Crayola Seeks Contest Entries, Winner to Be Exhibited at Flower Show

The winning entry to a kids' art contest being held by the Crayola Experience will be displayed at the 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from March 1 to 9.

Starting today, February 5, parents of kids ages 6 to 14 may submit their child’s original ideas for a 45-foot communal art exhibit that will be part of the annual horticultural show in Philadelphia.

Entries must be submitted by Wednesday, February 12, and the winner will be announced on Thursday, February 13. The winner will get a chance to work with a professional Crayola artist during the week of February 15 to 23 to make their vision a reality, as well as receive a Crayola gift basket valued at $100 and four tickets to the Crayola Experience.

For the official rules and full submission details, click here.

For more about the 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show, click here.

'Straight A' Students Eligible for Free Admission to Crayola

Students who get all As on their report card for a year will get more than just academic kudos--they're eligible to get into The Crayola Experience for free as a reward for their achievement.

The Crayola Experience has just announced that it will offer one free ticket to every student that presents a report card with straight A's for the cumulative year.

Students whose schools don't grade with the traditional A through F system are also eligible to receive a free ticket if they present a report card that shows they have received only the highest marks for the past year in whatever system is used.

The program is open to all elementary and middle school students, from kindergarten through 8th grade.

In addition to rewarding individual students, school classes can register with The Crayola Experience and the class with the most straight A students will win an appearance by Tip, Crayola's crayon character.

Principals interested in registering to participate in the program should call the Crayola Experience group sales department at 610-559-6604 to sign up.

National Geographic's 'Brain Games' to Film Episode at Crayola Experience

The National Geographic Channel will film footage for its show Brain Games at the Crayola Experience tomorrow, on Thursday, September 19, and those visiting the interactive museum on Easton's Centre Square have a chance to take part in the event.

Brain Games features interactive games and experiments designed to reveal how the human brain works and is hosted by Jason Silva, self-proclaimed "wonder junkie", along with "gentleman thief" Apollo Robbins. Past episodes have explored the ability to pay attention, perceptions of time, optical illusions, and more.


While the subject of the episode being filmed on Thursday hasn't been announced, color and color perception is a likely topic, given the nature of the venue.

Those hoping to be part of the filming should arrive when the museum opens at 9:30 a.m. for the best chance of being chosen. All children chosen for casting will need an adult present.

For more information about the Crayola Experience, including hours and admission prices, visit www.CrayolaExperience.com

For more information about "Brain Games" and to check out a number of online interactive challenges related to past episodes, visit the show's website by clicking here.
whose series of noncommercial videos—exploring inspiration, science, technology, and imagination—have been seen more than 2 million times online. He has spoken at TEDGlobal and done speeches for IBM, Microsoft, Intel, and Google.

Crayola Draws Thousands to City on Opening Weekend, Mayor Says

By Christina Georgiou

Mayor Sal Panto said the Crayola Experience drew more than 6,000 people to Easton this past Memorial Day weekend, which are the first days it's been open since recently expanding and remodeling.

About 2,700 visited the hands-on museum on Saturday, 2,300 came on Sunday, and somewhere between 1,100 to 1,200 were there on Memorial Day, he said this Monday at a press conference at city hall.

"This translates into dollars for the city," Panto said, adding that revenue for the city's Pine Street parking garage was up 50 percent over the same weekend last year, though he didn't have an exact estimate of how much more money the city made at hand.

"There's been no increases in the parking rate (at the garage), so that's really good," he said.

The Crayola Experience reopened on May 24, after closing for a few months to complete renovations and a planned expansion.

Kids Delight in Crayola Experience Reopening

By Christina Georgiou

With about 100 children, parents, and teachers excitedly watching, the newly expanded Crayola Experience reopened in a flurry of colorful confetti this morning.

Isabella Roselli, 11, of Florida, had the honor of cutting the ribbon--crayon-themed, of course--as the crowd cheered and applauded. Isabella gained the honor after winning Crayola's contest to give nicknames to the original colors in the classic crayon eight-pack.


Isabella Roselli, 11, of Florida, cuts the
ribbon, officially reopening The
Crayola Experience Friday morning.

 First graders from Tracy Elementary School in Forks Township, where Crayola's industrial factory is located and churns out six billion crayons annually, were on hand to witness the event and spent the school day enjoying attractions at the Crayola Experience.

First-graders from Tracy Elementary
School in Forks Township watch
the reopening ceremony Friday
morning at The Crayola Experience.
Click any photo for a full-size view!

Crayola executives, along with Easton officials, were on hand to celebrate the event too.

"We wanted to bring the Crayola brand to life, and we wanted kids to have fun," said Vicky Lozano, stressing the newly redesigned hands-on museum is all about fostering creativity. "We wanted this to be a place where kids can imagine."

Vicky Lozano, vice president of corporate
strategy for Crayola, welcomes visitors
at The Crayola Experience's grand
reopening ceremony Friday morning.

Mayor Sal Panto enthusiasticly endorsed Crayola's efforts.

