Celebration of Authors is sponsored by WINTRUST BANK
Purchase Tickets!
It’s both our annual gala AND a family-friendly, interactive festival!
Silent Auction! Games! Food + Drinks! Open Bar for adult guests! 360 Photo Booth! And of course, LIVE performances of stories written by our students for the 2024/25 School Year!
Attire: Fancy Schmancy where you can come Fancy – dressed to the nines in your best attire. Or you can come Schmancy – with a silly hat or funny outfit that expresses YOU!
You can bid on our amazing Silent Auction Prizes at the event, or remotely from anywhere! Silent Auction items include: A Trip to Mexico with Vidanta Resorts, A Sailing Excursion, An At-Home Dungeons & Dragons Session, Dining Packages, Sports Tickets, Theatre Tickets, and MORE! Stay tuned for a preview and get those bids ready!
This is the most affordable & most FUN Gala in town!
Tickets include food, drinks, a show, and activities for all ages!
Adult Regular Priced Tickets —$75
Youth Regular Price Tickets, ages 4 to 15 —$50
Children 3 years of age and under can attend for FREE
Mary Winn Heider is the author of over 30 books for kids, including THE LOSERS AT THE CENTER OF THE GALAXY, THE UNICORNS WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS, and THE STUPENDOUS SWITCHEROO series, which she co-created with Chad Sell. Mary Winn’s very first novel, THE MORTIFICATION OF FOVEA MUNSON, was based on her time working in a real life cadaver lab, and now that it’s a musical. In a School Library Journal column a few years ago, Betsy Bird wrote, “In an era of information overload, Mary Winn Heider is the author who will lead us through the pandemonium into the light.” Mary Winn’s books have been on state lists, appeared on Bank Street Best Books, received Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection status, been long-listed for the Edgar Award, and landed on Indies Introduce and Indie Next lists.But before all of that, Mary Winn was a company member with Playmakers Lab, where she spent a decade pretending to be a chicken, an astronaut, and a princess, and sometimes, all three at once.
This event is a fundraiser to support PML’s outstanding creative writing programming in partnership with Chicago Public Schools. 100% of the tickets proceeds will support PML classes! For 28 years PlayMakers Laboratory has served Chicago Public School students by providing a creative writing residency program aimed primarily at elementary schools. Our company of over 60 teaching artists utilize creative drama and storytelling to promote literacy and self esteem during our in-school residencies and park district programming. Each year, our programs serve more than 4,000 young people across Chicago. In our 6 week writing residencies, a whopping 88% of students improve writing scores by at least one level over the course of our residencies. Plus, 100% of classroom teachers report that our program supports their student’s writing and improves confidence and self-esteem.
By Jordan W. , Loyola Park After School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
One day a girl named Maxie stole a girl’s gold necklace. “I didn’t steal nofin’,” said Maxie. “Then why is my golden necklace gone and in your pocket?” the girl said. Maxie backed up. The girl was about to punch Maxie when a girl named Rachel stopped her. “Stop! I have an idea.” Maxie and the girl both said “What’s your idea?” “Let’s play basketball. If Maxie and I win Maxie gets to keep the necklace and neither of us gets beat up. If you win you get your necklace back and you get to punch Maxie.” So they played basketball and Maxie and Rachel won so Maxie was very happy but gave the necklace back anyway.
By Jonathan, Stockton Elementary
True Stories
Podcasts
I got my first birthday present on my birthday and then my mom told me to do not eat that cake from the table, but then I just went to the bathroom and see if my mom was gone from the cake, sodas and food. I snick and got a cup from the table and pure soda. Then I run to my room and save the soda and put it on my table and I got a piece of cake and then my mom saw me get cake and saw the soda I wanted to drink. When it was time for my birthday I blow out the candle and my mom take out the candle out, she push me into the cakeand then when I went to the bathroom I was feeling sad and crying because “they” “were” “so” mean to ME. Then when my birthday was over I stold a piece of cake and soda Haaa!
Listen to the podcast episode adapted from this story!
By Isabella, Loyola Park
Holidays
That's Weird, Grandma
One day at antarctica a marshmelow named Bob he had a girlfriend named
Cortny she always said be careful to him and also don’t get eaten by
those littol dang deer he always said don’t worry baby! I’ll be fine.
