TV Star Ty Pennington Heats Up Naperville's Ribfest 2012

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ty Pennington will join grilling and outdoor living authority Sears to heat up one of Chicagoland's most beloved summer events – Ribfest – June 30. From noon to 6 p.m. Ribfest attendees can experience expert Sears grilling demonstrations, take a photo with Pennington, win an hour to grill with him, and enter to win a grill and other great prizes.

"Personally, I love being outdoors," Pennington said. "Summer is a perfect time for gathering friends and family for a backyard barbecue. I can't wait to get cooking on my Kenmore grill at Ribfest! I hope Chicagoans come out to see me – and check out all the action at www.ribfest.net."

"Ty Pennington Style, sold exclusively at Sears, has been an important brand in our home business, spanning the outdoor living, home, and bed and bath categories for several years," said James Alt, vice president, seasonal and outdoor living, Sears Holdings. "It makes sense to bring Ty to Ribfest, where we'll display a Ty Pennington Style outdoor living furniture set, in addition to showcasing several grills. And as part of our Ribfest sponsorship, we're pleased to donate $5,000 to The Exchange Club of Naperville to benefit the elimination of child abuse and domestic violence."

Joining Pennington at the Sears "Grilling is Happiness" tent are some of the nation's most knowledgeable grillers. Television host and author George Hirsch, "Grill Grrrl" Robyn Lindars, and "Burnin' Love BBQ" chef Perry Perkins will demonstrate their favorite dishes, including healthy meals, quick fixes, desserts and BBQ classics. All three are regular contributors to the new Sears Grilling is Happiness blog– an online community aimed at uniting novice and expert grillers with inspiring recipes and advice.

"Grilling is one of America's favorite pastimes. It makes me happy to see the continued growth and interest in families gathering around the grill; a topic that has inspired my TV series and cookbooks for years," said George Hirsch. I am delighted to work with Sears on such an important aspect of everyday living. I look forward to spreading the joy of grilling and entertaining by bringing people together with my tried and true recipes, along with how-to lifestyle tips this summer."

Get Your Grill On

Stop by the Sears Grilling Is Happiness tent at Ribfest for expert advice on finding the right grill for your backyard. The latest grilling innovations will also be on display including two Kenmore models that offer versatility and large cooking areas to accommodate the biggest backyard barbecue bashes:

• Kenmore Four Burner Stainless Steel Gas Grill adds luxurious stainless steel design to outdoor kitchens, a large 588.8 sq. in. cooking area for main dishes, and a flush lid side burner, perfect for side dishes. The 53,000 total BTUs, porcelain enamel cast iron cooking grids and electronic ignition ensure a premium, efficient and dependable grilling experience every time.
• Kenmore Four Burner Gas Grill with Folding Shelves provides 672 sq. in. total cooking area, 48,000 BTUs and stainless steel cooking grates with heat retention to conserve cooking fuel and make cleaning easy. Two foldable side shelves provide large preparation and service area for added convenience.

From June 24 through July 7, the Kenmore Four Burner Stainless Steel Gas Grill (71-16142) will be available for a sale price of $299.99 and the Kenmore Four Burner Stainless Steel Gas Grill with Folding Shelves (71-16154) will be on sale for $399.99.

Sears Patio Advantage

Festival attendees will see how Sears can be their one-stop-shop to create the stylish and functional patio of their dreams. The breadth and depth of Sears outdoor living products includes an exclusive selection of brands like Kenmore, Ty Pennington Style, Simply Outdoors and more. Sears outdoor products are developed by professional design teams to offer the latest styles and highest quality possible. For a complete line of the Sears outdoor offering, visit www.sears.com/outdoorcatalog.

• Free in-store assembly and free online shipping for grills and patio furniture enable customers to enjoy spending more time outdoors. Attractive financing options including layaway, five percent instant savings or no interest on purchases greater than $299, and the ability to earn points for every purchase to use toward future purchases with Shop Your Way Rewards, make investing in an outdoor space a breeze.
• Free Delivery* on any patio set or grill over $499
• Free Delivery** on any patio set over $249 or grill over $399

Enter the Sears Grilling is Happiness Sweepstakes

Celebrate summer with Sears and win great prizes for dad. Enter the Sears Grilling is Happiness sweepstakes*** on Facebook for the chance to win a Kenmore or Hamilton Beach grill, grill accessories, and the Grand Prize, a trip for four to a professional baseball game and a grill. Learn more at www.sears.com/grillingishappiness or enter on the Sears Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sears.

(*) Free standard delivery (a $69.99 value) on in-store Purchases over $499 after discounts and coupons. Standard delivery includes delivery within the local delivery area Monday through Friday and delivery not requiring addition services or time. Customer pays a charge for non-standard delivery. Excludes Outlet Stores.

(**) Purchases in store and featured online. See store associate for details.

(***) "No purchase necessary. A purchase does not increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes ends 7/7/12. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of the forty-eight (48) contiguous United States and the District of Columbia who are aged 18 or older at the time of entry. Void in Alaska, Hawaii, outside the United States and where prohibited. Sweepstakes subject to complete official rules available at www.facebook.com/sears or www.ShopYourWay.com."

About Ribfest

Located at Naperville, Ill.'s Knoch Park, The Naperville Exchange Club's Ribfest is in its 25th year. It has raised over $12 million for more than 50 agencies in the area to support kids and families and to eliminate child abuse and domestic violence.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is a leading integrated retailer with over 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada and the home of ShopYourWay, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through ShopYourWay.com. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, fitness equipment and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, with a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, the Kardashian Kollection, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as Sofia by Sofia Vergara and The Country Living Home Collection. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 11 million service calls made annually and have a long-established commitment to those who serve in the military through initiatives like the Heroes at Home program. We have been named the 2011 Mobile Retailer of the Year, Recipient of the 2012 ENERGY STAR® "Corporate Commitment Award" for Product Retailing and Energy Management and one of Top 20 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at www.searsholdings.com. Twitter: @searsholdings||Facebook: www.facebook.com/SHCCareers

About Ty Pennington Style

Ty Pennington Style is a seasonal home decor line that offers fun, contemporary fashion at affordable prices. With signature versatility as well as approachability, Ty Pennington Style includes everything--from bedding, tabletop and furniture to indoor accents and outdoor living--to beautifully update your home.

About the Kenmore brand

Kenmore is an industry leader in delivering smart and stylish appliance innovations that help consumers do things quicker, easier and better. Recognized as a top appliance brand, Kenmore continues to raise the bar with industry-leading products across small and large appliance categories. The brand recently took on a major overhaul re-launching and revamping packaging, product, marketing and social media efforts with the promise of consistently delivering more. The brand also introduced the Kenmore Craftsman Live Brand Experience is an interactive space in the heart of Chicago equipped to stream innovative experiences and events live online via Kenmore's Facebook page. For more information, log on to www.kenmore.com or www.facebook.com/kenmore.

Contact Information:
Larry Costello
Sears Holdings Corp.
(847) 286-9036
Larry.Costello@searshc.com

Eileen Earley
Zeno Group for Sears
312) 396-9796
Eileen.Earley@zenogroup.com

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation