Sussex County Libraries to host third annual Children’s Book Festival on May 18

GEORGETOWN, DE(Thursday, April 25, 2024) - Sussex County Libraries are uniting this spring to plant the seeds of literacy in children and adults alike, hosting the third annual Children's Book Festival with more than 20 authors of children's board, picture, and chapter books coming together for a day of reading fun and adventure.

This year's event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the Georgetown Public Library, 123 W. Pine St., in Georgetown. Admission is free and attendees will receive a Festival Guide and tote bag upon entry (while supplies last).

Notable authors scheduled to be in attendance at this year's festival include Kevin McClosky, Kathy MacMillan, Jennifer Swanson, and Georgetown's own bilingual teen author, Maximo Castellanos. In addition to the authors, a host of activities are scheduled, such as face painting, balloon animals, and caricatures. There also will be an inflatable obstacle course, petting zoo, and pony rides, available for a small fee, as well as food trucks for patrons to purchase snacks.

Children and teens will explore, discover, and create through hands-on games, activities, and learning stations. There will be a Buddy Bison Story Stroll, which features a special gift at the end (while supplies last), and the Bookmobile will be on site for library card sign-ups. Along with everyone's favorite librarians from across Sussex County, partners from ILC Dover and the MERR Institute will lead various adventures, and reading companion-trained therapy animals from PAWS for People will share story-time with children. There will be displays for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Adventure Begins at Your Library Summer Reading Challenges, Read Aloud Delaware, Literacy Delaware, Kindergarten Readiness Teams, and many more.

Activities will be held in and around the library, extending along West Pine Street (closed to vehicle traffic), from Sussex Central Drive to the Delaware National Guard armory grounds. Parking for the event will be at Georgetown Elementary School, a short walk to the library.

The Sussex County Libraries Children's Book Festival is made possible, in part, with support from Delaware Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/sussexcbf/.

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