Abilene Storybook Experience App Launch Party

MAY 11, 2024 - The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council invites you to the Abilene Storybook Experience App Launch Party from 10 am to 12 pm Saturday at the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden. The party is free and open to the public!

                Costumed characters will welcome guests to the garden, where you can enjoy free donuts and coffee while supplies last as well as hair chalking. Volunteers from the Genius Squad will be helping people download the game on their mobile devices and helping them play. Our celebrity guest is Elsie Stark, a Wylie ISD student who made it to the Top 5 in the most recent season of the Kids Baking Championship TV show on Food Network. Elsie will be giving away baked treats to the first 13 families to download the app. Everyone who downloads the app will receive a special app logo pin!

                The $100,000 app is made possible by a Cultural District grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and generous donors. The app is simple to use. Download Abilene Storybook Experience app on Google Play or Apple App store and play downtown. A map will appear when you open the game guiding you around the Cultural District to Storybook Sculptures and benches. At the sculptures, you can “collect” a virtual image of the book character and interact with it and take your photo with it. The virtual character stays in your collection on the app and you can interact with it even at home. At the benches, you can play a game by filling in the book quote words and virtually collecting the book covers. As you move around downtown, character buttons will pop up you can collect in your app.

“The Abilene Storybook Experience App will provide a fun way for the Cultural District to use augmented reality to experience the Storybook Sculptures and benches,” said Lynn Barnett, Abilene Chamber Vice President over the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council. “We think visitors will love it!”

The council is still accepting donations for the app through its 501c(3) arm, the Abilene Arts Alliance. Donations can be made online at www.abilenecac.org and clicking on the “Donate Now” button.

                Since 2019, the Cultural Affairs Council has been fortunate to receive over $500,000 in Cultural District Enhancement grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts. These grants have been matched by more $700,000 from local donors.

Celebrate Grinchy Claus and friends at Christmas in the Garden!

NOV. 29, 2023 – Put on your favorite ugly Christmas sweater and head to the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden for some Grinchy good fun at this year’s Christmas in the Garden! The family friendly event is Friday, Dec. 1, and this year’s theme is inspired by Dr. Seuss books, which are a favorite in the Storybook Capital of America®.

Christmas in the Garden will feature the costume characters the Grinch, Lorax and Cat in the Hat, games and crafts and food inspired by the world of Dr. Seuss.

Families have two sessions to choose from – 5 to 6:30 p.m. or 6:30 to 8 p.m. The cost is $15 per family.

You can purchase tickets at www.abilenecac.org while spots are available. About 600 people are expected to attend this year.

You will enter the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden from the north side of the Abilene Convention Center. The garden’s storybook sculptures will be decorated with twinkling Christmas lights and new holiday decorations.

Children will have the opportunity to share their wishes with Santy Claus, get a balloon animal, have their face painted and be mystified by the tricks of magician Lonnie Chevrie.  The Grinch himself will read his favorite book, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Seven and One Books will have a pop-up shop as well!

Christmas in the Garden is presented by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council and is one of several events during the Abilene Downtown Association’s annual City Sidewalks holiday celebration. For a full schedule of holiday events, go to www.abilenedowntown.com.