Smart, Silly, Fun On The Menu For Ovation Brands® Restaurants

SAN ANTONIO, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- There's a lot to look forward to this Spring at Ovation Brands' portfolio of restaurants… with all-new Family Night festivities taking place every Thursday night between now and May 12^th. Featuring the ever-popular Amelia Bedelia from children's literature, kids of all ages are invited to participate in educational yet lighthearted group activities that celebrate words, science, cooking, the seasons, and even this year's upcoming presidential election.

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"There is a lot being said right now about how children learn through play," said Mike Griffith, Director of Marketing for Food Management Partners, the parent company for Ovation Brands. "We've designed our Family Nights to do just that, while also presenting a great opportunity for families to share new discoveries together around the dinner table."

ACTIVITIES FOR SPRING
All Family Night Kids' Activities are free to all guests at participating Ryan's^®, HomeTown^® Buffet, Old Country Buffet® and Country Buffet^® locations. Kids simply meet up in the designated activity area, where an adult staff member will be leading the night's fun-filled experience. Parents are welcome to enjoy a quiet meal in the meantime, or join in with kids as desired. Along with each weekly event, children will also receive "fun sheets" that relate back to each night's theme.

Upcoming events include:

• March 17 "St. Patrick's Day" brings kids along on a magical four-leaf clover hunt with prizes, candies, and free cookie coupons for those that collect the most clovers. Extra clovers will be given to kids who show up wearing green.
• March 24 "Let's Run for Office!" teaches kids the basics about election time and how to campaign by making slogans, buttons, and campaign promises before holding their own mini election.
• March 31 "Spring Selfie" is a great social media photo-booth-style experience the whole family can take part in. Frames, decorations, and mini props will be provided at each location.
• April 7 "Bake Off!" gets children into the wholesome fun of cooking by baking one of Amelia Bedelia's favorites – classic Apple Pie.
• April 14 "Recipes Done Right" helps kids see how important it is to follow instructions – especially when baking – with a fun 'scramble' game to see which team can re-create certain recipes.
• April 21 "Fly a Kite" celebrates one of Springtime's most popular activities by coloring and assembling a miniature kite for flying or decorating their rooms.
• April 28 "Dream Pie" invites children to explore their imaginations and their appetites with a colorful design-your-own pie creation to share with the group.
• May 5 "The Power of Words That Help Out" features Amelia Bedelia and her silly mix-ups of common phrases as kids discover the multiple meanings of words and phrases during a Simon-Says-style game.
• May 12 "Magic Words" highlights Amelia Bedelia once again – but this time showing how words can make a difference through manners and also through magic – with multiple magical demonstrations kids can recreate at home.

"The world is full of interesting lessons if we just know where to look for them," continued Griffith. "We're happy that Ovation Brands' Family Nights is a place where those kinds of explorations happen naturally. We can't think of a better way to bring parents and kids together in such a positive way."

Families can also save on Family Nights from 3:30PM – Close when kids under age 11 can eat for $1.99. This offer is valid for up to two kids per regular priced adult meal purchase. Families can also enter for a chance to win a 7-night Caribbean cruise for a family of four including air transportation, courtesy of MSC Cruises. For more information about the prize or how to enter, visit ameliabedeliafamilyfunsweeps.com.

For more information about family-night activities, or to learn more about Ryan's^®, HomeTown Buffet^®, Country Buffet^® Old Country Buffet^®, visit www.Ryans.com, www.HomeTownBuffet.com, www.CountryBuffet.com and www.OldCountryBuffet.com.

About Harper Collins Children's Books
HarperCollins Children's Books is one of the leading publishers of children's and teen's books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality, award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many timeless treasures and bestsellers such as Charlotte's Web, Goodnight Moon, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Where the Wild Things Are, The Graveyard Book and series including The Chronicles of Narnia, Ramona, Warriors, Pete the Cat, Fancy Nancy, Divergent, and The Selection. Consistently at the forefront of digital innovation, HarperCollins Children's Books delights readers through engaging storytelling in all formats, including e-books and apps. HarperCollins Children's Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, which is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, has operations in 18 countries, and is a subsidiary of News Corp. You can visit HarperCollins Children's Books at www.harpercollinschildrens.com and www.epicreads.com and HarperCollins Publishers at corporate.HC.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Tara Hamp                                                     
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SOURCE Ovation Brands