"I can't say how much this means to the City of Easton," he said. "They've done a great job with this facility. It's unbelievably awesome."

 

Crayola Experience Repens in Less Than a Week--Here's a Sneak Peek!

By Christina Georgiou



The newly expanded Crayola Experience interactive museum won't reopen until next Friday, May 24, and workers are busily putting the finishing touches on every aspect of the attraction, but The Easton Eccentric recently got a sneak peek this week of the 60,000 square-foot, four-story monument to creativity, fun, play, and of course, lots and lots of color.

Even those unfamiliar with the City of Easton won't be able to miss the Crayola building, which has been adorned with a bright crayon-themed mural on the Pine Street side, and  features many Crayola favorites, including giant crayon statues and marker pillars on the Centre Square quadrant.



Click on any image for a full size view!



The total of 21 unique attractions are sure to please kids--and their parents--for hours when they visit the interactive museum.

Some of the exhibits and activities will be familiar to those 


who've been to the Crayola Experience before, but they've all been "dialed up", in the words of marketing manager Kristin Luise, who said every aspect of the attraction was scrutinized to see how it could be made better.

More than a million crayons and markers grace
the "Pick Your Pack" wall.

"It's all about those elements that make the place special. We want kids to have a sense of wonder and excitement, no matter what room they go in," Luise said.

Creativity, play, and fun, with a dose of education thrown in for good measure, is front and center of the experiences Crayola has on offer, including the store and cafe.

Basics, like how Crayola crayons are made, and coloring stations are still there, but the digital age has greatly expanded the possibilities, and the Crayola Experience is taking full advantage.

"Scarlet" and "Turq(oise)", two digital Crayola crayon character mascots assist the human "Crayonologist" in demonstrating the process and show how crayons are made, inspected and packaged.

"Kids are having fun, but they're also learning about things like color blending too," Luise says.

Old favorites, like coloring stations, are still part of the Crayola Experience, but the real adventure lies in the other 19 colorful, creative exhibit stations. From bright, interactive digital displays to the opportunity to an entire floor dedicated to melted wax and what you can make with it, the museum is engaging and interesting in the non-stop kind of way kids are famous for loving.

One old-turned-new display is "Water Works", which locals that visited the National Canal Museum when it was still on Centre Square, may vaguely recognize. But the 85-foot-long waterway is now home to "Crayonopolis" and features colorful Crayola boats that kids can load, unload and drive, rather than mule barges, making it more fun than ever.

There's even a two-story play facility with a maze-like layout, that features a dizzyingly-fast spiral tube slide.

"One of the things we learned is that no matter how interesting and exciting, there's always that point where a kid needs to get it all out," Luise said of the Color Playground station. "And this is that spot."

Not only is every part of the experience interactive, but the result is lots of goodies for visitors to take home with them too, the vast majority of which come with the price of admission, though there are plenty of opportunities to purchase add-ons too, like the green screen photo booth, where visitors can pose with a giant "macaroni and cheese" colored crayon and choose the background their image will be printed on.

But the best of the take-home items, other than those found in the gift shop, come with the price of admission or the tokens that come with it.

Personalized crayons, melting crayons into shapes that can then be colored with later, coloring a picture that kids then cut themselves into a puzzle, are all part of what's sure to be a exhilarating visit.

"There's nowhere else in the world where you can make a personalized crayon," Luise said.

A public grand reopening and ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for this coming Friday, May 24 at 9:30 a.m. Crayola executives, along with Easton Mayor Sal Panto, will be on hand, and the ribbon will be cut by the 11-year-old winner of Crayola's recent contest to give nicknames to the basic colors in the company's original iconic 8-crayon pack.

Festivities continue throughout Memorial Day weekend for Crayola Experience visitors.

The admission price has risen from $12 to $15.99, but for all the experience has to offer, the cost seems reasonable. Three tokens come with the ticket, matching the three activities that require a token to participate. One can purchase additional tokens too.

An annual all-access pass is available for $29.99 too, which may be of more interest to those close by, since it offers a savings after only two visits.

A private room is now also available too, on the third floor, designed for birthday parties and other special events.

For more about what's new at the Crayola Experience museum, visit www.crayolaexperience.com

A full list of the newly expanded Crayola Experience exhibits:

Art Alive! - Create digital works of art and project them onto the wall to become part of a bigger
scene. Walk up and touch your drawing to bring it to life!

Be a Star - Everyone is a star at this coloring page photo booth! Kids can appear in their very own coloring page along with some of Crayola's characters.

Café Crayola - Enjoy Crayola-inspired foods from colorful cupcakes to design-your-own pizzas.

Color Playground - This is sure to be a hit with kids who have energy to spare.

Colossal Caddy - Visit this popular classic— a giant caddy that holds thousands of crayons!

Crayola Store - Explore the largest selection of Crayola products and discover one-of-a-kind Crayolasouvenirs not found anywhere else in the world. This is the only place you’ll find a genuine 2-lb. crayon that you can customize with your very own name. You can also turn your creative masterpieces into wearable works of art (i.e. t-shirts) and puzzles, and you can even pick your very own color collection of Crayola crayons and markers.

