Kicking Off Summer with Stories and Smiles!

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — Fairfax Library Foundation proudly hosted its annual Children’s Summer Reading Festival on Saturday, June 14, at Sherwood Regional Library to much acclaim. The skies remained clear and bright despite the discouraging forecast leading up the festival, and more than 1,500 attendees enjoyed free activities including games and crafts, live storybook characters, bounce houses, snacks, facepainting, a deejay, live entertainment, caricature artists, a henna artist, balloon sculptors, a photobooth, and even a reptile petting zoo.

Now in its third year, the event is specifically designed to encourage young readers to continue their school-year enthusiasm for reading straight into summer vacation. Dozens of library staff, teen volunteers, and Foundation board members and staff came together to ensure the event went smoothly. More than 800 festival tote bags were distributed to those who registered at the Foundation’s booth.

The festival was made possible with the generous support of 10 sponsors, including Friends of City of Fairfax Regional Library, Invest529 College Savings Program, Friends of Richard Byrd Library, Friends of the Kingstowne Library, NOVEC, Wegmans, Friends of the Centreville Library, Friends of the Reston Regional Library, and Friends of Pohick Regional Library.

Community partners, such as Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security, Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications, The Fairfax County Parks Authority Wonder Wagon, Charge Up Fairfax!, Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Mount Vernon Police and Fire Stations, Washington Spirit Women's Soccer and others were on hand to engage with attendees. Food trucks from Pako's Fresh Mex, Smash-it Burgers, and Hershey's Ice Cream stood by, ready to satisfy the inevitable hungry tummies.

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.

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