Lemont neighbors Olivia Baetzel 4, and Grace Jurynec, 3, entered Orland Square mall Wednesday afternoon looking like they normally do.
They left the mall looking a lot different.
The two attended Orland Square’s Teddy Bear Picnic.
That’s when things changed.
They had their faces painted and were wearing mermaid braids and had a completely different appearance.
They also had a chance to meet Build-A-Bear mascot Bearamy at the Von Maur wing on the upper level.
Olivia’s mother, Beth Baetzel, said this was an event she didn’t want her daughter to miss.
“We’re very excited,” Baetzel said. “We did the hair first because that was the most exciting for them.
“This is a go-to when the weather is hot. I got the newsletter and the email about it and I texted my neighbor and we thought this would be a lot of fun.”
For the record, the Teddy Bear Picnic was not a picnic.
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In the past, there were tables and some food and reservations were required. Mall officials said the event was getting hard to manage and, after a hiatus in 2025, it returned as an event in the designated area that had face-painting, balloon twisting, mermaid braiding and airbrush tattoo stations.
Hundreds of parents and children took part in the festivities, and it didn’t seem to bother people that it was not a picnic setup.
“This is great!” said Homer Glen’s Kristen Idziak, who brought her 5-year-old daughter, Charlotte. “This is a thing for them to do before it’s back to school and this gets them ready for the season. It’s a fun, inside activity.”
Charlotte was getting her face painted as a princess but she said she came to see the teddy bears. She brought one Wednesday named Pompompurrin.
Sawyer Schweikert, 3, of Palos Park, was there early and was quickly rewarded with a balloon monkey, but that wasn’t her main interest.
“I want to see teddy bears,” she said.
And there were plenty to be seen as almost every child brought a bear or a stuffed animal.
This was the mall’s eight year of holding the event, said Cathy Mein, director of marketing and business development for Simon Property Group.
“July is National Teddy Bear Picnic Month and it’s nice because we know that in July it gets hot outside and families are looking for things to do with their kids,” Mein said. “It’s a nice, free event.
“For us, we’re bringing in people to the mall who may not come here all the time. They can see our new offerings.”
Mein said the Banana Republic Factory opened recently, Levi’s will open a store soon and the immersive-experience Bam Kazam amusement center is set to open in the fall.
Orland Square turned 50 this year and celebrated May 2 with special deals and a VIP area featuring chair massages, an oxygen bar, a make-your-own fragrance bar, a digital nail art bar, snacks and special gifts.
Mein has been stationed at Orland Square for nine years and said it is holding up well, even though indoor shopping malls across the country have taken hits in the past few decades, partially because of internet shopping.
“Our sales are up and our traffic is up,” she said. “We are seeing a good tenant mix. Our malls are doing very well. Simon really invests in its malls to keep them up to date and to get the best tenants.”
She said the first half century of the mall provided some great memories including an appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Carter, the cast of “Twilight” and Selena Gomez.
“Selena was here before she was anybody and there was a big crowd here for her,” Mein said. “They’ve had American Idol contestants come in over the years and that’s what I grew up with.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown