New Princess Party Will Be a King-Sized Success

New area event sells out and will raise thousands for local nonprofit.

DES MOINES, IA (09/30/2009)(readMedia)-- When Panera Bread and Children & Families of Iowa first came up with the concept for a Princess Party, they never expected the event to be as big a hit as it has been.

The Party, which will be this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., is the first of its kind in central Iowa. With a chance for little girls to meet princesses, get a mini-makeover and see a special screening of Enchanted, the event has been a big hit with area parents.

Tickets were getting snatched up before they were even being advertised in local schools and daycares, mostly through word of mouth. The limited number of tickets are expected to sell out Wednesday, and the organization expects almost 600 little princesses to grace the halls of the glitter-packed event.

All of this is just fine with Children & Families of Iowa Event Manager Susan Joynt. "It's like nothing we've ever seen in Iowa before," says Joynt. "Not only is it a unique concept — a huge princess party for little girls that's all about helping dreams come true for kids in need — but the response has blown us away."

Children & Families of Iowa and Panera hope that the event will raise over $10,000 for children in Iowa. Panera Bread has long partnered with Children & Families of Iowa as its "Operation Doughnation" partner. In addition to sponsoring the event, the company will also present the organization with the proceeds from their in-store donations and a corporate match to that amount.

Tickets for the Princess Party went for just $25 for one adult and one child, with additional tickets $10 each, which is part of the reason they sold out so quickly. "It's a great deal. You can make a memorable day for a whole entourage of princesses for not a lot of money," says Melinda Hotovec, who is taking her daughter and a friend to the event.

Some activities, including the movie, glamour packages and photos with the princesses, will cost an additional $3 per activity.

Children & Families of Iowa is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring hope, building futures and changing lives across Iowa. If you'd like to know more about at-risk children and families in Iowa, or to schedule an interview, please contact Amanda Acton at (515) 697-7969, e-mail her at AmandaA@cfiowa.org, or visit www.cfiowa.org.