Giveaway ~ Atlanta JapanFest "Cooler Japan" 2016 tickets!

Want to learn about Japanese culture?  This year’s JapanFest “Cooler Japan,” offers an electric combination of cool tech-advanced modern Japan with a traditional twist.  It promises to be a fun weekend for the whole family!

JapanFest Weekend will be held on September 17-18, 2016, from 10 am to 6 pm (Saturday) and 10am to 5pm (Sunday) at the Infinite Energy Center (located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097).

We make Japanese culture COOL in our Children’s Area! Children will be able to make paper puppets and enjoy Kamishibai, a form of Japanese theatrical storytelling that uses paper puppets. They can also learn Japanese calligraphy, try on traditional Japanese clothes, make kites, color in Japanese coloring books, fold origami figures, and play with traditional Japanese tops and paper sumo wrestlers! For our modern counterpart, children will get to play with Samurai Borgs (Japanese fighting robots), Beyblade (modern Japanese tops), Hyper yoyos, and Kendama (modern cup and ball game).

Kids will also be given the opportunity to let their creativity shine. This year we will be featuring a 3D pen that will make their art literally stand off the page! And with our 3D aquarium, they can bring their art to life! Children will draw their fish, and after scanning it, they will be able to see their fish swim around our 3D fish tank. Everyone in your family will find something to enjoy at JapanFest!

If you need a pick-me-up from all the fun, JapanFest Konbini store and Japanese grocery store, Tomato, are providing tasty and unique Japanese snacks!  My son is looking forward to this!

Love music? JapanFest will feature a variety of musical performances sure to suit all ages and interests, including taiko drumming, J-Rock and J-Pop, and classical music. The festival will also feature Japanese dance performances, a kimono fashion show, and kabuki theater.

Want a selfie taken in Tokyo without the jet lag? Take a virtual trip to Japan with our Magical Photo booth. Take a picture in famous Japanese locations such as Mt. Fuji, Harajuku, or even a photo with a sumo wrestler! Other photo ops include the cute Japanese mascot Domo-Kun, who will be at the festival.

This will be our second year collaborating with anime convention, MomoCon. The Anime village is a section of the festival completely dedicated to anime products, anime viewings, and gaming. Keep Momocon is also sponsoring a Pokémon Go! Meetup. Capture and boost a gym, claim resources from Poke Stops and build your team, all factions welcome!

For fans of more traditional fighting methods, rather than Pokémon battles, there will be demonstrations of virtually every Japanese martial art in existence, including aikido, karate, kendo, kyudo, and sumo.

Shoppers will love the amazing array of Japanese goods available. Ginza-dori, organized by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and named after Tokyo's famous shopping district, will feature Japanese ceramics, traditional Japanese clothing and accessories, and fun items such as masks and toys. For those who want to try on a kimono, the Konnichiwa Club will dress them in the latest kimonos from Japan.

Attendees are encouraged to purchase  tickets online to minimize waiting at the event entrance, as additional entrances are provided for pre-purchased ticket holders.  Individual tickets are available for sale until the day before the event (Though Infinite Energy Center ticketing system, AXS).  http://www.infiniteenergycenter.com/events/detail/japanfest-2016 .  The deadline for our corporate ticket package is August 10th for e-tickets https://japanfest.formstack.com/forms/ticket_package  (60 tickets and above)

Tickets are $10. Children age 6 or younger free. Teachers can bring students to JapanFest for free by applying online at www.japanfest.org. Larger organizations can purchase ticket packages online.

No pets other than guide dogs are allowed inside the convention center. For more information,  call 404-842-0736 or visit www.japanfest.org.

Sponsors:
Platinum-Delta, Gold-Aflcac, Coca Cola, Silver-Fisher-Broyles, Kumon North America,  TV Japan/NHK Cosmomedia America Inc., WSBTV-Channel 2, Bronze-American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Power Equipment Division; LeafFilter; Miura America Company; PriceWaterhouse Coopers; Sapporo USA, Inc; Temple University, Japan Campus; TOTO USA Inc; Fuji-Dexerials America Corporation, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,  Inside Gwinnett Magazine, Panasonic Automotive Systems, Yamaha Motor Corp.U.S.A, Sakura-Atlanta Parent Magazine; Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC; Ernst & Young LLP; Global Atlanta; Gwinnett Daily Post; Holiday Inn Gwinnett Center; Creative Loafing; Honda Precision Parts of Georgia; KPMG; Nidec Elesys Americas Corporation; Toppan Printing; Ume-Atlanta Braves, Kuraoka Clinic, Machida Family of Duluth

Doesn't JapanFest look awesome?  I can't wait to take my son! This will be a fun, educational experience for us both.  

Local friends, I'm giving away a four pack of tickets to JapanFest! Enter via Rafflecopter below! (Must live in metro-Atlanta area to be eligible to win)

$25 Family Christian Stores Giveaway! #FamilyChristianStores #FlyBy

Last week I had the opportunity to visit my local Family Christian Store for a little shopping.  They have some great summer sales going on and I was excited to see what I could find.

