Celebrate the art of childhood

A festival bringing to life the work of BrianLies!
Exhibiting Artist at the NCCIL

Dramatic Readings
Celebrate Brian Lies’ books with amazing readers from Young Audiences of Abilene! Some readings feature one book, and some feature two shorter books. Each session is followed by an art activity suitable for small children at no extra cost! Meet a costume character from the book and collect a character button for your lanyard.

Reading times Friday & Saturday
Morning: 9, 9:45, 10:30, 11:15 am

Afternoon: 12, 12:45, 1:30, 2:15, 3*, 3:45* pm

*The NCCIL will not have readings late Friday afternoon in order to prepare for the Brian Lies dinner in the gallery. For more information on the dinner, go to www.nccil.org
 
National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (NCCIL)
102 Cedar St.

COSTUME CHARACTER: Evan the Fox

ART ACTIVITY: Brian Lies map

OTHER EVENTS: Exhibition of Brian Lies’ original artwork in the gallery. He will sign books purchased from the NCCIL on Thursday night at Paramount Theatre and Friday morning at the NCCIL. Reserve your spot for a Saturday morning workshop with Brian or Friday night dinner with Brian at nccil.org.

NOTES: Bathrooms available. Strollers must be parked outside. Brian’s books available for purchase in the gift shop. Become a NCCIL member and leave your books to be signed before the festival and avoid lines!

The Grace Museum
102 Cypress St.

COSTUME CHARACTER: Finklehopper Frog

ART ACTIVITY: Make a clay frog

NOTES: Bathroom with diaper changing table available. Stroller parking inside. Readings on first floor; art activity in the courtyard. No cost to tour museum for CALF registrants. Spark history and art space will be closed to CALF attendees.

First National Bank, Albany/Breckenridge
202 Cypress St.

COSTUME CHARACTER: Gator Dad

ART ACTIVITY: Make an alligator

NOTES: Bathrooms available. Stroller parking inside.

Community Foundation
850 N. 1st St.

COSTUME CHARACTER: Little Bat

ART ACTIVITY: Make a flying bat

OTHER EVENTS: Live Bat Experience! Learn all about bats and experience an echolocation demonstration with a live bat in-between dramatic readings from the “Little Bat” book series. Presented by biology professors Dr. Joel Brant, McMurry University, and Dr. Tom Lee, Abilene Christian University.

NOTES: Bathrooms available. Stroller parking inside.

Frontier Texas!
625 N. 1st St.

COSTUME CHARACTER: Izzy the Chipmunk

TAKE-HOME ART ACTIVITY: Make a chipmunk mask

OTHER EVENTS: Birds of Prey shows

NOTES: Bathroom with diaper changing table available. Stroller parking outside. Tour museum at discounted price.

Majestic
173 Pine St.

CALF Bonus Books!

Favorite festival characters from previous years are back –some with new stories! Meet characters from each book and collect a vintage CALF button.

COSTUME CHARACTERS: Variety from past CALF years

NOTES: Bathrooms available. Stroller parking outside.

Abilene Zoo
2070 Zoo Lane
Reading times: 9:30, 10:30, 11:30 am

Costume Character: Little Bat

Notes: Wear your CALF pass to the zoo and get in free! Animal Encounter following each reading.

Read to a Dog
Center for Contemporary Arts • 9 am-3:30 pm Friday & Saturday

Hendrick Health System offers Pet Enhanced Therapy Services as part of Hendrick Center for Rehabilitation. Volunteers help with various kinds of therapy, and the P.E.T.S. program visits patients in the main hospital. At CALF, you can learn about these amazing animals and read them a book!

Collect Buttons
Earn Brian Lies book character buttons as you complete various activities during CALF such as Dramatic Readings. There are 14 buttons in all to collect!

Earn your first CALF button on Thursday night by attending Sketch with Brian at the Paramount Theatre.

Don’t forget you earn a button when you attend CALF at the Zoo on Sunday. Turn in your festival survey Saturday before you leave at festival headquarters at the T&P Depot, 1101 N. 1st St., to receive the survey button.

WORKSHOPS
The Dramatic Readings include an art activity suitable for small children at no extra cost. For older children who want to spend 45 minutes to an hour on an art project, we have workshops available for various ages. Sign up your child for workshops when you register for the festival. Please limit workshops to no more than two per child. Teachers and parents may observe workshops at no extra cost.

CALF Collectible (Age 5+)
10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm Friday & Saturday

Paint a colorful, wooden keepsake sign inspired by the book The Rough Patch with step-by-step instruction. Start your CALF collection and add a new design each year!

Board & Brush Creative Studio, 1031 N. 6th St.

Class size: 15. Cost is $15 per child.

