Unearth a Story

Summer Reading 2026 Calendar

Our summer is packed with are nearly 300 programs for children, teens, adults, and the whole family. Check out what’s happening at your favorite branch through our online calendar, and this page will contain information and links about the featured programs that are happening at multiple branches throughout the summer.

Get a sneak peek of our Summer Reading Calendar before they're available for pickup on Friday, June 5.

Follow the Library on Facebook and Instagram so you can be in the know all year long!



Featured Programs

Summer Reading Kickoff

Friday, June 5 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Forsyth County Central Library

The Summer Reading program kicks off with activities inside and outside the Forsyth County Central Library. Pick up Summer Reading calendars, bookmarks with reading recommendations for children, teens, and adults, and Digby cards to record the books your read and things you do this summer. The more you do, the more times you're entered to win prizes you and information about Library departments and programs, and other community and county partners.

Children can make their way through the library with a passport, and five stamps from various stations inside and outside the branch will earn them a free book. Teens and adults can enter drawings on the second floor to win books (teens) and custom wooden bookmarks made on the Makerspace's Glowforge (adults).

While you’re out on the lawn ...

  • Sample tasty treats from our own Chef Floyd or purchase sweet and savory delights from a food truck.
  • Enjoy facepainting, lawn games, bubbles, crafts, and icy pops (while supplies last).
  • See what you can uncover in the Fossil Dig Station.
  • Dance like a dinosaur to the songs played by our resident DJ Mac Daville.

While you’re in the Central Library ...

  • Learn about the 20+ book clubs that offer something to every book lover.
  • Find out about the many programs, services, and resources available across the Library system.
  • See how a Glowforge laser printer works in the Makerspace.

Bright Star Touring Theatre Presents Dino Academy: A Dinosaur Discovery Show

Bright Star Touring Theatre performs for schools and communities, both large and small, across the country. Dino Academy: A Dinosaur Discovery Show blends science and storytelling to spark curiosity and wonder. Children will learn about different disosaur habits and explore how paleontologists uncover clues to the past ─ without even getting a speck of dust on their shoes.

Grey Seal Puppets

Grey Seal Puppets creates original puppet theatre, on-camera productions, and custom-built puppets and mascots. The puppet troupe will perform two original productions this summer:
A Tangle of Tales (ages 3-10) brings three favorite folk talkes from around the world to life with a touch of the familiar and a tast of the new.

Salsa Cinderella (ages 5-10) tells the classic tale of love and footwear with a spicy twist.

Professor Whizzpop's Monster Magic Show

Ages 6-11. Professor Whizzpop is coming to town with a show all about dinosaurs, reading books, prehistoric creatures, and fossilized fun.

250th Anniversary Programs

On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.

Several branches are hosting programs to celebrate the storied history of our country. Check out one or all of them this summer.

  • Seeds of a Nation: Tracing Colonial Ancestors
    July 9 from 11 a.m.-noon at Lewisville Branch Library
    Discover how colonial records can bring your early American ancestors to life. This program will explore how to locate and use land grants, deeds, wills, probate files, and other colonial-era documents to strengthen your family history research. While the focus will be on North Carolina local collections, we’ll also touch on resources from the other colonies to help broaden your search. Presented by the North Carolina Collection.
  • Unearthing the Story of Moravian Pottery
    July 9 from 6-7 p.m. at Forsyth County Central Library
    Moravian pottery operations in Bethabara and later Salem, North Carolina, were some of the most successful church businesses in the state's Moravian settlements in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Johanna Brown, chief curator and director of Collections, Research, and Archaeology at Old Salem Museums & Gardens will tell the story of North Carolina's Moravian pottery traditions through Old Salem's archeological records.
  • Hamil-Tunes: Sing-Along
    July 13 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Rural Hall/Stanleyvile Branch Library
    Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States with a Hamilton sing-along just for adults! Belt out your favorite songs, connect with Revolutionary-era history in a fresh way, and enjoy a fun, feel-good night at the library.
  • Echoes of 1776: A 250th Anniversary Experience
    July 18 from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Lewisville Branch Library
    Step into history with an immersive, inspiring day of programs for children and adults that bring the people and stories of the American Revolution to life.
    • Program TBA
      11 a.m.-noon
    • Interactive Wax Museum
      1-2 p.m.
      Ages 6 and up. Step into the past for a meet-and-greet with figures from the Revolutionary era.
    • Mini Masters Art Adventures
      1-3 p.m.
      Ages 4-11. Drop by the Storytime Room and create patriotic arts and crafts.
    • The Battle of Shallow Ford: An Exhibition of Words and Watercolors
      3-4:30 p.m.
      Reflect on the people and moments that shaped early America through an art exhibit that blends storytelling and watercolors to interpret a local Revolutionary War event.