Mayor Gene Winstead, center, with proclamation in hand, poses September 26, 2000, with Snoopy and Charlie Brown characters outside the Mall of America, holding a street sign that
names Lindau Lane as Charles Schulz Way for the week of the 50th anniversary celebration of Peanuts. (AP photo/Minneapolis Star Tribune/Tom Sweeney)
These articles are arranged from the most recent down, so you'll always find the newest news about Charlie Brown and his friends toward the top; older articles will be located further down, or on previous pages.
Good grief! ABC nabs Charlie Brown specials
September 29, 2000
By Josef Adalian and Michael Schneider
Daily Variety
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) -- Good grief! You're switching networks, Charlie Brown.
In an upset of Great Pumpkin-size proportions, ABC has beat out CBS for the rights to the holy trinity of classic "Charlie Brown" animated specials -- putting an end to a 35-year CBS tradition.
ABC locked up the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas half-hours simply by offering more money than CBS, which had the right to make the first offer for the toons, industry insiders said. Financial terms were not disclosed.
ABC's three-year exclusive pact starts next year, allowing CBS one more chance to run "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and the first-ever "Peanuts" TV special, 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
The deal was negotiated quietly several months ago, following the death of "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz. ABC did not plan to announce its purchase until CBS' December broadcast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
"We're very excited to have these shows," said Andrea Wong, senior vice president of alternative series and specials at ABC. "They became available and we indicated our interest in them and began negotiations."
Beyond the three holiday-themed specials, Wong said new installments of the long-running specials are possible. "They have some new ideas for new franchises and we're taking a look at them."
While most Hollywood matters are all about the cash, CBS insiders are still smarting that the "Peanuts" camp opted to take ABC's offer of more money rather than keep the specials on their longtime home.
"It's a shame that a few more dollars meant more to them than years of tradition and loyalty," one CBS exec said.
In recent years, CBS programmers had tried to restore a sense of luster to the "Peanuts" specials, particularly the Christmas one. In 1997, the network digitally remastered the latter special and restored more than 2 minutes of footage which had been chopped out of the broadcast in the years following its original Dec. 9, 1965, showing.
At the time, executive producer Lee Mendelson expressed his gratitude toward CBS Television CEO Leslie Moonves.
"We've been with CBS for over 30 years, and it's much better now than it has been," he said. "When (CBS chairman) William S. Paley was there, he paid attention to everything, every detail. Les ... (has) brought that back."
CBS' loyalty wasn't absolute. While "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was an annual CBS favorite, the Halloween and Thanksgiving specials were only dusted off occasionally.
Wong said she had every intention of airing all three specials throughout the length of the deal.
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" continued to pull solid numbers for CBS through last year; the show dominated its time period among adults 18 to 49 and households last December.
CBS insiders, however, said the network "won't miss the ratings. They were pretty modest. It's a matter of tradition."
Thousands flock to arena event, Snoopy farewell
St. Paul readies for Xcel's debut
September 25, 2000
By Lisa Donovan
St. Paul Pioneer Press
Bye-bye, beagles. Hello, hockey.
Crowds estimated as high as 20,000 descended on downtown St. Paul on Sunday afternoon to watch Snoopy take his final bow and to get a glimpse of the new Xcel Energy Center before the Minnesota Wild's debut Friday night.
The day began with an open house at the hockey arena and ended with a farewell party, sponsored by the Pioneer Press, for "Peanuts on Parade" -- St. Paul's summer-long tribute to the late Charles Schulz, the cartoonist who drew "Peanuts" for nearly 50 years. The so-called parade included 100-plus statues of the pup displayed across the city.
The dual events offered families like the Kerns of Lakeville a chance to soak up some of St. Paul's newest attractions.
"We kind of made an afternoon of it -- we started over at Harriett Island with a picnic, and it was so neat, there were a lot of people walking around and just enjoying the day," said Lucy Kern, 33.
She and her husband, David, 34, and their three children then headed across the Mississippi River to check out the parading pups and the new arena, which will be home to the Wild, as well as trade shows and concerts. Looking around the arena, with its slick electronic scoreboard, complete with four videoboards, forest green chairs, and some of the rustic touches that make it feel "northern" and "Minnesota," the Kerns said they were sorry they hadn't gotten season tickets.
"Maybe we can get single-game tickets, where he can take one of the kids or I could -- or maybe we could go together, maybe a date or something," Lucy Kern said, laughing with her husband.
