On a sunny day at Wayzata Beach, Matthew Eickman, the CEO of Abra Kadabra Environmental Services, was strolling with his 18-month-old daughter, Jezebel, through the wooden bridge with a little channel under it. During that time, Matt was observing from afar and saw the crowd of children and parents singing along to “Let It Go” from Frozen. “That moment gave me chills, no pun intended,” Matt said.
The Snow Princesses are just one of the few fantasy icons who came to tell stories, sing, and give out exciting prizes for the children of Minnesota. Storytime in the Park, now in its second year, is much better than ever with storytime characters such as Ariel of The Little Mermaid, Poppy the Troll Princess, Snow Sisters Elsa and Anna, and Belle from Beauty and the Beast. This event was held at two different locations– Wayzata Beach and Forest Lake, Minnesota- and had an estimated attendance of almost a thousand from all the event dates (June 27, July 11, 17,18, 24, 25, 27, and 31).
In partnership with Mommasota, Abra Kadabra sponsored the event organized by the Princess Party Pals, who have been in the business for 16 years. They specialize in birthday parties and events, bringing the magic of imagination to children.
Some familiar faces were present, and some were newcomers. One of the most unforgettable interactions between the kids and the princesses was when the kids drew pictures and brought them over to the princesses to see. During storytime, the princesses shared their stories, sang, and danced with the children. There were prizes and lots of engagement between the princesses and the children.
“I see the smiles on that many kids’ faces. There’s an incredible amount of value there, but there were people who just stumbled upon it, and it made their day, and it made those kids’ super magical days. And then some parents drove their kids across the city,” Matt said.
The costs and resources invested to put the event together were nothing compared to the happiness and memories shared by the community. As Abra Kadabra continuously serves its customers, this event creates ways to build more human interaction between people of all ages.
Coming out of COVID, Storytime in the Park allows younger kids to socialize and spark their creative imaginations.
Abra Kadabra, Mommasota, and Princess Party Pals are grateful to all attendees for their unwavering support and love. To Monica of Mommasota (Matthew’s Wife), Nicole of Princess Party Pals, and the rest of the team – we thank you for all your efforts in putting this imagination into reality. This experience brought so much joy to the kids, and one day, they will remember that once in their childhood, they got to see real-life princesses in a park, telling remarkable stories to them. We can’t wait to see you again for the 3rd time next year and the following years!
