Press Release, Legacy Theatre

Dinosaurs will descend upon the Stony Creek village in Branford in July as part of “Dinos in the Creek Week” featuring programs such as Expedition: Dino Squad; A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure; and more.

Expedition: Dino Squad is a kid-sized, family-friendly, and kiddo-approved experience that allows children and their families to walk among the dinosaurs – or some of their bones, at least! This free exhibit will run at the Stony Creek Museum, 84 Thimble Islands Road, on Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Expedition: Dino Squad is a look at four kid-favorite dinosaur groups: T. Rex, Velociraptor, Sauropods, and Triceratops. The program includes real dinosaur fossils, dinosaur model replicas, terrific Paleo art, the Dino Activity Center with fossils under digital microscopes, the Fossil Touch Station, and the Dino Book Library, which all come together to tell the story of these amazing animals in a unique Dino Adventure!

Who knew books could be this much fun? A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure features books that come to life through puppetry, storytelling, magic tricks, and interactive participation, and it will take place at the Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Islands Road, on Wednesday, July 17 at 5 p.m. Tickets are only $5 and available now at legacytheatrect.org

Your Mr. Rogers/Andy Griffith-esque host of the proceedings is Magical Storyteller Mark Daniel, an enthusiastic champion of reading who has brought wonderful books to life for millions of children in thousands of appearances in schools, libraries, and performing arts centers throughout much of the U.S.

Join Daniel and Steggie the Stegosaurus as they share one of the funniest new books in years, Jonathan Fenske’s A Unicorn, A Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book. The book is an interactive celebration of the genius of illustrator Herve Tulet with Press Here, a special nod to the brilliant Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and a very magical retelling of The Very Lonely Firefly. Did you know that fireflies have been around since the time of the dinosaurs? Perfect for ages four and up (and for the whole family!), A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure is a love letter and exclamation point to summer reading and beyond.

Expedition: Dino Squad and A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure are exhibits of The Traveling Dinos Museum; a pop-up nature history museum experience that is invited into communities throughout the U.S. Dinos in the Creek Week is made possible by a grant from the Branford Community Foundation.

“It’s been 76 million years since Stony Creek has seen dinosaurs,” said Mary Lee Weber, Executive Director of the Stony Creek Museum. “Thanks to the Branford Community Foundation we look forward to welcoming them back with this special program for kids of all ages!”

“We’ve been actively looking for opportunities for the Stony Creek Museum and the Legacy Theatre to partner together to bring kids and families to ‘the Creek’ in a meaningful but fun way,” said Jeff Provost, Legacy’s Managing Director. “I’ve known Mark Daniel for over 20 years and seen him perform parts of his magical storytelling act several times. I can’t wait to see him share his passion for dinosaurs and his love for reading books with our Branford community this summer at ‘Dinos in the Creek Week.’”

For more information on the Stony Creek Museum, visit stonycreekmuseum.org or call 203-488-4014. For more information on Legacy Theatre visit legacytheatrect.org or call (203) 315-1901. To learn more about Branford Community Foundation, visit branfordcommunityfoundation.org