Chris Hansen, president of the St. Paul Arena Co. and general manager of the arena, smiles when he hears people are noticing the "natural" touches outside the seating area, from the stone-front eating areas to the wood beams around the food and beverage concessions.
"We were trying for this oxymoron of being cutting-edge and traditional," Hansen said. "We wanted the feel of a nice summer Minnesota cabin or a nice lodge."
There were no complaints but a few concerns whether the 18,600-seat arena would be completed by Friday's exhibition game against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
"They've got some finishing touches that need to be done," said 26-year-old Joel Almgren of St. Cloud, who was standing at ground zero -- the floor of the arena -- on Sunday afternoon. He noted that some of the walls are covered only with primer and some of the seats, he and a friend said, hadn't been bolted to the floor.
And then there was the matter of the beer. Almgren and Garen Comstock, 25, of Sartell, were a little peeved that, at $5 apiece, their beers were more foam than liquid.
"They've got to learn how to pour," Comstock said. "These are expensive."
Outside, the sidewalks were jam-packed as children wiggled and squealed their way from dog to dog, their practiced smiles drawing the coos of adoring parents and grandparents who were busy snapping pictures.
Fresh from a photo shoot, 7-year-old Jake Sajevic of Woodbury confided that he didn't realize Snoopy had a tail.
His exasperated brother Ben, 5, said, "All dogs have tails."
The Sajevics, including 10-year-old sister Lindsey and mother Teri, were checking out the Snoopys with their former nanny, 24-year-old Linda Sund, 24, who was visiting from Norway.
"I'm only here for four days, but we thought this would be a fun thing to do."
Puppy love strikes the youngest of Snoopy fans
Children pick their favorites among St. Paul beagle statues
September 24, 2000
By Nancy Ngo
St. Paul Pioneer Press
Since the debut of "Peanuts on Parade" in mid-June, adults have been talking Snoopy, snapping photos of Snoopy, reliving childhood memories through Snoopy. Equally delighted, however, have been the people who stand shorter than the statues themselves, whose big impressions began when many met the world's most famous beagle this summer. Here's what they had to say on Saturday.
Anna and Laura Johnson, 8-year-old twins from St. Paul, agreed that "Classic Snoopy" was the best. "I just like to see the normal one," said Anna. "I want to describe Snoopy as kind of annoying. All the things he did to Charlie Brown -- if he did that to me, I'd get pretty mad. He's always making Charlie Brown serve dinner to him. He doesn't always eat it. And sometimes he has to be served by a pretty waitress."
Sean O'Brien, 3, of St. Paul and looking Joe Cool himself in black sunglasses, said his favorite was "Pirate Snoopy."
"I like how it has the black thing on. He likes me very much." If Snoopy came alive, Sean would say, "I love you," Sean said as he turned away.
Jacquelynn Colling, 9, Forest Lake, thought "Groovy Snoopy" was all the rave. "He's nice to other people. He's funny, very funny." Her favorite Snoopy moment "(When) he's pretending to be a pilot in a battle and he sits on top of his doghouse." With that, the girl in the red bandanna and black flannel covered her mouth and laughed.
Katie Lentsch, 10, of St. Paul, also liked "Groovy Snoopy" best. "If I could talk to him, I'd say 'You're my favorite doggie in the world.' "
Mikki Modjeski, 7, and Erika Morehead, 5, both of Forest Lake, found a pot of gold in "Rainbow Snoopy." Wearing a pink Cinderella flannel jacket and eating a red apple while standing next to "Joe Clean," Mikki described the beagle "He gets into trouble." Said Erika, "He just likes to sleep on top of his doghouse."
The Snoopys will be auctioned off for charity on Oct. 1 at the Mall of America. The statues could sell for as much as $10,000 each, but for the little people this summer, they've been priceless.
Bidding On Beagles
Sotheby's Expects 300 Bidders
September 23, 2000
ST. PAUL -- Snoopy the cartoon beagle is expected to be a cash cow at an upcoming auction.
Some ""Peanuts" on Parade" statues could bring up to $10,000 at the Oct. 1 auction. The Snoopy statues were created to honor Charles Schulz and placed throughout St. Paul.
A Sotheby's representative said that 300 bidders are expected when the auction house sells at least 50 of the statues. The auction will be at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.
A special Snoopy statue was unveiled Friday. It was created by the only artist formally permitted to draw and sell images based on Schulz's work.
Auction proceeds will be dedicated to the construction of a permanent bronze sculpture to honor Schulz. The cartoonist died of colon cancer in February 1999.