The Poet’s Pen (Age 8+)
10-11 am Friday

Create and illustrate your own book of poems! Taught by master teacher Cynthia Ladyman.

The Grace Museum, 3rd Floor Classroom

Class size: 12. Cost is $5 per child.

Mixed Media (Age 7+)
10-11 am & 11:30 am-12:30 pm Friday & Saturday

Create multi-media artwork inspired by the book Wombat Said Come In. Taught by art teachers Betsy Gragg on Friday and Mary K Huff on Saturday.

Abilene Convention Center foyer, upstairs Room 203/4

Class size: 12. Cost is $5 per child.

Puppet Play (Age 7+)
10-11 am & 11:30 am-12:30 pm Friday

Create “trash puppets” based on the Brian Lies book, Bats in the Band. Make your own bat band and tell the story of these musical bats through an ecofriendly puppet craft followed by a fun puppet show experience! Taught by theater arts teacher Nicole Sutphen.

The Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St.

Class size: 12. Cost is $5 per child.

Make Your Own Storybook Sculpture (Age 8+)
2:30-3:30 pm Friday & 1-2 & 2:30-3:30 pm Saturday

Create a clay Evan the Fox sculpture inspired by The Rough Patch. Taught by Storybook Sculpture creator and Hardin-Simmons University professor Steve Neves on Friday and school art teacher Thomas Evans on Saturday.

Abilene Convention Center foyer, upstairs Room 203/4

Class size: 12. Cost is $15 per child.

Origami Art for Kids (Age 8+)
1-2 pm Saturday

Origami artist Susannah Barrington will show you how to create Brian Lies book characters with folded paper and step-by-step instruction.

The Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St.

Class size: 12. Cost is $5 per child.

Batty for Painting (Age 8+)
2:30-3:30 pm Friday & Saturday

Learn how to draw and paint bats! Inspired by the Brian Lies book Bats in the Band. Taught by art teacher Bethany Connell.

The Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St.

Class size: 12. Cost is $10 per child.

The Art of Baseball (Age 8+)
10-11 am Friday & Saturday

Inspired by the book Bats at the Ballgame, explore how baseball played an important role in the lives of World War II soldiers. Create art projects inspired by the book and the love of the game.

12th Armored Division Memorial Museum, 1289 N. 2nd St.

Class size: 20. Cost is $8 per child.

Write & Illustrate Your Own Storybook (Age 7+)
1-2 pm Friday & Saturday

You will leave this workshop with your very own book created by you! Taught by Abilene Writers Guild members and art teachers.

The Grace Museum, 3rd Floor Classroom.

Class size: 40. Cost is $5 per child.

Workshop with Brian Lies
9-9:45 or 10-10:45 am Saturday

Hosted by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in their studio. Please visit the NCCIL website for more details about this event and how to register!

CALF at the Zoo!
Sunday, June 11 • Abilene Zoo, 2070 Zoo Lane

Wear your CALF pass on Sunday and enter the zoo for free! You have three opportunities to hear dramatic readings followed by an Animal Encounter with zoo staff in the pavilion. You can also meet a bat costume character and earn a Brian Lies button for your lanyard! Books featured at each reading: Bats at the Ballgame and Spy Hops & Belly Flops. Learn more about the Abilene Zoo here.

Sunday Schedule of Events

9 am - Abilene Zoo opens

9:30 am – Dramatic Readings & Animal Encounters in the Pavilion

10:30 am - Dramatic Readings & Animal Encounters in the Pavilion

11:30 am - Dramatic Readings & Animal Encounters in the Pavilion

5 pm - Abilene Zoo closes

TICKETED EVENTS

Young Audiences’ Enchanted Eatery

Three sessions available: 10:30 am, 11:30 am or 12:30 pm Friday & Saturday, The Hotel Wooten, 1102 N. 3rd St.

Meet knights and princesses and storybook characters while you enjoy a boxed Chick-fil-A lunch in a beautiful ballroom. Sign up for a time when you register for CALF. Air-conditioned venue. Cost is $10 a person. Please select your preferred time to reserve your seat and meals for all attendees for a 45-minute experience. Limited seating in each time slot.

Benefiting Young Audiences of Abilene, a non-profit program of the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council that brings the arts into local schools.

Storybook Characters Breakfast
8:15-9 am Friday & Saturday • Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden, Abilene Convention Center

Meet and collect autographs from 20 of your favourite costumed characters. Enjoy a breakfast of sausage, sprinkle pancakes and fruit. Pre-registration required. Reserve your spot when you register for CALF.

Cost is $5 per person. Autograph books for sale.

FEATURED EVENTS
NO EXTRA FEE
We bring the best of children’s entertainment to you! Indoor events have limited capacity and are filled on a first come, first served basis.

Train Rides
9 am-12 pm & 1-4 pm Friday & Saturday

Everman Park, N. 1st & Cypress Streets

Hop aboard the Storybook Capital Express to tour Everman Park and see the Dr. Seuss sculptures. The park is closed during the train rides but open at lunchtime.

Le Marionette Theater
9 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm, 1:30 pm, 3 pm, 4:15 pm Friday & Saturday

The Well, 137 Mesquite St.

Le Marionette Theater of Dallas is pure fun – with a few strings attached! The 25-minute show “Happily Ever After” features music and a variety of hilarious characters. No tickets required because the show has moved to a larger venue.

Live Bat Experience
11 am-2:15 pm Friday & Saturday

Community Foundation of Abilene, 850 N. 1st St.

Learn all about bats and experience an echolocation demonstration with a live bat in-between dramatic readings from the “Little Bat” book series. Presented by biology professor Dr. Joel Brant, McMurry University.

Storybook Parade
5:30-6 pm Thursday, Cypress Street from North 1st to North 6th

Wave at all of your Storybook Capital friends as they reunite for the Storybook Parade down Cypress Street. See costumed characters from each year of the festival starting in 2012. The parade ends at the Abilene Convention Center, where the Storybook Sculpture unveiling will take place at 6:15 pm.

Evan’s Magnificent Garden Party
6:30 pm Thursday, Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden

Wiggle and giggle as Austin singer Joe McDermott performs on the garden stage. Enjoy food trucks and entertainment before heading to the Paramount Theatre for “Sketch with Brian” with NCCIL summer artist Brian Lies at 7 p.m.

Little Bat: The Musical
5:15-6 pm Friday & Saturday, Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St.

Little Bat can’t wait for his first night of school! He’s excited about everything – new school supplies, learning, and making friends. But when he finally arrives, his world turns upside down in this new musical from McMurry University Theatre based on the Brian Lies book, “Little Bat in Night School.” Original music by Penelope Ferris. Written by Matthew Lamar. Directed by Neena McLain.

CALF Bonus Books!
All day Friday & Saturday, Majestic, 173 Pine St.

Favorite festival characters from previous years are back –with some new stories! Stop by Majestic on Friday and Saturday for a dramatic book reading and opportunity to meet a costume character and collect a vintage CALF button. Reading schedule is the same as for the featured reading venues.

Evan’s Garden Sprinklers
Thursday-Saturday, Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. 6th St.

Escape the heat by walking through our colorful, cooling mist experience at the Abilene Convention Center.

May Farm Petting Animals
9 am-4pm Friday & Saturday, Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. 6th St.

Pet and feed a variety of furry friends from May Farm, including goats, horses and little furry critters!

Kornpop Balloon Shows
Friday & Saturday, Abilene Convention Center foyer, 1100 N. 6th St.

Kornpop delights festival goers with his imaginary Brian Lies balloon characters and ceiling high creations! Enjoy his tricks and comedy.

Nancy and Her Friends
10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm Friday & Saturday, Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St.

Nancy Burks Worcester (pronounced Wooster) is back! This CALF favorite is a sought-after ventriloquist and storyteller who entertains with music, props and talking puppets with lots of personality.

Music with Joe McDermott
Thursday, Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden

Friday & Saturday, Minter Park

Get ready to laugh, sing and be wacky with singer/songwriter Joe McDermott, who specializes in music for children. Enjoy his high energy, Austin-style pop sound.

Instrument Petting Zoo
9 am-12 pm & 1-4 pm Friday & Saturday, Abilene Philharmonic, 1102 N. 3rd St., Suite C, Wooten Building

Let your kids discover the magic and inspiration of music. Children can touch and play real musical instruments. There will also be special demonstrations and live performances. No zoo animals allowed!

The S.T.E.A.M. Room
9 am-4 pm Friday & Saturday, Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St.

S.T.E.A.M. = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math

Hands-on experiments in the Photo Gallery for kids ages 8 and older inspired by Brian Lies books. (LEGO table for all ages in the Main Gallery. Toddler Room for ages 18 months to 4 years located on the Second Floor with sensory activities.)

Wombat Said Come In: LIVE!
Friday & Saturday, Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St.

Abilene director Gary Varner presents a 20-minute production on the auditorium stage featuring characters from the 2022 book Wombat Said Come In. When wildfire flares up, displaced animals come knocking on Wombat’s door. His house is soon overwhelmed with all kinds of Australian critters. Inspired by the book written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Brian Lies. Followed by art activity.

Professor QB
Thursday, Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden

9, 11 am, 1, 3 pm Friday & Saturday, Minter Park

Pirate. Clown. Magician. Mad scientist. You never know what character Professor QB is going to bring to the show. Professor QB is a premier family entertainer in Texas who has performed for thousands of people.

