WQED Pittsburgh: Media-Only Press Room

WQED ACTIVITIES AT THE GRAND OPENING OF
PBS KIDS BACKYARD
AT THE GALLERIA AT PITTSBURGH MILLS
WQED’s Education and Community Resource Center plans day filled with fun and special guests
Back to Index

PITTSBURGH, PA – WQED Multimedia’s Education and Community Resource Center invites you to “Welcome to Our Backyard!” - a day filled with fun, games and special guests to celebrate the grand opening of PBS KIDS BackyardSM at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills. Join the ECRC on September 8 for these family fun activities throughout the day:

9 a.m. PBS KIDS Backyard Ribbon Cutting
Deborah L. Acklin, executive vice president and general manager, WQED Multimedia and Mr. McFeely, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

9:30 a.m. – 11a.m. Autographs and Photos with Mr. McFeely

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Fun and Games in the Backyard
Jungle gym, computer kiosks, a small amphitheater, book nooks
and more

1 p.m. – 8 p.m. Meet & Greet & Photos with Your Favorite PBS KIDS Characters

Complimentary, commemorative photos with walkaround characters including: Arthur®, The Berenstain Bears®, Caillou®, Cassie™ from Dragon Tales™, Clifford the Big Red Dog®, Digit™ from Cyberchase™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane™, Leona™ from Between the Lions™, Mr. McFeely™ from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood®, Noddy™ from Make Way for Noddy™, the Noo-noo™ from Teletubbies™, Piggley Winks™ from Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks™ and Zoboo™ from Zoboomafoo

In addition, folks will be able to sign up for the WQED Kids’ Club, and find out about the new Kids’ Club Contest “How Is WQED Part of Your Family?” while visiting the backyard. For more information, log on to www.wqedkids.org.

WQED’s own Chris Fennimore, host of QED Cooks and Rick Sebak, producer of the Pittsburgh History Series will also be stopping by during the day.

As part of a cause–marketing alliance, PBS KIDS® has partnered with The Mills Corporation, a leading developer of entertainment and retail destinations, to open PBS KIDS Backyards across the country. The PBS KIDS Backyard at Pittsburgh Mills is the third in the country; the previous Backyards opened at St. Louis Mills in 2003, and Cincinnati, Ohio in 2004, with estimates of 200,000 mall visitors during opening weekend. The Backyard is not a store, but an educational environment that provides a fun place for families to play, learn and explore together. The destination supports PBS KIDS’ educational goals and objectives to develop the whole child – the cognitive, emotional, social and physical. It is free and open to the public.

Upon entering the PBS KIDS Backyard, children will be greeted by a life-size Big Bird sculpture and a series of play events incorporated into and surrounding the iconic PBS KIDS tree house. Children will have the opportunity to play educational games from PBS KIDS online at computer stations in the online garden and spend time building their literary skills in other activity areas. The Share-A-Story Theater will host PBS KIDS
Character events, group readings and other performances to encourage language and literacy skills. The playground will also feature outreach programs and activities provided by WQED’s Education and Community Resource Center throughout the year.

WQED Multimedia provides educational, cultural and informational products and services that enhance and engage the community. It is the parent company of WQED tv13, WQEX – your America’s Store channel, WQED fm89.3, WQEJ fm89.7/Johnstown, a publishing division that includes PITTSBURGH magazine, local and national television and radio productions, www.wqed.org and the WQED Education and Community Resource Center.

For additional information, please e-mail: promotion@wqed.org