The Very First Amazing Adventure of Griswold and Christophe – Written and illustrated by Christian Bjone 

An entertaining retelling of the fairytale of Prince Gilgamesh.

The Very First Amazing Adventure of Griswold and Christophe by author-illustrator Christian Bjone introduces a new audience of children to the ancient Babylonian myth of Prince Gilgamesh. This fairytale retelling is whimsical and unique as it features a giant teddy bear and a toy soldier as the main characters.

After a disrupted toy parade leaves Griswold the Teddy Bear and Christophe the Toy Soldier completely alone, they naturally join together as friends for company and support. Hearing about the trouble at the Queen’s Castle, Christophe decides they must travel there to free the inhabitants from the Evil Ogre. Their journey commences, and they meet powerful and strange creatures along the way. They complete challenges to win the magic weapons they’ll need to defeat their foe. 

The story unfolds through short paragraphs, colorful illustrations, and maps. Much of the narrative, while lyrical and vivid, may fly over the heads of struggling or reluctant readers and will require adult interpretation. I enjoyed Christophe’s focus on their ultimate mission and smiled over his reaction to Red Fox and his various kindnesses throughout the story. I laughed about Griswold’s constant and appealing interest in food and eating rather than almost anything else. The result of Christophe’s kindness and bravery came as a twist, as did the surprising cliffhanger ending, which is to be continued in a follow-up retelling of the story of Ulysses and his journey home from the Trojan War.

I recommend THE VERY FIRST AMAZING ADVENTURE OF GRISWOLD AND CHRISTOPHE for older, more advanced middle-grade readers and teens and for reading aloud to younger children.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.

 Grant Gustin, best known for his roles as Barry Allen/The Flash in the CW series The Flash, is the first celebrity guest announced for Dallas FAN FESTIVAL 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome Grant Gustin, a multitalented performer and pop culture favorite, to Irving in October. As part of the Arrowverse for nearly ten years, Gustin developed a loyal fan following. Now, fresh from his critically acclaimed turn as Jacob Jankowski in the original Broadway production of Water for Elephants, Gustin will be on hand to share his experiences in front of the camera and on the stage, with guests at our annual pop culture celebration in Irving,” says Andrew Moyes, Vice President of FAN EXPO.

Dallas FAN FESTIVAL is this Fall’s premier pop culture celebration, offering the ultimate playground for comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming fans. Highlights include celebrity photo ops and meet-and-greets, opportunities to interact with legendary comic book creators, a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, family-friendly fandom, and cosplay fun! Dallas FAN FESTIVAL features programming that celebrates the vibrant pop culture community thriving in North Texas and beyond.

Tickets ON SALE NOW:

Weekend Passes: $50

Adult Single Day Passes (13+): Saturday $40 and Sunday $30

Child Passes (6-12): $10

Family Passes: Saturday $90 and Sunday $70

Gold Package: $129

DETAILS:  Dallas FAN FESTIVAL runs Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, 2024

Saturday, October 19, from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.

Sunday, October 20, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

The Irving Convention Center is located at 500 W Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, TX 75039

ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ:

With over a million fans and counting, FAN EXPO HQ attracts pop culture enthusiasts, locally and internationally, to come together to celebrate all things fandom. Collectively, it hosts nearly one million fans annually at FAN EXPO Dallas™, FAN EXPO Canada™, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Boston™, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO San Francisco, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Cleveland, FAN EXPO Vancouver™, Toronto Comicon, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL and EDMONTON EXPO. The latest schedule of events is available on the Website, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong. 

In what is sure to be one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year, Kaleidoscope Park, the 5.7-acre signature park in Frisco, will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6. The celebration will feature vibrant programming, with activities scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Saturday will begin with morning fitness classes, a traditional farmer’s market, a petting zoo, face painting, arts and crafts, and more. At 11 a.m. Kaleidoscope Park’s Executive Director Shawn Jackson will be joined by special guests Craig Hall, City of Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney, Park board chairperson The Honorable Florence Shapiro, Communities Foundation of Texas President & CEO Wayne White, and featured artist Janet Echelman for the park’s official ribbon cutting. A full slate of family activities during the day will culminate with a concert with the Emerald City All-Stars, presented by Emerald City Band and sponsored by H-E-B. 

Sunday’s events include live musical performances by members of the Plano Symphony Orchestra, hands-on arts experiences and more. Throughout the two-day event, guests will enjoy games throughout the park and surprising activations around every corner.

Food and beverages will be available from a diverse selection of vendors and food trucks, ensuring that everyone has something to enjoy. Parking is complimentary throughout the weekend.

“The Grand Opening of Kaleidoscope Park represents the culmination of countless hours of dedication and partnership,” said Shawn Jackson. “This park is more than just a green space—it’s a vibrant community hub designed to be accessible and welcoming to everyone. With thoughtfully programmed events and activities, Kaleidoscope Park will be a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can connect with nature, experience art, and create lasting memories together.”

