Photo Recap: BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3

For the third year in a row, the BryonySeries team organized and ran free children's games witih free prizes at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre's annual Independence Celebration on July 3.

During these past three years, the team has seen the event grow from a one-tent idea with a spinning wheel for a BryonySeries book giveaway and Bozo buckets to three tents with six games and a variety of merchandize and giveaways as well as BryonySeries and WriteOn Joliet books for sale.

Once families realized we this game tent was available, we were full all night. If the photos doesn't quite show the "fullness," it's because the only time any of us could take photos was during the lull.

We already full of plans for improving the flow, games, and recruiting more volunteers (we were very short-staffed). Special thanks for WriteOn Joliet member Mauverneen Blevins who stopped by our booth and decided to stay and help out!

We had 135 books for adults and kids (mostly kids) to give away with the spinning wheel and at least 120 were distributed (not sure yet of the total amount).

Yes, we are very thankful.

But for today, enjoy a baker's dozen worth of photos.

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3, 2025

We are official!!!!!!!!

After two years of offering one (and then three) games at the BryonySeries booth, we are now an officia part of the celebration!

Yes, I'm talking about the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre's annual Independence Celebration on July 3! (Do you see our logo on the flyer??? Yes, I'm stoked!)

Tomorrow I will share a wonderful story about why this is so important to us.

But for now, scroll past the flyer for ONE DOZEN ways to have fun at our booth this year!

Come celebrate Independence Day with us!

BryonySeries returns to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre on July 3 as part of the park's celebration.

The Independence Day celebration will be from 6 to 10 p.m. July 3 at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

Here are the TWELVE ways you can have fun at our tent.

1. Spin for a free BryonySeries children's book (while supplies last).

2. Play five other carnival-style games with free prizes (while prizes last).

3. Take home a free hand-dyed and stenciled BryonySeries shirt with select book purchases OR buy a shirt at full price OR win one.

4. Take home a free BryonySeries baseball cap with select book purchases OR buy a cap at full price OR win one.

5. Take home a free BryonySeries beverage container (several available styles) with select book purchases OR buy beverage containers at full price OR win one.

6. Get a summer-themed Ribbit-Ribbit at half price with the purchase of any book OR buy a Ribbit-Ribbit at full price, while supplies last. (Pictures below are only examples. The exact Ribbit Ribbits shown here may not be available on July 3).

7. Inspire a loved one (or yourself) with a BryonySeries Mystery Quotes for $1 (perfect for gift giving).

8. Adults: Be one of the first THIRTY people at our booth and take this book home for free! (one book per family)

9. Adults: Be one of the first FIVE at our booth and take this book home for free! (one book per family)

10. Adopt one of TEN friends of Bertrand the Mouse with the purchase of ANY Bertrand the Mouse book.

11. Be the first to say the magic word and take home a BryonySeries mystery bag, which will be filled with...well...it's a mystery!

12. Browse a vast selection of BryonySeries books and WriteOn Joliet anthologies, all for sale!

The Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration will also include live entertainment, food trucks, and fireworks over the water.

For more information, visit bryonyseries.com, writeonjoliet.com, bicentennialpark.org, newlenoxdental.com.

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park on July 3, 2024: A Recap

June was tightly packed with health emergencies, work, and family festivities.

July was more of the same, with even more health emergencies and nearly entire month of feeling unwell for one reason or another...interspersed with moments of triumph and joy.

One of those moments was the Independence Celebration at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre.

At last year's event, we very spontaneously set up our booth as a miniature carnival. We had free Bozo buckets with free prizes, and a carnival wheel to spin where every spin was winner! 

For we had numbered each children's book, and the spinner received a free book that matched the winning number. We gave away thirty books and people walked away smiling. So much for people don't get excited about books!

We also gave away BryonySeries Tie hand-dyed tie dye shirts with the purchase of $15 or more in books.

Because last year went so well, we added two more games, Cindy's Ribbit-Ribbits, and came prepared to give away fifty books. 

New Lenox Dental also sponsored a giveaway of twenty "Cheetah Stories" by various WriteOn Joliet contributors.

Well, we gave away sixty-five books - and could have given more away more if we'd remembered to bring out tent lights (oops!).

