Dinosaurs, Bubbles, Bounce Houses—and Books! Summer Reading Festival Delights Thousands

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA — The Fairfax Library Foundation proudly hosted its annual fourth annual Children’s Summer Reading Festival on Saturday, June 13, at the Fairfax County Government Center, welcoming more than 4,400 attendees for a day of free family fun.

Festivalgoers enjoyed a wide variety of activities, including games and crafts, mascots, bounce houses, train rides, free snacks, face painting, live entertainment, balloon sculptors, a photo booth, and TWO different petting zoos. The event even featured a low-level flyover by Fairfax County Police Department’s helicopter, Fairfax 1.

Now in its fourth year, the festival is specifically designed to encourage young readers to continue their school-year enthusiasm for reading straight into summer vacation. Attendees are encouraged to sign up for Fairfax County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program (SRP) onsite. This year's SRP theme is “Unearth a Story.” Dozens of library staff, teen volunteers, Foundation board members, and Foundation staff worked together to ensure the event ran smoothly. More than 1,300 festival tote bags were distributed to attendees who registered at the Foundation’s booth.

Live entertainment was featured throughout the day. Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik joined Fairfax Library Foundation’s incoming chair, Mike Cullen, to kick off the Children’s Stage performances, beginning with the vivacious children’s entertainers Milkshake. Later in the day, Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore-Heizer addressed the crowd before the festival’s headlining act, Dinosaur Hunter Safari, took the stage. The day's live entertainment concluded with a mesmerizing performance by RI the Bubble Lady.

The festival was made possible through the generous support of 10 sponsors, including headline sponsors Friends of the Burke Centre Library and Friends of the Reston Regional Library. Storybook sponsors included Friends of the Centreville Regional Library, Friends of the Kingstowne Library, Friends of Pohick Regional Library, Friends of City of Fairfax Regional Library, NOVEC, Friends of the Chantilly Regional Library, Friends of Richard Byrd Library, and Wegmans.

Community partners like Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Fairfax Water, 4DMVKids, Chick-fil-A, Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security, Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications, the Fairfax County Park Authority Wonder Wagon, George Mason University, The Goddard School of Fairfax, the Fair Oaks Police and Fire Stations, SoccerShots, YogaSix, and the Washington Nationals we in attendance to engage attendees with activities and information throughout the festival. Food trucks from Char’d, Paisano’s, and Hershey’s Ice Cream were also on site to satisfy hungry festivalgoers.

Since 1994, the Fairfax Library Foundation has existed solely with the mission to enhance the programs and services of the Fairfax County Public Library, the largest public library system in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable and educational organization, the Foundation provides supplementary support to the community by providing access to information, technology, innovations, civic engagement and entertainment, and by offering literacy and educational opportunities.

---

Remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribe to this blog for regular updates on what’s happening at the Fairfax Library Foundation.