Developer Craig Hall sees the park as a signature part of the HALL Park development.

"The concept of bringing a programmed park to Frisco with free year-round community events was inspired by the great success of Klyde Warren Park in Dallas,” said Hall Group Founder and Chairman, Craig Hall. “We hope the park will be a place where Frisco residents and all of North Texas can gather with family, friends, and neighbors to make lasting memories.”

The beautiful Kaleidoscope Park will be maintained by the team from the City of Frisco, and it represents the city’s commitment to both usable green space and public art.

“The City of Frisco is proud to invest in Kaleidoscope Park,” said Mayor Jeff Cheney.  “Our public-private partnership with Hall Park creates a unique destination, blending the best in park design with amazing art.  Kaleidoscope Park will transform Hall Park into more than a place to work and draw families for generations. We’re grateful for the vision of Craig Hall, who always develops with excellence in mind.”

The Kaleidoscope Park Foundation is supported by a cadre of generous donors who make programming at the park possible.

“On behalf of the entire Kaleidoscope Park Foundation board, I want to share our gratitude to those individuals, foundations and companies who have shown leadership in becoming members of the Kaleidoscope Park Founders Circle,” said the Honorable Florence Shapiro, board chairperson. “These visionaries will enable the Park to serve thousands of guests each month with unique and meaningful programming.”

Current members of the Founders Circle include Austin Commercial, Baylor Scott & White Health, The Boxer Family, Capital One, Beth and Ed Bull, Coury Hospitality, Cushman & Wakefield, Frisco Arts Foundation, Frost Bank, Carolyn and Denton Newham, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Charlyn and Jake Plunk, Plunk Smith, PLLC, Susan and Dave Scullin, Florence and Howard Shapiro and The Webb Impact Foundation.

The Kaleidoscope Park Grand Opening is made possible by generous sponsors including Big D Party Rentals - Sound & Stage, H-E-B - Sponsoring Emerald City All-Stars performance, Baylor Scott & White - Health and Fitness Programs, Carol Vig Photography – Photography, and Capital One.

For more information on events and activities at Kaleidoscope Park Foundation, visit KaleidoscopePark.org/support.

Kaleidoscope Park is located near the Dallas North Tollway at Warren Parkway in Frisco, Texas, and in neighboring distance to The Star, Stonebriar Centre, Legacy West, The Shops at Legacy, The Boardwalk and Granite Park.

ABOUT KALEIDOSCOPE PARK:

Kaleidoscope Park is a dynamic, innovative arts and culture destination for North Texas currently under construction. The Park will be home to free, year-round public programming, including films, diverse musical and dance performances, and a variety of health and recreational activities. The Park will feature monumental works of public art, architecture, and gardens set among a children’s play area, dog park, performance lawn, outdoor workspaces, and shaded promenades and plazas. Learn more at kaleidoscopepark.org.

ABOUT THE KALEIDOSCOPE PARK FOUNDATION:

Kaleidoscope Park Foundation is a nonprofit public-private partnership between Communities Foundation of Texas and the City of Frisco. The Foundation’s mission is to thoughtfully engage the diverse and rapidly growing communities of North Texas through free public arts and culture programming that is genuine, inclusive, and accessible. Operating as a Foundation supported by private donations, financial support for development, operations, and programming is always welcome.

ABOUT COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS:

The mission of Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) is to improve the lives of all people in our community by investing in their health, wealth, living, and learning. CFT works to accomplish this by growing community giving, expanding community impact, and advancing community equity. With a vision of building thriving communities for all, CFT works locally and across the state with many individuals, families, companies, foundations, and nonprofits through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking initiatives. CFT professionally manages more than 1,300 charitable funds and has awarded more than $2.5 billion in grants since its founding in 1953.

CFT is committed to serving and understanding donor needs, expertly handling complex gifts, wisely managing charitable funds, and leveraging its community knowledge to increase charitable impact, in addition to powering several initiatives including the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Fund at CFT, CFT for Business, Educate Texas at CFT, Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy at CFT, GiveWisely, and CFT’s North Texas Giving Day. CFT’s North Texas Giving Day raised $64 million on a single day in 2023 to help over 3,250 North Texas nonprofits. Learn more at www.CFTexas.org.

ABOUT HALL PARK

A pioneering development in Frisco since the mid-1990s, HALL Park today encompasses 2.2 million square feet of office and retail space throughout 15 buildings. One-third of the park is dedicated to green space and includes three miles of walking trails, over 200 works of art including the Texas Sculpture Garden, the largest private collection of contemporary Texas sculpture made available to the public. In October 2021, its developer, HALL Group, commenced construction on the first phase of its new masterplan development that will evolve HALL Park into a dynamic mixed-use community. Upon completion, the full masterplan–anticipated to span 15-20 years of development–will encompass approximately 9.5 million square feet of usable mixed-use space, including residential, with a projected value of around $7 billion. Learn more at hallpark.com. 