But oan day it was Bob’s birthday he said “Am going out huny” She
did not say anything she got a diet coke cause marshmelow guop was
skurting out like really bad. Bob had no idea and when he left BOM!!
She died Bob did not come back he got eaten by one of those dang
deers. The End and that is the story of the old man.
By Alexander M., 5th Grade, Cleveland
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon time there was a boy name Sam. Sam was walking down a street called N. Anderson. Sam got hit by a rock he had a big bump on his head it was red and huge. Sam got hit by another rock but a bigger rock. So Sam went to the doctor and said Sam you need a cast! Then after a few weeks past by his bumps were gone! So again it happened again.
By Alma A., Avondale
Dialogues
Podcasts
Characters: Monkey and Little Girl
Setting: Forest
Monkey: UUHAA I am going to eat you.
Little girl: why do you want to eat me I don’t taste good.
Monkey: Well then who tastes good?
Little girl: You!
Monkey: Me!!
Little girl: yes you taste great.
Monkey: (confused)
Little girl: Monkey taste really really good.
Monkey: Let’s see who tastes good. I am going to eat you I am really hungry.
Little girl: please don’t! Look I have a cooked turkey it tastes great.
Monkey: Okay I will eat it but could you eat with me.
Little girl: Oh Yes!
Monkey: This is great!!!
Little girl: Yes it sure is!
Monkey: Do you want to be friends?
Little girl: (thinking)
Monkey: Please I don’t have any friends.
Little girl: So you are lonely.
Monkey: Yes L L L (Sad)
Little girl: okay
Monkey and girl: (happy) J J J J J J
Listen to the podcast episode adapted from this story!
By Alicjak (Kaja) V., Loyola Park After School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
One day a girl walk in the forest. She saw her friends. She played tag. Her glasses fell down the puddle. She did not know that it fell. When she got home her mom said what happen to your glasses. What! Are you sure is there Nop! Oh no. Where did you go. To the forest. Then go back to the forest. The next day her mom called the janitor to find the missing glasses. So when she went to the forest the janitor saw footsteps then he took her foot and it was the same size. Then he followed the footsteps. When he got closer then he saw mud the same footsteps. Then he got to a muddy puddle then put his hands in the puddle. He felt something he grabbed it he found the glasses. Then she kissed him on the cheek then he fainted. In the night he woke up and said what am I doing here then he walked home.
The End?
By Kevin V., 3rd Grade, Cleveland Elementary
True Stories
That's Weird, Grandma
Yesterday I went to my dad’s soccer game but they lost the game. They were in the finals but it had to end some time. I was sad my dad was sad my dad’s team was sad, like I said, it had to end some time.
By Jeremy L., Berger Park Words at Play Program
Poems
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
Even you, with your 0 calories, can make me say hey.
Red 40 means your color is fake like a toupe.
Your citric acid does something I don’t know.
Yet your artificial flavor is so good YO!
That’s why I say: “OH YEAH!”
By Naudia W. , 3rd Grade, Reavis
True Stories
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
When my grandfather took me outside to feed a squirrel and squirrel came to me and he wanted for me to feed the squirrel and I fed the squirrel a peanut to the squirrel. He said good job to me then he said some day you will be a woman. Then he said you will blossom. You are smart, don’t let anybody say you’re not. Remember that my sweet rose. I love your brain. You’re special, don’t let anybody say you’re not. I love you, my granddaughter. You’re a good kid, my grandfather said. I know you very well. You can be whatever you want to be. You can be a doctor, a astronaut, you can be president. Like I told you, you can be whatever you want, said my grandfather. He took to me to the family dining room and we ate and we went to bed. He tucked me in my bed. He said good night to me. He said don’t let the bed bugs bite. I love you, I said.
By Devin H., Jada O., Keeanna C., Tatiyana P., and Robert C., New Sullivan Elementary
Podcasts
Once upon a time there was a man named Michael Joe. He loved wrestling bulls. One day he was on the computer and he got a message saying can you join a bull wrestling competition since you’ve been doing it a long time. The man who sent the message was named Mr. Bulldog. Mr. Bulldog he gets his address and comes to his house to sign a form. Michael Joe loses his costume and he had to use a black one instead of his red one. At the competition he didn’t like the black costume because he wanted to wear his very very special one and also because the black one was a dress. He had to face 3 bulls by himself and his family and friends yell “You win!” And then he finds his red costume in a locker.
Listen to the podcast episode adapted from this story!