We were greeted by the salesperson as we entered the store, and she told us about the awesome sales going on.   We headed back towards the journaling Bible section first, but along the way we checked out some of the other sale items!  The wall art is fantastic here - so many beautiful options.   Coloring books, CD's, water bottles, greeting cards, books - they have it all at Family Christian Stores!

I already have the Inspire Bible, which I received as a gift last Christmas.  Even so, I still love to look at all of them, as well as the tools that go with them.  Family Christian has a great variety of journaling Bibles and supplies, and many of these are on sale for 30% off now!  (Think Christmas gifts!)

Speaking of sales: The Family Christian Summer Sale is in full swing right now!
Make the most of your summer with Family Christian’s unbeatable Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off sale on ALL Books, Movies and Music for the whole family! You can mix and match products to get the deal, which means you don’t need to shop within the same department. For example, you can buy a movie at full price, and get a book (or CD or another movie) for 50% off!

This sale is going on now through August 25, so visit your local store or shop online at familychristian.com!  Their website is very user friendly so shopping online is as easy as shopping in their store!

Just a few of the summer sale items you will find in stores and online:

Bible: Journaling Bibles
Description: Select journaling Bibles are now 30% off through August 25! Ignite a renewed passion for exploring God’s Word, whether you’re jotting down notes from a church sermon or recording prayer requests from small group—you’ll have all the space you need. And many of our journaling Bibles are filled with illustrations to inspire and get you started. Choose from 26 styles, and save now!

Book: For the Glory by Duncan Hamilton
Description: Eric Liddell, hero of Chariots of Fire, ran and lived for the glory of God. This compelling narrative is his untold and inspiring story of athletic heroism and faith in the darkest circumstances—from his Olympic medal to his missionary work in China to his last, brave years in a Japanese work camp during World War II.

Book: Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson
Description: When Evie Blackwell arrives in Carin, Illinois, it’s to help launch a new task force dedicated to reexamining two of the city’s unsolved crimes. As she dives into evidence and develops new leads, she unearths a surprising connection . . . possibly a third cold case. She’s determined to solve them before she leaves town, and Sheriff Gabriel Thane and his family will be key to those answers. Book #1 of the Evie Blackwell Cold Case series.

Music: H A R D L O V E by NEEDTOBREATHE 
Description: This sixth studio album from NEEDTOBREATE finds the group reflecting on the tumultuous seasons behind their recent albums, Rivers In the Wasteland and The Reckoning, and enjoying extraordinary success while experiencing personal conflict. “We were in a dark place when we made the last record, but to me this album is mostly a story of redemption,” Bear Rinehart said.   H A R D L O V E delves into the world of electronic effects and instrumentation, resulting in a sublimely crafted and expansive sound that reflects the band’s unforgettable live show. Includes lead singles “Happiness” and “Money & Fame.”

DVD: Miracles from Heaven 
Description: Upon discovering her 10-year-old daughter, Anna, has an incurable disease, Christy Beam becomes a ferocious advocate of finding a solution. After Anna has an accident, an astonishing miracle unfolds in the wake of her rescue, restoring her family’s faith. Based on a true story. Stars Jennifer Garner and Kylie Rogers with Queen Latifah.

DVD: Risen
Description: Risen tells the story of a powerful Roman military tribune and his aide seeking to solve the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the Crucifixion. Their goal: to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem. Stars Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton.

New Product Line: Active Faith
We’re thrilled to be the exclusive retail partner for Active Faith Sports! Formed by a group of Christian athletes, Active Faith offers apparel with Christian-inspired designs and messages, encouraging you to share your faith whether you’re on the court, out for a jog or running errands around town.
Pro athletes seen wearing Active Faith apparel include Stephen Curry, Demaryius Thomas, Clayton Kershaw, James Harden and more.  Men's, women's and youth apparel available now!

About Family Christian:
Family Christian is a Christian retailer, operating in 250 stores across the country. They are committed to helping you find, grow, share and celebrate your faith through a wide selection of Christian books, music, Bibles, DVDs, gifts and more.  When you shop with Family Christian, your purchases support their efforts to unite with ministries that are helping children and families in need around the world.

After browsing the entire store, I ended up choosing the War Room DVD, a Fall decorative "tag" that I'll hang on the back door knob in our family room, two sets of tabs for my Inspire Bible, and some little cards for sticking in greeting cards.   I'm going back again soon for a few more journaling items - they had some cute stickers and other accessories that I have my eye on!  The clearance section in the back is also a great place to score some amazing deals on seasonal merchandise!

Now that you've seen some of what they have to offer, how would you like to have the chance to shop at Family Christian with a $25 gift certificate of your own? (in store or online!) They have generously offered to give one of my readers just that - and it's easy to enter via my rafflecopter widget below!

Don't forget to complete the mandatory entry first - otherwise none of your other bonus entries will count!