Crayon Clinic - Load your favorite crayon color into the machine and watch your crayon melt into a Crayola Experience keepsake!

Crayon Factory - Join Scarlet & Turk (Turquoise), our animated crayon friends, as they show you how crayons are made—along with our resident Crayonologist in a live theatre show.

Doodle in the Dark - In this interactive dark room, you can make bright marks on backlit doodle boards. Choose from several games to play on the interactive floor that responds to your motions. Become one of Crayola's recognizable crayon pals when you step in front of a special screen that mirrors your every move.

Drip Art - Load a fresh crayon into the Drip Art machine. Watch it melt and drip crayon wax onto your paper as it spins to create a swirlywhirly masterpiece.

Marker Mania - Create a custom marker by injecting two ink colors into the marker's center. Then, watch the process of putting all the marker parts together. Finally, watch how your colors mix and flow down to the
marker tip and into your finished clear barrel marker.

Meltdown - Choose from a variety of melted crayon colors to create wax art on paper.

Modeling Madness - Sculpt colorful creations using Crayola Model Magic—you can roll it, mold it, and even blend and swirl your own colors. Take your molded creations to the next level with Model Magic accessories. Add bright and silly feet to create a stompin' monster or swirl and press into charms for a fashionable new accessory.

Paint Palette - No Crayola day would be complete without a painting project! A visit to our larger-than life drying oven ensures your masterpiece is ready to take home and display on the fridge. (additional fee)

Puzzle It! - In this kid-powered attraction, you can press your own hand-drawn design through rolling puzzle makers. Choose to cut your creation into 6 or 12 pieces to bring home and show your friends!

Say Crayola - Join Tip in Crayola's ultimate green screen photo booth. Customize your photo with a giant crayon prop and choice of background. Memorialize this colorful adventure with a high quality picture that prints in a flash. (additional fee)

Toddler Town - This area lets Crayola's youngest fans learn and play in colorful ways! Make silly faces in wacky mirrors and play with a multi-colored pegboard. Interact with a giant ball maze where you control the outcome.

Water Works - Be the captain of your own Crayola toy boat, splashing through a working lock and canal system. Work the levees, load your cargo, and take in the sights of Crayonopolis in this one-of-a-kind 85-foot water table attraction.

Workshop - Projects range from airbrush art to fabric art and much, much more! (additional fee)

Wrap It Up! - Personalize and print an authentic Crayola crayon label, wrap it around your crayon, and create your own unique crayon!

Rare Colonial Coin, Pottery, Bones Unearthed on Centre Square

By Christina Georgiou



The New Jersey copper found on Easton's Centre Square
early Wednesday afternoon.
Photo courtesy of the Crayola Experience.

 A coin dating to 1788, two shards of colonial pottery, and as many as 13 to 14 bones and a number of oyster shells were unearthed on Wednesday below the sidewalk on Easton's Centre Square by workmen digging to place foundations for new crayon sculptures as part of the Crayola Experiences expansion and museum update.

The discoveries halted work for the day, said marketing manager Kristen Luise, and Crayola called local police when the bones were found.

"The city asked that we stop digging," Luise said, adding that authorities called the Northampton County coroner to the scene.

The bones are not thought to be human, but likely come from a large animal, such as a cow or a horse, she said.

The coin, which features a shield, the date "1788" and the motto "E. Pluribus Unum", appears to be a "New Jersey copper", also sometimes called a "New Jersey nickel". States minted their own currency before money was issued by the federal government.

New Jersey coppers are rare, and their usual value varies from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, though an extremely rare variety of the coin commanded more than $100,000 on eBay a couple of years ago.

The shards of pottery seem to date to a similar period, she added.

The future site of one of the Crayola Experience's crayon
sculptures, where artifacts of Easton's history were unearthed
Wednesday. Work has been halted for now.

Some have speculated the bones are an artifact of the Centre Square's long history, known to date back to the city's founding in 1752 if not earlier, of being used as a marketplace. The area is still home to the Easton Farmers' Market in season, which is set to begin again next month.

Oyster shells were sometimes used to pave sidewalks and as roadbed material in days of old, as oysters were a popular staple food in the local area at one time, and it put the literal tons of leftover shells to good use. The oysters themselves may have come from the Delaware River near Philadelphia, where they were abundant until overharvesting and pollution decimated the supply.

Luise said it's not certain what Crayola will do with the finds, though selling the pieces is not likely an option. They may end up being displayed at the museum, she said.

"Right now we're just working with the city to make sure it's all preserved," Luise said. "We definitely want to respect the city's history."


A rendering of the southwest corner of Easton's
Centre Square will look like when the Crayola Experience's
work is complete.


It's uncertain when work will begin again to place the sculptures, but their delay in placement won't affect the Crayola Experience's planned reopening celebration, set for Friday, May 24.