Children's Day Logo Contest

And the winner is...Charlie Sirmaian!

Pro Portsmouth Unveils the 2008 Children's Day Logo

PORTSMOUTH, NH. April 23, 2008. Pro Portsmouth and the Children's Day Committee held a Press Conference on Wednesday, April 23^rd to introduce the 2008 Children's Day logo artist and unveil this year's logo.

The Press Conference, which took place at the Flatbread Company, one of this year's Activity Hosts, introduced Charlie Sirmaian as the artist whose work was selected for the 2008 logo. Charlie, age 10,hales from the Port City. Her logo artwork will be featured on the Volunteer T-shirts, Children's Day Map and Poster and the Pro Portsmouth website.

In what has become a Children's Day tradition, we asked our community artists to design a logo for this family-friendly event. Charlie took us up on our theme of recycling and going green at our events - her logo drawing which depicts a girl asking the question: "Have you hugged your Mother Earth today?" along with the appeal to "recycle!" and "don't litter!" was our choice for 2008.

Children's Day will be the first Pro Portsmouth event where festival-goers will see both trash and recycling receptacles for the disposal and separation of recyclables. This program is done in partnership with the City of Portsmouth and will continue with the Market Square Day Festival and 10K Road Race in June.

The 18^th Annual Children's Day, which takes place on Sunday, May 4^th from Noon - 4:00pm, begins when friends from Character Island arrive in Portsmouth aboard the M/V Thomas Laighton at The Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. Activities abound from A to Z as all are invited to follow the Children's Day map which takes them all over Downtown where they can enjoy crafts, face painting and an ice cream sundae.

Entertainment takes place at the Block Party on Pleasant. This year's schedule of performers includes Dan Grady & his Marvelous Marionettes, Mary Kaye & Professor von Wienerschnitzel and the Seacoast Civic Dance Company.

Newman Communications returns as this year's Title Sponsor. The supporting and character sponsors represent a mix of old and new friends. Special thanks to all of the Sponsors, supporters and activity-hosts who help make this event a reality:

Title Sponsor:
Newman Communications

Volunteer Sponsor: 
Exeter Hospital

Supporting Sponsors:
Fox Run Mall
Irving Oil
Tree House Toys
Ad Cetera Graphics
Bicycle Bob's
Flatbread Pizza
Infinite Imaging
Isles of Shoals Steamship Company
Ocean Bank
Seacoast Coca Cola
The Bay 96.7FM
Treehouse Toys

2008 Character List and Sponsors:
Bob the Builder                                   Ricci Lumber
Buzz Lightyear                                    Ocean Bank
Cookie Mouse                                     G. Willikers!               
Dora the Explorer                                Dunkin Donuts - Woodbury Ave.
Eeyore                                                 Federal Savings Bank
Elmo                                                    Dos Amigos
Tigger                                                  Best Western Wynwood Hotel & Suites
Mr. Incredible                                       Bottomline Technologies
Nemo                                                  The Bay/WTSN
Winnie the Pooh                                 Alie Jewelers/The Works
Blues Clues                                        Stonewall Kitchen
Curious George                                  Treehouse Toys
Earnest the Eagle                               Federal Savings Bank 

The Committee:

Bob Brenneman - G.Willikers!
Silke Psula - City of Portsmouth
Michael Richards - PPI Board of Directors
Airial Sillanpaa - Chrisrial & Co. Fine Jewelry
Kathleen Tutone - Treehouse Toys
Liz Rubin - Pro Portsmouth
Barbara Massar - Pro Portsmouth

Thanks go out to the City of Portsmouth, City Manager, John Bohenko and the various City Department heads for their support of Children's Day.

The Children's Day map is distributed to area schools and will be available at the event and on the Pro Portsmouth website www.proportsmouth.org .

About Pro Portsmouth:

Pro Portsmouth, Inc. is a 501c (3) organization serving the Seacoast area. Its Mission is to promote the arts, culture, history and community of the area through such events as Children's Day, Market Square Day, Summer in the Street, The Christmas Tree Lighting and First Night® Portsmouth. For more information on the group, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.proportsmouth.org

Children's Day Logos: 2003 - 2007