City of Staunton

A Party in the Park, Weekly Prizes, and Much More to Celebrate Literacy This Summer

May 19, 2025 - Mark your calendars and get ready to Color Our World for the annual Summer Reading Game program at the Staunton Public Library! Readers of all ages can register and read for a chance to win special prizes all summer long. Participants can sign up at staunton.beanstack.com and log their reading from June 1 - July 31 to be entered to win a range of prizes donated by local businesses. Reading of all types counts, including families reading aloud together, audiobooks, graphic novels, and more.

The Summer Reading Kick-off takes place Friday, May 30 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand. All ages are invited to bring blankets, chairs and a picnic lunch to enjoy a free, family-friendly concert from The Hot Mamas, a local all-female singer-songwriter collective. The library will have kids' activities and onsite registration for the Summer Reading Game. Nolia's Lemonade will also be selling delicious drinks that afternoon. Summer Reading events continue through July with programs for kids, teens and adults, including story times, themed crafts, book clubs, live music and more. A full calendar of events is online at www.StauntonLibrary.org and paper brochures are available to pick up at the library.

Summer reading programs are held at public libraries around the country in an effort to increase kindergarten readiness, prevent the “summer slide” learning loss, keep kids socially engaged, and involve entire families in literacy activities. Reading and literacy activities help children improve or maintain their reading achievement levels to better prepare them for educational success. “Participating in summer reading is a fun and exciting way for kids – and readers of all ages! – to grow their literacy skills and discover all that the local library has to offer,” says Youth Services Librarian Lizzy Hill.

The 2025 SPL Summer Reading Game is sponsored by the Friends of the Staunton Library with weekly and grand prizes sponsored by:

Staunton Parks & Recreation · American Shakespeare Center · Art by Noelia Nuñez · Art Hive · Ballerino Creamery · Bonitas Salon · The Book Dragon · Cat Nap Coffee Roasting · Crack the Code Escape Room · DrumForFun Staunton · Good! Great! OK! Comics · The Green Room · Green Valley Bookfair · Gypsy Express · HEARD the store · Hull’s Drive-In Theatre · Latitudes Fair Trade Store · Lee Strawberry · Made: By the People, For the People · Massanutten Water Park · Pufferbellies Toys & Books · Refill Renew · ShenanArts · Smogfrogg · The Split Banana Co. · Staunton Braves Baseball · The Staunton Clayground · Staunton Bowling Lanes · Staunton-August Family YMCA

For more information about the Staunton Public Library, call 540.332.3902 or visit www.StauntonLibrary.org.

About the Staunton Public Library

The mission of the Staunton Public Library is to acquire, organize, and provide access and guidance to a wide variety of information and materials which help to fulfill the intellectual, educational, social and recreational needs of all the people in the city. To do so, it provides a wealth of both physical and digital resources. Staunton Public Library is also a member of the Valley Libraries Connection with Augusta County and Waynesboro Public Libraries. More information about the library can be found at www.StauntonLibrary.org or by calling 540.332.3902.