He was 77.
"Peanuts" 50th National Celebration at Mall Of America
September 21, 2000
PRN Newswire
BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota -- Join us for the national celebration of America's best-loved beagle and his pals at Mall of America.
50 years ago on October 2, Charles Schulz had his first ""Peanuts"" comic strip published. Schulz's children will be attending the event that will pay tribute to their father and all of his loveable characters.
Week-long celebration
To kick off the national celebration, Mayor Gene Winstead of Bloomington will re-name 24th Avenue, "Charles Schulz Way," for the week-long festivities. The signs will be hung at the intersection of 24th Avenue and Old Lindau Lane. There will be lots of fun activities as the Rotunda is transformed into the "Peanuts" Backyard where guests can watch classic "Peanuts" films such as "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and "Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown." (September 26-October 2)
Paw-Ports could win Rides for Life in Camp Snoopy
Guests can pick up a Paw-Port in Snoopy's Backyard and follow the big paw-prints throughout Camp Snoopy and Mall of America to take a tour of all the activities including the "Peanuts" Collectibles area where items from one of the nation's largest private Snoopy collections, from Minnesota, will be on display! Check out Nascar's Joe Cool Car that will be displayed on the route and then head to the Schulz Tribute Wall where guests can add their thoughts and feelings about the "Peanuts" Gang.
Paw-ports that are stamped at each activity and returned to the Rotunda will be eligible for a drawing to win Rides for Life in Camp Snoopy at the end of the week! (September 26-October 2)
Sotheby's Auction
Guests can see the "Peanuts" on Parade collection of Snoopy statues from Saint Paul during the week as they are displayed throughout Camp Snoopy and Mall of America. Each statue is unique and will be auctioned off by Sotheby's October 1 in the Rotunda. Proceeds will be donated to three charities designated by Charles Schulz's family a permanent bronze sculpture in Saint Paul, featuring the "Peanuts" Gang, an endowed Chair of Illustration at the College of Visual Arts, and scholarships to the Art Instruction School where Schulz studied and taught. (Sunday, October 1, at 3 p.m.)
Stamp unveiling
Schulz's children will be part of a national stamp unveiling by the United States Post Office on September 30 in the Rotunda along with a special cancellation available for the "Peanuts" 50th National Anniversary celebration. (September 30, Rotunda, 11 a.m.)
Commemorative Bench
On Monday, October 2 the Schulz children will unveil a bench featuring Snoopy which will be a permanent addition to Camp Snoopy. On this anniversary of the first published "Peanuts" comic strip, the Schulz children will offer their thoughts and feelings on this memorable occasion. (October 2, Camp Snoopy, 11 a.m.)
"Peanuts" Backyard
Start your day with free Lucky Charms and juice for kids with the "Peanuts" Gang in the "Peanuts" Backyard every day at 9 a.m. The first 1,000 people can pick up a free Snoopy Ice Cream bar daily at noon in the backyard. (September 26-October 2)
Snoopy and the gang live musical show
"Peanuts Live!", the all-new character show will be performing daily in the Wilderness Theatre in Camp Snoopy. Don't miss this special musical salute to the comic strip. Guests will have the opportunity to become part of some classic "Peanuts" scenes along the pathway as well. (September 26-October 2. Check Camp Snoopy for show times.)
Project Linus
Visit Project Linus in Bloomingdale's court and learn more about this organization that donates hand made security blankets to children going through major medical treatment. Look for the big blue bed to drop off a donation for an ill child. (September 26-October 2, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.)
Tom Everhart Snoopy to join Sotheby's Auction Block
One more unique Snoopy statue will be added to the auction block on October 1 as a one of a kind Tom Everhart Snoopy is unveiled during the "Peanuts" 50th National Celebration. Everhart met Charles Schulz in 1980 and after studying Schulz's pen style, Everhart developed his own interpretation of Schulz's loveable characters and has been creating unique "Peanuts" art for the past 10 years. Everhart's colorful images burst with color and energy and have become a key ingredient of "Peanuts" memorabilia.
QVC live with "Peanuts" collectibles
QVC at the Mall will broadcast live on Monday, October 2, as they offer a limited supply of "Peanuts" memorabilia for sale including a special edition Tom Everhart lithograph as well as a small diecast of the Joe Cool Car. Special "Peanuts" 50th merchandise will be available all week including a limited number of replicas of the Saint Paul "Peanuts" on Parade statues. (Monday, October 2, Camp Snoopy; 6-8 p.m.)
