streets for all to enjoy: pop-up shops, the return of Texas Monthly’s TMBBQ ’Cue Court, interesting food trucks, and a multitude of opportunities to engage with publishers, indie presses, and unique organizations.”

The Austin Teen Book Festival started in 2009 when librarian Heather Schubert partnered with Book People to organize a gathering at her school district library. Five hundred people and 16 authors attended the first year. By 2013 the one-day Festival had grown to host more than 40 authors, four publishers, 17 sessions, and a fervent fan base of 4,000 young adult readers of all ages.

“I couldn’t be more excited that our homegrown Teen Book Festival will now be stewarded by the Texas Book Festival, which will strengthen the Festival for years to come,” says Schubert. 

Tim Staley, Library Foundation executive director says: “As we turn our attention to the 2016 opening of the new Central Library, and grow our other core programs, now seemed like the perfect time to integrate this big event into the Texas Book Festival’s programming—especially as they are custom-built to put on literary festivals.”

About the Texas Book Festival

The Texas Book Festival celebrates authors and their contributions to the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination. Founded in 1995 by first lady Laura Bush, Mary Margaret Farabee, and a group of volunteers, the nonprofit Texas Book Festival promotes the joys of reading and writing through its annual Festival weekend, the one-day Texas Teen Book Festival, the Reading Rock Stars program, grants to Texas libraries, youth fiction writing contest, and year-round literary programming. The Festival is held on the grounds of the Texas Capitol each fall and features more than 250 renowned authors, panels, book signings, live music, cooking demonstrations, and children’s activities. Thanks to generous donors, sponsors, and nearly 1,000 volunteers, the Festival remains free and open to the public. www.texasbookfestival.org, www.facebook.com/TexasBookFestival, www.twitter.com/texasbookfest, #txbookfest, www.texasteenbookfestival.org 

About the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation

The Austin Public Library Friends Foundation supports the Austin Public Library by increasing public awareness about the library and its importance to the community, and by raising funds to enhance library collections, programs, and facilities. Its programming includes the New Fiction Confab, Mayor’s Book Club, Illumine literary awards, and Badgerdog writing programs. www.austinlibrary.org, www.twitter.com/APLFF

There is no better way to celebrate the beginning of Spring than with Pie!  Now through Mar. 31^st, Marie Callender’s is offering $5 off any Whole Pie for customers who dine-in at the restaurant. The promotion is valid on all of Marie’s famous pie’s including their legendary favorites, cream pies and the new Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Pie.

$5 OFF ANY WHOLE PIE DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH!

For the entire month of March, Marie Callender’s is offering $5 off any Whole Pie. The promotion includes any of Marie’s famous whole pies such as Apple, Chocolate Cream, Lemon Meringue, Pumpkin and more!!! The $5 off any Whole Pie promotion is only valid for customers who dine-in at the restaurant.

NEW PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE PIE

Marie Callender’s introduces its newest pie, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Pie available for a limited time for $14.99 (plus tin). Featuring Marie Callender’s flaky crust filled with peanut butter cream, moist chocolate cake and chocolate chunks, the pie is topped with rich chocolate fudge icing and fresh whipped cream.