Birds of Prey Shows
9:15, 10:45 am, 12:15, 1:45 pm Friday & Saturday, Frontier Texas!

Sky Kings Falconry from South Central Texas presents a free-flight program featuring hawks, owls, falcons, vultures, and other raptors that will leave the audience thrilled and amazed. They discuss the natural history of these incredible birds along with their unique traits and natural abilities.

Sketch with Brian & Book Signings
There are multiple opportunities for Brian Lies to sign your books!

Following “Sketch with Brian” at 7 pm Thursday, Paramount Theatre Lobby. NCCIL books will be for sale in the lobby. The first 500 people will receive a special CALF button, Storybook Capital pencil and sketch book.

9 - 11 am Friday, National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (NCCIL). Please bring only books purchased from the NCCIL. No posed or flash photography.

Become a NCCIL member before the festival and you can purchase Brian Lies books at the gift shop and leave them to be signed by Brian - no waiting in lines! Go to nccil.org to become a member!

Brian’s Magnificent Garden Art Exhibition
Opening Thursday Night, NCCIL

An exhibition of original art by Brian Lies (rhymes with “cheese”) will open Thursday night, June 8 at the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. The exhibit will remain in the gallery, free to visit, through September.

Brian has written and/or illustrated more than 30 books, including the New York Times best-selling bat books (Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library, Little Bat in Night School, etc.), which have been featured on NPR and The Martha Stewart Show. In 2019, The Rough Patch received a Caldecott Honor, a Massachusetts Book Award Honor, and a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Brian Lies Character Costume Contest

INFO
All ages are invited to participate by dressing as a favorite character from a book illustrated by Brian Lies! The contest consists of a simple display and turn in front of the judges. All contestants are invited to participate in the Storybook Parade immediately following the contest.

Special keepsake for all contestants! Prizes for first through third place in each category!

REGISTER
Go online to www.abilenecalf.com to pre-register. Register in person the day of the event from 3:15-3:45 p.m.

WHEN: Registration ends at 3:45 p.m. Judging starts promptly at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 8, 2023

WHERE: Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st St.

IDEAS: Check out our Pinterest page for inspiration at www.pinterest.com/abilenearts

CATEGORIES:

AGES 0-4: Prizes for first through third place.

AGES 5-7: Prizes for first through third place.

AGES 8+: Special consideration given to costumes at least partially created by the participants. Prizes for first through third place.

GROUPS: Three or more contestants with the same themed costume may enter. Prizes for first through third place.

Sculpture Unveiling
Help us welcome Evan and His Dog to the Storybook Capital! Evan the fox and his doggy friend will be unveiled in the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, June 8, 2023 on the east lawn of the Abilene Convention Center. This beautifully crafted bronze sculpture was inspired by the Brian Lies book The Rough Patch. The sculpture was created by local Storybook Sculptor Steve Neves and cast in bronze by Schaefer Art Bronze. The unveiling will take place after the Storybook Parade.

Abilene is home to nearly 40 storybook sculptures, which is the largest collection of its kind in America, if not the world!

Storybook Capital Scavenger Hunt
The game goes live at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 8, 2023.

Here’s how you play:

Download the free GooseChase app for Android or iPhone.

Sign up and select a user name. Team members can download the app on their own phones but must use the same user name for log in.

Join the game by searching for “2023 Abilene CALF GooseChase.”

Complete as many missions as possible by 8 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2023. Complete missions by submitting creative photos, video or text within the app.

Keep an eye on the real-time rankings and photo feeds to see what everyone else is up to!

Do not climb on the smaller sculptures to take photos. Everman Park with the Dr. Seuss sculptures is closed during train hours and open at lunchtime from 12 to 1 p.m.

Complete at least 10 missions to pick up your prize at the T&P Depot - Sandman button

GRAND PRIZE WINNERS! The highest ranked team (by committee review) receives five signed Brian Lies books. A prize will also be given for most creative photos!

Ticketed Brian Lies Events at the NCCIL

Dinner with Brian Lies
6:30 pm Friday, June 9, 2023

Tickets: $125 a person

Hosted by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (NCCIL) in the museum gallery. An elegant night with catered meal and a special talk by Brian. Recommended for adults.

Buy Tickets

Workshop with Brian Lies
- Two times to choose from! 9-9:45 am or 10-10:45 am Saturday, June 10 in the art studio

- Cost is free for NCCIL members and $20 per child for non-members

- Brian will sign books for workshop registrants.

- Limited spots. Recommended for children. Register through the NCCIL.

Register

Date: June 8 - 11, 2023.

Venue: Various Venues

For more details https://www.abilenecalf.com/featured-events.