Snoopy draws tourists from around the world
Snoopy and the "Peanuts" gang are loved around the world and visitors and volunteers have already booked flights to the Twin Cities for this event. Northwest Airlines is offering a special discounted travel package for this anniversary to bring some of the most fervent "Peanuts" fans to this national celebration. (September 26-October 2; Rotunda and All Courts and Camp Snoopy Mall of America)
Look out, Red Baron -- Snoopy has a new ally in the U.S. Postal Service.
A new U.S. postage stamp featuring Snoopy will be unveiled Sept. 30 at the Mall of America in Bloomington as part of the weekend observance of the 50th anniversary of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" cartoon strip.
Design details will not be released in advance, but the stamp will feature the familiar Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace atop his doghouse, according to Jim Ahlgren of the U.S. Postal Service's Northland District, which includes Minnesota.
The "Peanuts" tribute continues the Postal Service's tradition of issuing stamps that depict American icons and well-known cultural figures, he said.
The art for the stamp is being provided by United Feature Syndicate, which distributes the strip.
The stamp itself will not be issued until February or March next year and likely will be among the first 34-cent issues for first-class postage. The Postal Service has applied to its rate-setting agency for a one-cent rate increase, and approval is expected before the end of the year, Ahlgren said.
Snoopy to get more first-class treatment
Postage stamp honoring 50th 'Peanuts' anniversary to be unveiled at megamall.
September 20, 2000
By Karl J. Karlson
St. Paul Pioneer Press
A new U.S. postage stamp that features Snoopy will be unveiled Sept. 30 at the Mall of America as part of the weekend observance of the 50th anniversary of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" cartoon strip.
Design details will not be released in advance, but the stamp will feature the familiar pose of the beagle as a World War I Flying Ace atop his doghouse, according to Jim Ahlgren of the U.S. Postal Service's Northland District, which includes Minnesota.
The "Peanuts" tribute continues the Postal Service's tradition of issuing stamps that depict American icons and well-known cultural figures, he said.
The art for the stamp is being provided by United Feature Syndicate, which distributes the strip. "Peanuts" first appeared Oct. 2, 1950, in six newspapers and eventually grew to become a regular feature in 2,700 newspapers worldwide.
The stamp itself will not be issued until February or March next year and likely will be among the first 34-cent issues for first-class postage. The Postal Service has applied to its rate-setting agency for a one-cent rate increase, and approval is expected before the end of the year, Ahlgren said.
The unveiling, which will take place in the Bloomington mall's rotunda at noon Sept. 30, also will be part of the finale of St. Paul's summer-long "Peanuts on Parade" salute to Schulz. The tribute consisted of 101 artist-decorated statues of Snoopy scattered around the city where the cartoonist spent his childhood.
On the following day, 39 of the statues will be auctioned at the Mall of America as a fund-raising event. The statues up for sale will be on display at the mall for several days next week before the auction.
Schulz's children are scheduled to attend the unveiling and take part in other "Peanuts" weekend events.
Who Says It Ain't Art?
Snoopy made summer a bit more joyful
September 18, 2000
St. Paul Pioneer Press editorial staff
The summer of homage to polyurethane beagles draws to a close and with it goes the increase in traffic, map reading, clicking of disposable cameras and squeals of kids.
Who woulda thought? What began as a colorful and sentimental tribute to "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz bloomed into a seasonal project for many bent on viewing as many Snoopys as possible. The whimsical 5-foot-tall statues produced countless ahs and most often stood up to the affectionate hugs from people of all ages. Like the Beanie Baby craze of recent years, it was hard to tell which age group the attraction most drew adults or children. Another unknown the extent to which some bidder will go to own a particular statue at the October charity auction.
The summertime exhibit reaffirms this If there's something to come downtown for, people will come downtown. Popular culture will draw the masses. What's next to note is whether the permanent bronze statues of the "Peanuts" gang -- financed with auction proceeds -- will draw the same enthusiasm and participation.
Of special delight were the themed Snoopys. Rich with color and detail, the statues flaunted the talents of artists whose definition of a canvas extended to fiberglass spheres encased in cement, evoking a joyous dog with an attitude. Some may not call that "art," but whatever it is, it brings people together.
St. Paul native Charles Schulz would be proud.
For the Love of Dog
Snoopy lovers swarmed the streets of downtown St. Paul to eat funnel cake and ogle all 100 beagles. Events are scheduled all week long.
