Knoxville youngsters are eagerly anticipating Daniel Tiger’s arrival to Knoxville this Wednesday, July 20. There has been such an overwhelming public interest for Wednesday’s free “Read and Ride with Daniel Tiger” event that officials have had to modify the schedule to ensure that every child has the opportunity to experience time with the striped PBS celebrity.

 

The animated character, the star of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” will come to meet youngsters at Lawson McGhee Library at an event called “Read and Ride with Daniel Tiger” at 11 a.m. on July 20, which includes free crafts and free trolley rides.

 

The event’s schedule has been adjusted as follows:

 

• 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.- Free Daniel Tiger crafts in the children’s room (come and go as you please)
• 11 a.m.-noon – Pictures with Daniel Tiger in the downstairs library meeting room (bring your own camera), ring the trolley bell (“ding ding”), and enjoy treats from Rita’s Italian Ice (treats for kids only)
• 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Ride on the free trolley along a waterfront route that highlights some of Knoxville’s museums. Enjoy a book reading on the ride. Trolley rides are free (as they are every day in Knoxville) and will come every five minutes. Ride will last approximately 14 minutes. Once Daniel Tiger is finished with photos indoors, he will come and see families off as they board the trolleys.

 

Guests at the “Read and Ride with Daniel Tiger” event are encouraged to take a KAT route to the Lawson McGhee Library (www.katbus.com) or park at one of the three public parking garages:

 

• Locust Street: 540 Locust St.
• Market Square: 406 Walnut St.
• State Street: 520 State St.

 

“This is a great opportunity for youngsters and their families to learn about riding alternative transportation and to experience the impressive quality of our free trolley service,” said Dawn Distler, the City’s Transit Director.

 

“Read and Ride with Daniel Tiger” is presented by East Tennessee PBS, Knoxville Area Transit, Knox County Libraries and the City of Knoxville. Refreshments for the event are sponsored by Rita’s Italian Ice.

 

Trolleys are a free downtown City transportation service running on three routes:

• Blue Line (Daniel Tiger event route): Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. -8 p.m., Fridays, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Every 7 minutes on Monday-Friday, every 15 minutes on Saturdays)
• Green Line: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Fridays 7 a.m. -10 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. -10 p.m. Service to Summit Towers runs hourly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Every 10 minutes)
• Orange Line: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. -8 p.m., Fridays, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Every 15 minutes)

 

“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” a current nationwide preschool education television craze, is produced by the Fred Rogers Company as a spinoff of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

 

“Neighbors” will have the opportunity to make Daniel Tiger masks at Lawson McGhee Library, located at 500 W Church Ave. before boarding a free trolley ride with a book reading.

 

Daniel is the four-year-old son of Daniel Striped Tiger off of the original “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” television series. Daniel and his friends, Prince Wednesday, Katerina Kittykat, O the Owl, and Miss Elaina (all offspring of other characters from the original series), explore the lessons of toddler life, navigating through town on the local trolley (which bears a striking resemblance to Knoxville’s trolleys provided by Knoxville Area Transit, free to the public daily).

 

“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” is based on Fred Rogers’ childhood development teaching and has been praised for its lessons on emotional intelligence and human respect.

 

For more information on Knoxville Area Transit, please visit www.katbus.com. For more information on “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” please visit www.EastTennesseePBS.org.