Keep Irving Beautiful Partners with Pacific Dental Services for Serve Day

Group Conducts Cleanup at T.W. Richardson Grove Park

(IRVING, TEXAS)— Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) recently partnered with Pacific Dental Services (PDS), a leading national dental support organization, for a cleanup at T.W. Richardson Grove Park,  333 E. I-635, on August 17.  Volunteers from Irving PDS started their day of service at the park early Saturday morning. Working in small groups, the team helped collect litter to prevent it from reaching the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River.

Once complete the team of 12 collected 56 pounds of trash and recyclable materials.

This event was part of Pacific Dental Services’ 14^th annual “Serve Day,” an initiative to provide donated dental care to underserved patients, as well as engage their employees in offices across the country in local service projects.

“This is the second year we have partnered with Pacific Dental Services for their Serve Day,” said KIB Board member Karen Harmon. “The employee volunteers were a pleasure to work with.  This was a great example of how Irving’s corporate community gives back, and we look forward to participating in Serve Day again next year.”

###

Keep Irving Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of the city. As an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep Irving Beautiful reaches out to all sectors of the community, including government, businesses, churches, as well as cultural, educational, neighborhood and civic organizations. For more information on volunteering with KIB or making an activity a “green event,” visit CityofIrving.org/KIB or call (972) 721-2175.

North Texas’s Beloved Bar-B-Que Brand Opens Doors in Cedar Creek Lake Area

Soulman’s Bar-B-Que is open for business at its 21^st North Texas location at 101 S 3rd St, Mabank, TX 75147, where North Texas’ favorite bar-b-que is now serving up its award-winning smoked meats and sides.

"Mabank is one of the fastest-growing North Texas towns, and Soulman's prides itself on serving the close-knit community and ensuring they are thoroughly satisfied with some of the region’s best barbeque," said Brett Randle, the CEO of Soulman’s Bar-B-Que. As a family-owned and operated establishment for 50 years, Soulman’s has undeniably established itself as a regional leader, renowned for its unwavering commitment to service, community engagement, and exceptional quality standards.”

In celebration of the newest location, on Saturday, August 10^th, competitors in the Soulman’s signature rib-eating contest vied for both bragging rights and a charity donation.  Participants included the Fire Chief of Mabank Ricky Myrick and Brian Crull, the Mayor of Gun Barrel City. The winner of the rib-eating contest was John Holcomb, who represented the office of the Mabank, earning a $1000 donation to the Tri-County Library.

Additionally, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for community and business leaders on July 16th at the newest Soulmans’s location where guests were treated to lunch and learned more about the five-decade-long history of Soulman’s in North Texas.

Soulman’s Bar-B-Que originally opened its doors in Pleasant Grove, a Dallas suburb, on October 19, 1974. Since then, they have remained steadfast in their timeless BBQ techniques and treasured family recipes—ones that continue to be used today. Rapidly gaining popularity among local residents, Soulman’s set itself apart as an extraordinary establishment among the ordinary "run-of-the-mill" Bar-B-Que joints.

Soulman’s Bar-B-Que’s array of BBQ meats is cooked "low and slow" over hickory wood, adhering to their time-honored tradition. This unwavering dedication has rightfully earned Soulman’s acclaim as one of the premier barbecue destinations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“Our decades-long legacy underscores our deep pride in what we do, both in and out of the kitchen. We hold unwavering belief in the North Texas communities we serve and have made it our mission to provide support to local schools, sports & recreation, faith & family organizations, and the business community that supports the success of our neighbors and friends,” affirmed Randle.

About Soulman’s Bar-B-Que

For 50 years, Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has satisfied the hardest-to-please bar-b-que lovers….Texans!  Founded in Pleasant Grove, Texas in 1974, Soulman’s had only a few simple goals—serve great Texas-style BBQ and offer friendly, sincere service.  Soulman’s original family recipes are still the foundation for the company’s success from their 8 different types of meat that are smoked “low & slow” over only hickory wood to their famous homemade sides, including Ranch house beans and Texas style cream corn! Throughout the years, this family-owned and operated company has remained true to its original strive for success and customer satisfaction and is honored to be considered one of the Top Bar-B-Que Chains in America (2018) and Best Bar-B-Que in Dallas for Takeout  & Delivery (2020).

Soulman’s currently owns and operates 21 North and East Texas locations in Allen, Cedar Hill, Fort Worth, Forney, Garland, Greenville, Hurst, Hurst Grapevine Highway,  Lancaster, Lewisville, Mabank, Mansfield, Mesquite, Quinlan, Red Oak, Rockwall I-30, Rockwall Goliad, Royse City,  Sulphur Springs, Terrell, and Van. To learn more about Soulman’s Bar-B-Que, visit them online at http://www.soulmans.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/soulmansbbq.