September 18, 2000
By Shani A. Brown
St. Paul Pioneer Press
They came two and two, in groups and alone Sunday afternoon to marvel at the 100 Snoopy statues lining the streets of downtown St. Paul as part of the KS95 Peanuts on Parade Block Party.
The party along Wabasha Street began a special week of events that signal the end of the summerlong Peanuts on Parade tribute to cartoonist and St. Paul native Charles Schulz, who died in February. A bevy of events are scheduled for the rest of the week, including a scavenger hunt, Snoopy photo contest and a parade of real beagles. After the farewell shindig next Sunday, the 50 or so statues designated for auction will relocate to the Mall of America in Bloomington. A charity auction is scheduled for Oct. 1.
St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman came up with the idea to place the 100 Snoopys in one spot. (There are 101 statues; the missing one is Stargazing Snoopy, which was beheaded by vandals last month.)
"Snoopy has been a tremendous success," Coleman said, "and I knew we had to get them all out so people could see them in one place. I don't know if this many people have ever been in downtown St. Paul before. We hope they'll continue to come. This has been magical. "
Over the last few months, the Snoopy phenomenon has mushroomed.
"In the beginning, I couldn't have imagined it," Coleman said. "But in the last month, I could feel it. I knew the magic was real and palpable. I'm overwhelmed. I have the chills."
Hundreds upon hundreds ogled, touched and snapped shots of the statues along Wabasha Street from the Minnesota Business Academy to Fifth Street and then west to Rice Park. It was like a miniature fair, with live music, hot dogs, funnel cakes and temporary tattoos for the kids.
It started at noon, but people arrived as early as 7 a.m., said Megan Ryan, city marketing director.
"We were setting up and people were already down here," she said. "And people have to wait in line with about 10 to 15 people to take pictures. It's a great problem to have."
Snoopy fans like Deb Hunt enjoyed the close proximity of all the statues. She said she put about 150 miles on her car driving around to all the different locations.
"It's great to see them all at once," said the St. Paul resident. "It's hard when you have to drive all around and parking is difficult, especially at the hospitals."
Though also a Snoopy lover, Lucretia Kirby showed up Sunday for another reason -- to protest.
Kirby, of St. Paul, held a sign that read, "Keep Snoopy in St. Paul. Don't Take Him to the Mall. Sincerely, St. Paul." She wanted residents to sign a petition to hold the auction in St. Paul. After 15 minutes, she had four pages of signatures, she said.
"I don't disagree with the auction," she said. " What I disagree with is holding the auction outside St. Paul. I've seen downtown go down the tubes. This tribute has drawn people to St. Paul. This is where the auction should be."
Kirby and others who signed her petition suggested the World Trade Center, Rice Park and Harriet Island as possible auction sites. The signed petitions will be delivered to the mayor's office this morning, she said.
Gail McKusick "ran right up to sign the petition."
"I live in St. Paul, and St. Paul needs everything it can get," she said.
The auction, however, will likely go as planned.
"The Mall of America is not our arch enemy," Coleman said.
Marketing gods shining on St. Paul with Snoopy mania
September 17, 2000
By Joe Soucheray
St. Paul Pioneer Press
With the exception of a mugging here and there when the dogs wandered into a tough neighborhood, the Snoopys got through the summer with flying colors, a rousing success. Most of them will be on display today along Wabasha Street, for today is Snoopy Day, or the Snoopy Block Party Picnic Day or Czechoslovakian Day Snoopy or something.
There's one they didn't think of Booya Snoopy. It could have been permanently installed up at the Highland Park Pavilion, next to the cooking kettles.
The mere fact that we talk Snoopy is an indication of the tremendous success of the program. I don't know what it says about us that this worked, that the Snoopys brought people downtown to take pictures and spend money and generally enliven the old place. St. Paul was on the brink, it seems, right at the very edge, but then it began to inch back, new development, museums, a National Hockey League team and the piece de resistance, the Snoopy.
Who would have ever thought we were a comic strip character away from solvency. Well, maybe not solvency, but civic vitality? Which presupposes that from here on out we had better be careful to have something up every summer, Nancys and Sluggos, Wizards from Id, Dukes from Doonesbury, Garfields. We could have hundreds of comic strip cats up next year.
No, of course not. It was a one-time magical experiment that clicked. I have to admit, there were plenty of Snoopys. Man. Why, if you didn't have one in front of your business, people thought poorly of you. How could you have resisted? I thought there were going to be a dozen or so when the prospect first bloomed, and limited to places on the order of Rice Park, but if you had the cash, you got a dog.
They were everywhere in front of restaurants, jewelry stores, on the same block as Laundromats and pharmacies, in parks and on street corners. I saw a couple of them on a flat bed truck the other day as they hallucinogenically passed through an intersection. Gave me a start.
The power of the dogs was mystical, especially when you were lying to a child. Maybe lying is a stretch. It happened that one night in the middle of summer we were at dinner in downtown St. Paul where a child was present, and the child asked me, "Does the newspaper have a Snoopy?"
She meant the Pioneer Press. Did it have a newspaper Snoopy out front? I was tempted to reply caustically that if we were stupid enough to let our building go at the Minnesota State Fair, there wasn't a snowball's chance in hot weather that we had a Snoopy.
Instead, I went with it. "Why, of course we do, child," I said. "Yes, certainly. We have a Snoopy."
"Where?"
"Uh, in the, um, in front. Right there in front, on Cedar Street."
"What does it look like?"
"Oh, it's a newspaper Snoopy, I'll tell you that, covered with newsprint and ink and things of that nature."
"Maybe it has a typewriter."
I sincerely doubted it. I was willing to lie for the place, but not advertise that it might have thrown a little corporate caution to the wind.
"Can we see it when we're done?"
I was too far in to get out now, so I said, "Yes, let's all go and look at the newspaper Snoopy."
nd after dinner off we marched, passing Snoopys the whole way. I had no idea if we had a Snoopy for the simple reason that I had been entering the building from the back and hadn't been around front recently enough to know if we even had one. And if we printed that we had one in the daily Snoopy baseball card thing we did, I hadn't read it. This was blind faith in my superiors having the common marketing sense that God gave them.
We turned onto Cedar from Fifth Street and ... there it was, a newspaper Snoopy, just as I had promised and very nearly just as I described. I beamed proudly. Of course we had one. How could we not have had one?
On a personal note, I must say that I know somebody who is experiencing intense lobbying regarding the upcoming auction of Snoopys -- the bidding paddles alone are going for $200 -- and I intend merely to go on record as saying on behalf of this fellow that too much of a good thing is something you want to watch out for.
Snoopys gather downtown for final series of events
September 13, 2000
By Karl J. Karlson
St. Paul Pioneer Press
St. Paul's Snoopy statues are being rounded up for repositioning in downtown as part of a special week of events that signals the end of the city's popular "Peanuts on Parade" tribute to cartoonist Charles Schulz.
By Sunday, when the first of the daily events is held, about 75 of the 101 statues will be lined up along Wabasha Street -- from the Minnesota Business Academy (former Science Museum of Minnesota) to Fifth Street -- and then west to Rice Park.
Efforts will be made to leave some of the newest Snoopy statue additions in place as long as possible so visitors can see them in their original settings, city officials said.
Details on several events are still being finalized. All events, unless otherwise noted, will be at Ecolab Plaza, Fifth and Wabasha streets.
Here's the schedule:
Sunday: noon to 4 p.m., a block party hosted by KS95 radio.
Monday: 5 to 7 p.m., a scavenger hunt and "Name Your Favorite Snoopy" contest.
Tuesday: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Rice Park, start of a photo contest sponsored by Kinko's.
Next Wednesday: To be announced.
Sept. 21: 5 to 8 p.m., Artist Night, sponsored by the College of Visual Arts.
Sept. 22: 5 to 8 p.m., "Snoopy the Classic American Icon Night," hosted by Classic Cars and Blue Bunny Ice Cream.
Sept. 23: 10 a.m., A parade of real beagles and other dogs along Wabasha Street. For more information about the parade or how to participate, call Sara Klecatsky at (651) 266-8685.
Sept. 24: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., farewell party sponsored by the Minnesota Wild and the Pioneer Press.
The following week, the Snoopy statues designated for sale will be moved to the Mall of America in Bloomington for display before the Oct. 1 charity auction.
Snoopy lovers scurry to photograph all 101 beagles before auction
Visitors wait in line to snap memories of Schulz tribute
September 11, 2000
By Shani A. Brown
St. Paul Pioneer Press
Snoopy lovers scurried about downtown Sunday afternoon -- with their disposable and digital cameras, maps and pens -- all in hopes of capturing pictures before the beagles leave the streets and head off to the auction block next month.
