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Ken Striplin | Out-of-This-World Family Literacy Festival

By Ken Striplin | Monday, Nov 20, 2023

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Launch Into a Galactic World at the Family Literacy Festival

“The more that you read, the more you will know” – Dr. Seuss

Are you looking for a day full of out-of-this-world engaging activities, with a big dose of intergalactic information? Look no further than the 16th annual Family Literacy Festival. This year’s festival promises to be an extraordinary event, and I invite each and every one of you to join us at the Old Town Newhall Library Branch on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The theme for this year’s festival is “Take Me to Your Reader,” a galactic call to action. It encourages all members of our community to make their way to the Library for a day filled with alien-inspired activities. This festival will be a hub of creativity, offering crafts, live music, captivating storytimes and even a touch of magic.

Prepare to be delighted by over 15 local vendors who will be lining the parking lot, offering fun giveaways, books and special prizes for those who visit multiple booths at the festival. You can even capture the magic of the day at our galactical photo booths. The lineup includes a magician, a musical performance featuring African and Latin American music and science presenters to ignite your curiosity. We will have a NASA Solar System Ambassador and engaging storytime sessions with the City Council.

For the young ones in our community, beloved characters like Pete the Cat, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Piggy and Elephant will be making appearances, spreading joy and laughter. There will be an abundance of crafting opportunities, including spaceship making, planet night light crafting, sculptable aliens, stained glass art, glow-in-the-dark planet bracelets, elemental jars, alien headbands and a moon rock toss game. One of the standout features of this year’s festival is the Library’s Wonder Wheels attraction. It offers a unique opportunity for attendees to step into the cab of a fire engine, explore the interior of a CHP cruiser and even get a firsthand look at what a Burrtec trash truck is like. It’s an experience that will surely leave lasting memories.

There is no better way to get your kids excited about reading and learning, than at the Santa Clarita Public Library’s 16th annual Family Literacy Festival. We look forward to seeing you there! For additional details, please visit SantaClaritaLibrary.com or call (661) 259-0750.

Ken Striplin is the city manager for the city of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.

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