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Cupcake-palooza March 24 offers sweet way to support Books from Birth

Home bakers who donate cupcakes to Cupcake-palooza this year will compete for prizes and bragging rights. (Photo by Ann Rayner/Vanderbilt)

Come to Cupcake-palooza, a benefit for Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee, and sample from a selection of thousands of mini-cupcakes donated by local bakeries and other area businesses. The event is sponsored by Abode Real Estate.

This family-friendly event takes place Saturday, March 24, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Belmont United Methodist Church’s community center (2007 Acklen Ave.). Tickets are available at the door.

Each adult ticket purchased more than covers one year's worth of books for a child. (Anne Rayner/Vanderbilt)

Participating vendors include Blue Bell Ice Cream, Cupcake Collection, Grins Vegetarian Café (vegan), Mattie-Cakes, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Starbucks, The Sweet Stash, The Painted Cupcake, Tasti D-Lite, Vanderbilt Dining and many more. Mayor Karl Dean is scheduled to visit the event.

There will be a staffed children’s reading, craft and play area sponsored by Smart Sprouts child care and tutoring center, and Game Stop will host an electronics area where kids can play video games designed to promote exercise and heart health.

Tickets are $15 for adults, which includes 10 treat tickets to cash in on cupcakes, ice cream or drinks. Tickets for children 5 and under are $5, and they will receive five tickets. There are family, senior and student discounts.

Additional treat tickets are $1 each, and biodegradable to-go containers will be provided by Noodles & Co. for a small donation.

Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee – a literacy initiative of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and operator of the local chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – is the beneficiary of the event’s proceeds. The program provides books to preschoolers in an effort to promote readiness for kindergarten.

Find out more on Facebook and Twitter at @cupcake_palooza.