The summerlong tribute to St. Paul native Charles Schulz began in June. Starting Sept. 26, the Mall of America will display the 50 or more statues to be auctioned Oct. 1. Money from the auction will go toward building a permanent bronze sculpture as a tribute to Schulz, financing scholarships at the Art Instruction Schools and helping to endow a chair of illustration at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul.
September 26 is only a few weeks away. And that doesn't give folks like Bernardine Bryniarski much time, especially since some of the 101 statues are not completed or in for repairs.
"I've seen 80 so far," said the St. Paul resident. "I've been catching the bus to all of them, and it's a real disappointment when they aren't out."
Bryniarski works for the school system and spent much of her summer vacation snapping pictures of Snoopy. Her latest shot was of Joe Clean, at Ecolab Plaza on Fifth and Wabasha streets. She plans to take pictures of all 101 statues and place them in a photo album.
Sue and Curtis Jungk, two other Snoopy aficionados, sat on a bench near downtown's Walgreen Drug Store checking off the statues they saw that day. The total was 50.
"We've been busy and thought we could do most of them at once," Sue Jungk said. "The ones we don't get done today, we can knock out during the week. Our goal is to get all of them and make a scrapbook for our granddaughter."
Other than the occasional overactive kid jumping ahead of the other kids, the Jungks, of St. Paul, said their Snoopy tour was pleasant.
"We haven't been downtown in so long, and it's been a lot of fun," Curtis Jungk said. "It's fun to see the people all doing the same thing and sharing time together."
Things were more hectic just a few blocks away at Snoopy's Come Home in Rice Park. At times four and five families waited for a chance to snap a picture of their loved ones with Snoopy. Some little ones got impatient and wanted their chance to hop on the teeter-totter.
"Hey, I'm getting on," snapped one little girl to another.
And some parents became impatient as well.
"You're both too big," said one mother to her son and daughter as she motioned for them to leave, "and I don't want us to be the ones to break it (the Snoopy)."
Kathy Horihan of Apple Valley was waiting to take pictures of her grown daughters, Julie and Tracie, when a family in front of them took a little more time than necessary.
"For the most part," Kathy Horihan said, "everybody has been friendly, up until right now."
A few people were a "little pushy," said Jan Stauffer of Woodbury. Unlike others out Sunday, Stauffer does not plan to see all the statues.
"I thought today was a nice day to come down and see the statues," she said. "We've seen 10 today. If she (5-year-old Olivia) finds one she really likes, maybe we'll take a picture and use it for Christmas cards."
Myra Patterson is also abridging her Snoopy tour.
"No way," she said. "We won't be able to see all of them. We just started taking pictures today. Maybe we will see at least 60."
With the auction quickly approaching, Patterson wishes the Snoopys didn't have to go.
"It's an awesome tribute, and it's sad they are only here for the summer," she said. "Schulz lived here longer than a summer so they should keep the Snoopys out for longer than the summer."
Snoopy statues to be sold in high style
Famed Sotheby's will conduct Oct. 1 auction
September 9, 2000
By Karl J. Karlson
St. Paul Pioneer Press
St. Paul's summer-long "Peanuts on Parade" tribute to cartoonist Charles Schulz will go out in style Oct. 1, when the noted Sotheby's auction house comes to town to auction off at least 50 Snoopy statues.
For more than two months, city officials and representatives from United Media, which controls the commercial aspects of the late cartoonist's entertainment empire, have been negotiating with the 256-year-old fine arts auction business to see if it could re-create the success of last summer's "Cows on Parade" in Chicago.
When Sotheby's auctioned off 140 cow statues from that promotion, proceeds totaled $3,487,000, nearly seven times the pre-auction estimate.
Sotheby spokesman Michael Moore said there are no estimates yet of what a Snoopy statue might sell for, but the auction catalog will carry price estimates.
"When we sold the cows, estimates in the catalog ranged from $2,000 to $4,000. But some sold for $25,000 and one for $110,000. It was out of control," he said in a telephone interview Friday.
Sponsors, who paid $3,100 to $4,100 for their 5-foot high polyurethane Snoopys, are being encouraged -- but not required -- to donate them for auction.
So far, 50 of the 101 statues have been donated, according to Megan Ryan, St. Paul's director of marketing and promotion. More are expected to be pledged as the auction nears.
Proceeds will go to build a permanent bronze sculpture as a hometown tribute to Schulz, to help endow a chair of illustration at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul and to fund scholarships at the Art Instruction Schools, a Minneapolis correspondence school where Schulz studied and taught.
