The Summer Readers of Philadelphia are on a roll. Just halfway through the Free Library’s Summer of Wonder, we’re more than halfway to our citywide online reading minutes goal! If you’re not signed up yet, it’s not too late! Join the Summer of Wonder online today, and help us reach 100,000 community minutes read by August 31st. You can also sign up for Summer of Wonder and enjoy in-person summer programming at your neighborhood libraries through August 12th.
Featured Free Library events for kids and teens:
Motivos Video Camp for Teens at McPherson Square Library
In this 6-session series, teens will learn to tell a story via video, from filming to editing.
Poetry for Teens and Tweens at Cranaleith!
Join the Bustleton library crew for nature-inspired poetry writing, activities, and snacks amid the trees at the Cranaleith Spiritual Center.
School-aged kids and tweens are invited to join the explorers at Tacony Library on weekdays for fun and engaging Literacy, STEM, or crafts-based programming aimed at those entering grades 1-7.
Dungeons and Dragons Club at Santorre Library
Try your hand at this classic adventure and role-playing game made famous by the television show Stranger Things! All levels welcome. For ages 10-16.
Get your snake fix at one of a few different library locations this summer! Reptile expert Scott Prior will bring along his real-live slithering friends and share his knowledge about these amazing creatures. Families welcome.
For more fantastic summer fun at the library, visit our events calendar. New events are being added all the time, so be sure to check back regularly. And catch a few members of our valued Free Library staff talking about the Summer of Wonder and the importance of fully funded libraries on this video segment with TaRhonda Thomas of 6abc News!
Summer in the City
Looking for more ways to celebrate the dogs days of summer? Cool off at one of the many sprinklers and spraygrounds near you, or take a dip and practice your swimming skills at Philadelphia pools open across the city this summer! You can even help others to get in the water when you donate new swimwear and accessories to the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative’s swimwear drive, in partnership with Parks & Rec. Find donation sites and times online.
Experience The Oval XP on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Wednesdays thru Sundays until August 21st. This new event on the reimagined Parkway is free to the public and features live concerts, the world’s largest mobile ferris wheel, interactive fun for kids at the Imagination Station, and a 33,000-square-foot ground mural called Common Ground, created by Philly-based artist Calo Rosa. Find more information at theovalphl.org#.
This year also marks the much-anticipated return of the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival. Through August 7th, visitors can enjoy an immersive experience of new lantern designs, live performances, festival foods, a carousel, and other fun. Admission to Franklin Square is free during the day. Tickets to the nighttime festival attractions can be purchased online.
We at Youth Services would like to offer a special thank you to everyone who helps to make Summer of Wonder happen and everyone who participates. Summer at the Free Library really is for Everyone, Everywhere. And it would be nothing without you!
What’s been your favorite part of summer so far? Let us know in the comments below!
Have a question for Free Library staff? Please submit it to our Ask a Librarian page and receive a response within two business days.