Summer Reading
This Summer, Find Your Voice at the Athol Public Library
Programs and prizes for all ages
June 23 – August 18
Find Your Voice at the library this summer! Our all ages Summer Reading program will give you plenty of opportunities to write, speak, holler, sing, and of course READ! We’ll have spoken word poetry workshops, a live animal show, storytelling, LEGO animation for teens, singing for the out of tune, and more!
We encourage everyone to sign up, and we’re getting things started with a huge kick-off party in the Millers River Park on June 23rd. The party starts at 5:30–have fun at the library and then head downtown for the Fourth Friday Street Fair!
Beanstack, a web and mobile app, is back with new Virtual Challenges for everyone. To sign up, visit athollibrary.beanstack.org, choose a challenge based on the reader’s age, and get ready to track reading, complete activities, earn badges, and win prizes! In addition to the Virtual Challenge, there will be Visitor’s Challenges designed with frequent library visitors in mind.
We have a lot of spectacular interactive programming planned for you! Be sure to check our calendar (athol.librarycalendar.com) to see what else is happening! Some activities are just for children and their families, some are just for teens, some are just for adults–and some are for everyone! As always, library events are free of charge and open to the public, but sometimes we ask you to register in advance. It’s going to be a great summer and we can’t wait to see you!
The Massachusetts Statewide Summer Library Program is funded by the Friends of the Athol Public Library, the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
All Ages Summer Programs & Events
Summer Reading Kickoff with the Grumpytime Club Band!
Friday, June 23, 5:30-6:30
All Ages
No registration
It's a party in the park! Come enjoy the Grumpytime Club Band perform their feel-good, all ages hits while you pick up your summer reading materials! We'll have games, prizes, food, and more!
Carrie Ferguson and the Grumpytime Club Band are a red and gold family music party band including kid musicians and costumed dancers. Playing original music from Carrie Ferguson’s award-winning 2021 album, The Grumpytime Club, they spent 2022 rocking fairs and festivals with their high-energy funky folk-pop.
Featuring a shifting palette of horns, violin, guitar, keys, bass and drums, their music is highly danceable and truly fun for all ages, highlighting themes of inclusivity, social justice, Earth stewardship and LGBTQ youth/family pride.
Grumpytime Club Concert (Summer Reading Kickoff!) | Athol Public Library (librarycalendar.com)
Animal Adventures
Thursday, July 6, 11:00-12:00
All Ages
No registration
Meet us in the park behind the library for a wild hands-on animal experience! The Athol Public Library will be hosting zookeepers from Animal Adventures to teach us all about amazing exotic animals! The audience will meet, learn about, and have the chance to handle 8-10 live animals.
This program is open to all ages, with no registration required! Feel free to bring your own chairs and sunshade.
In the event of rain, this program will be held on the same day and time in the Town Hall.
Animal Adventures | Athol Public Library (librarycalendar.com)
This program is made possible by a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant.
Sunday Funday Summer Picnic at Cutthroat Brook Tree Farm
Sunday, July 16, 12:00-4:00
All Ages
No Registration
Join Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Athol Public Library, and North Quabbin Trails Association for an afternoon of good old fashioned family fun! Enjoy time outside with community & learn a few things about the great outdoors. Potluck picnic, music, classic picnic games (when’s the last time you did a three-legged race?), gnome scavenger hunt, demo of the kids’ nature ID app Seek, kids’ storybook trail, and a long-loop 5-mile hike led by NQTA.
586 Briggs Rd. Athol, MA 01331
From the center of Athol: Take Rte. 2A East, take a right onto Rte. 32 going south and in 0.3 mile, take a left onto Briggs Rd.
From the center of Petersham: Take Rte. 32 north for 5.0 miles and take a right onto Briggs Rd.
Parking is available in the parking lot to the left on Briggs Road.
This event is part of our summer reading program, Find Your Voice, and is made possible by the support of the Friends of the Athol Public Library and/or the Athol Cultural Council.
Sunday Funday at Cutthroat Brook Tree Farm | Athol Public Library (librarycalendar.com)
©2023 iREAD® The Massachusetts Statewide Summer Library Program is funded by the MA Board of Library Commissioners, Massachusetts Library System Athol Cultural Council, Valuing Our Children, the Boston Bruins, and the Friends of the Athol Public Library.