We also gave away two tie dyed shirts to two teens that were determined to win them after Timothy challenged them.

We also sold two WriteOn Joliet anthologies...and we cannot wait until next year.

Sales were less this year, but inflation was much higher. And we came in to the event determined to foster a spirit of celebration and fun at our booth, and I think we succeeded.

We had a steady stream of people at our four games (Bozo buckets, ring toss, spinning wheel, and fishing), so we may set up two rows next year. Thankfully, the lines were long - but people did have to wait to play.

I also feel we could easily giveaway hundred children's book, and we are considering expanded that to adult books, too.

Here are five photos that showcase the fun

May today bring you plenty of reasons to smile.

Happy Tuesday!

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3

Come celebrate Independence Day with us!

BryonySeries returns to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre on July 3 as part of the park's celebration.

The Independence Day celebration will be from 6 to 10 p.m. July 3 at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

Here are six ways you can have fun at our tent.

1. Spin for a free children's book (while supplies last).

2. Play two games with free prizes (while prizes last).

3. Take home a free hand-dyed and stenciled BryonySeries shirt with select book purchases OR buy a shirt at full price.

4. Get a summer-themed Ribbit-Ribbit at half price with the purchase of any book OR buy a Ribbit-Ribbit at full price, while supplies last. (Pictures below are only examples. The exact Ribbit Ribbits shown here may not be available on July 3).

5. Inspire a loved one (or yourself) with a BryonySeries Mystery Quotes for $1 (perfect for gift giving).

6. Plus, the first twenty people to stop at our booth will receive a FREE copy of WriteOn Joliet's "Cheetah Stories," courtesy of New Lenox Dental Group.

The Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration will also include ,live entertainment, food trucks, and fireworks over the water.

For more information, visit bryonyseries.com, writeonjoliet.com, bicentennialpark.org, newlenoxdental.com.

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park on July 3: Free Gift With Select Purchases

If you come out to the Fourth of July celebration party on July 3 at  the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet, be sure to stop by the BryonySeries table.

You can check out our books, play some games, take home a free (and homemade) tie-dyed shirt with select book purchases, and purchase a piece of BryonySeries Word Music for $1.

You want details about this, right? Sure you do!

And here we go!

Books and Tie Dye Shirts:

Every person who buys one (or more) of these combinations will receive a free, locally tie dyed shirt per combination - while tie dyed shirts last.

Tie dyed shirts are not limited to one per customer. But for each additional shirt, you must still purchase one of these four combinations.

1) One "regular" young adult or adult BryonySeries book (choices include any book in the "drop of blood" trilogy, Lycanthropic Summer, The Phoenix, Call of the Siren, Ruthless by Ed Calkins Steward of Tara or any of the Before the Blood books) or Nine Months of Kindness.

2) Any two books in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer series.

3) Any two books in the Girls of the BryonySeries series.

4) Any three books in the Bertrand the Mouse series.

5) All three of our BryonySeries cookbooks.

To check out details of most of those books, visit bryonyseries.com/general-store.

To be clear, you cannot buy one of these shirts. They are strictly gifts for select purchases.

I know, I know. You want to know if the items sparkle? Well, yes. Some DO sparkle...a bit. A few might have glow.

But you'll have to stop by our table at Bicentennial Park on July 3 to know for sure.

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre is located at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

For more information on the event, visit bicentennialpark.org.

For more information on the BryonySeries, visit bryonyseries.com.

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park on July 3

Come celebrate the Fourth of July with us!

BryonySeries returns to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre at 6:30 p.m. July 3 with books, a couple free games with prizes, BryonySeries Word Music for $1, and an extra special free gift with select purchases.

The Bicentennial Park is located at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

After reading the above message, perhaps you're wondering if I posted the wrong image. 

Perhaps you expected to see a flyer that looked more like this:

But the first photo is actually the "free gift with select purchases" in progress. 

On Thursday, I will post photos of the finished products, along with how you can take one or more home with you. 

The raw materials and idea came from Daniel, as a Christmas present for me. But Jasmine took the concept a step further, as you will see on Thursday. And Rebekah has learned an amazing skill.

For now, enjoy the photos of Rebekah (left) and Jasmine (right) working hard to make something nice for you.