In Chicago, 140 of the 300 cow statues were put up for auction, according to Moore. The format there was different from St. Paul's, however, with proceeds from each cow sale dedicated to a specific charity, which may have boosted the final prices.
The Snoopy auction will be part of weekend events at Camp Snoopy at the Mall of America celebrating the 50th anniversary of the "Peanuts" cartoon strip, which was first published in six newspapers on Oct. 2, 1950.
Eventually, the comic appeared in more than 2,700 newspapers around the world. Schulz drew all the panels of the work and retired last year after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in February on the eve of the publication of the last original Sunday comic panel.
Snoopy fans wanting to take part in the auction must purchase a $200 bidding paddle, according to Ryan. They may be obtained by calling (952) 934-0116 starting Monday, when the phone number is to be activated.
The auction, which will take place at 3 p.m. Oct. 1 in the Mall of America rotunda, will be preceded by about three hours of "Peanuts"-related events. The public will be able to watch the auction action from the upper levels of the mall around the rotunda.
There also will be an online component of the auction, according to Ryan, but details still are being worked out. The online bidding will not be part of the live auction and will involve a separate batch of Snoopys.
Absentee bidding forms will be available from the auction catalog, which should be available in about two weeks. Details of their distribution were not finalized Friday, but the forms are likely to be available at the mall or through a link on the www.snoopy.com Web site.
The statues to be auctioned will be on display at the Mall of America starting Sept. 26.
Animated Peanuts special to premiere
September 8, 2000
By Karl J. Karlson
St. Paul Pioneer Press
The premiere of Charles Schulz's last animated special, "It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown," will be held in St. Paul on Sunday for a select audience, most of whom are youngsters from the neighborhood where the "Peanuts" creator grew up.
The half-hour video is the last of nearly 60 animated features based on the "Peanuts" characters Schulz drew for nearly 50 years.
The premiere at the Minnesota History Center auditorium will be attended by students from the Linwood Elementary Achievement Plus School in St. Paul. The youngsters will dress up like mice, with mouse "ears" and painted faces, to reflect some of the show's content.
The show is based on "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," the German folk tale of a musician hired to drive out the city's rodents. In this case, it is Snoopy who saves a town overrun by soccer-playing, tap-dancing, sports mice.
The students will take part in a pre-show parade, which will be taped and used to promote the show, according to Kathy Burns, Twin Cities producer of the event.
St. Paul was selected for the premiere because of Schulz's hometown roots and because of the city's popular "Peanuts on Parade" tribute to the late cartoonist, she said. The collection of 101 decorated Snoopy statues has attracted many visitors and generated wide publicity.
The "Pied Piper" feature was one of Schulz's last projects before he was diagnosed with colon cancer last fall. The cartoonist died in February.
The feature is produced by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, who have produced all of the animated short shows for Schulz. Most of the shows were aired as television specials, though some were released directly to the videocassette market.
Snoopy Statues to be Auctioned at Mall of America; Family of Peanut's Creator, Charles Schulz will Kick-off Auction
September 8, 2000
PRN Newswire
BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota8 -- Sotheby's, a leader in world class art since 1744, will assist in a live auction at Mall of America to sell Snoopy statues from St. Paul's summer exhibit, Peanuts on Parade. Over 100 Snoopy statues were created and designed by local artists as a tribute to Minnesota native Charles M. Schulz and displayed throughout St. Paul for the entire summer.
The auction is part of the National PEANUTS 50th Anniversary Celebration at Mall of America and Camp Snoopy. Snoopy statues up for bid will be on view throughout the Mall of America and Camp Snoopy from September 26 through October 2, 2000.
Snoopy fans are invited to take part in the auction by purchasing an auction paddle at 952-934-0116, starting Monday, September 11. Non-bidders can catch a glimpse of the auction LIVE from upper levels of the Mall of America Rotunda area. Those unavailable to attend the auction live, can attain an absentee bidding form from Sotheby's Peanuts On Parade auction book or from the Peanuts on Parade link at http//www.snoopy.com
Schulz's family members will be on hand to kick-off the festivities and have designated auction proceeds will be used for
-- Permanent bronze sculpture in Saint Paul, featuring the Peanuts gang.
-- An Endowed Chair of Illustration at the College of Visual Arts.
-- Scholarships to the Art Instruction School where Schulz attended and taught.
Updated information will be posted on various web-sites including, Snoopy.com, CampSnoopy.com and MallofAmerica.com.
WHERE: Pre-registration -- Playhouse Theater in Camp Snoopy
Live Auction -- Mall of America Rotunda
