Thomas & Friends 65th Anniversary to Be Celebrated with Parties Coast to Coast in June 2010

HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children’s entertainment and owner of the world’s number 1 pre-school brand – Thomas & Friends™ – is sending everyone’s favorite true blue engine full steam ahead with celebrations from coast to coast to honor 65 years of making tracks to great destinations.

The first major component of his U.S. celebration includes a partnership with Minor League Baseball™ and Celebration Foods. Celebration Foods and the beloved Carvel® ice cream cake brand are the Presenting Sponsor of Thomas’ 65th Anniversary, activating exciting retail programs this spring and summer, as well as joining Thomas for events at MiLB™ games.

Thomas & Friends title nights take place with 22 Minor League Baseball teams between May 15 and June 30. Activities may include a special sneak peek of upcoming Thomas & Friends movies, photo opportunities for kids and free Thomas goodies. Celebration Foods will serve as the exclusive Thomas partner for these events and will offer free Carvel ice cream cake samples and coupons to fans at the games. Celebration Foods will also extend promotion of the 65th anniversary at grocery retailers by running free consumer offers at select regional stores. Minor League Baseball and its participating teams will feature Thomas & Friends on their website.

Also, celebrating “65 on 6/5,” Six Flags Entertainment will host Thomas birthday parties at park locations with Thomas Towns, including Six Flags New England in Springfield, MA; Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vajello, CA; Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta; Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles, CA and the all-new Thomas Town at Six Flags America in Baltimore/Washington, D.C. which also will host its Grand Opening on June 5, 2010. These parties will feature entertainment, activities for kids, visits from Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor and special giveaways of Thomas goodies. Global partner Mega Bloks will donate a giant replica of Thomas made out of Mega Bloks to every Thomas Town and will challenge guests to guess how many blocks make up Thomas! Select parks will also feature a screening area showcasing the all-new DVD, Thomas & Friends: The Greatest Stories, released by Lionsgate Home Entertainmentas part of the 65th Anniversary celebration. The special edition 2-discsetcontains acollection of 20 beloved Thomas & Friends stories, including the first-ever episode and 18 bonus features.

On Friday June 4, The Sunny Side Up Show on Sprout® will celebrate Thomas’ birthday live on air with a Thomas birthday card presentation. The Thomas birthday celebration continues throughout the weekend with a special broadcast of the Thomas & Friends movie, The Great Discovery on June 5 and 6. In addition, Sprout will do a special sweepstakes of Thomas & Friends Activity Express sets from Golden Books (Random House), Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery DVDs (Lionsgate), and Thomas cuddle pillows (Jay Franco), on SproutForParents.com.

Day Out With Thomas™, the grassroots tour which visits heritage railroads around the country, is themed ‘The Celebration Tour’ for 2010 and will mark the 65th anniversary with special celebratory events. Children can make birthday cards for Thomas and families can enjoy a special display highlighting the history of Thomas over the past 65 years.

“Since the first Thomas book was published 65 years ago, the #1 true blue engine has stood for shared experiences between parents and children,” said EJ Minor, Vice President, Marketing, HIT Entertainment US. “With our celebrations across the country – at Minor League Baseball games, Six Flags Amusement Parks and Day Out With Thomas Events — we honor these family moments. Families can enjoy beloved summer pastimes together with Thomas while creating their own lasting memories and traditions for generations to come.”