HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

Thomas The Tank Engine™ Steams into Town with Day Out With Thomas™ 2008: The Great Discovery Tour, Sponsored by the Lego Group

Fans to "Rail-ly" for National Toy Hall of Fame Nomination, Sign Petition

02/22/2008

New York, NY

Don't miss the train! Everyone's favorite #1 engine, Thomas the Tank Engine, welcomes friends "All Aboard" as he steams across the nation visiting more than 45 heritage railroads in the US and Canada as part of the Day Out with Thomas 2008: The Great Discovery Tour presented by HIT Entertainment and sponsored by The LEGO Group. This fun-filled event offers preschoolers and their families the opportunity to take a ride on a 15-ton replica of Thomas the Tank Engine, star of the Thomas & Friends™ series, on PBS KIDS® and PBS KIDS Sprout™, and features a variety of Thomas & Friends-themed entertainment. Each year the tour grows, traveling to new destinations, adding new activities and welcoming new visitors. Rolling out of the station for its 13th consecutive year, the tour begins in March and is expected to welcome more than one million passengers at approximately 300 event days through December 2008.

Additionally, throughout the year, as Thomas chugs into each town, he will be enlisting the help of his friends on a brand-new adventure - his journey to the National Toy Hall of Fame®. By signing a petition at any of the 2008 Day Out with Thomas Events, fans can help Thomas make tracks to this toy Mecca. The National Toy Hall of Fame, at the Strong National Museum of Play®, in Rochester, NY, recognizes toys that have achieved Icon Status, having enjoyed popularity over multiple generations. The Toy Hall of Fame also looks for toys that foster learning, creativity, and discovery through play.

During the Day Out With Thomas 2008: The Great Discovery Tour, children will be provided with a "Great Discovery Tour Map," that guides them through the various event activities. At the last stop, each child will receive a free gift. Activities include:

• A meet & greet with Sir Topham Hatt™, Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor
• Performances by Bob the Builder™ (select locations). In a 20-minute, singalong performance, Bob the Builder asks for aspiring Can-Do Crew members to help him build a shed for Thomas to sleep in while he's visiting the railroad.
• Photo opportunities with Fifi of international television sensation, Fifi and the Flowertots™ (select locations)
• A large LEGO® replica of Thomas the Tank Engine (select locations)
• Thomas & Friends Imagination Station: featuring LEGO bricks, hands-on arts and crafts activities, coloring sheets, temporary tattoos and engineering certificates
• Storytelling, video viewing and live music
• A variety of activities that reflect the local flavor of each stop!

Tickets are available for this event by calling toll-free 866.468.7630 or logging onto www.ticketweb.com/thomas. For general information or to find a Day Out With Thomas 2008: The Great Discovery Tour event near you, please visit www.thomasandfriends.com.

To download artwork, please visit www.hitnewsonline.com