The Summer Reading Sendoff, the Park Ridge Library’s event which marks the end of its Summer Reading program, will be held on the Library lawn Saturday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is open to the public and will include live music from children’s performer Rachel Bachman and Chicago`area favorite The Hitmaker. Bubble artist Jason Kullom will also share his talents. The first 200 Summer Reading participants who check in will receive a voucher for a free portion of ice cream from Triple Scoop’d. Every participant who checks in will get a ticket to enter a prize drawing.
Rachel Bachman will entertain parents and kids alike with her set of acoustic pop set of family-friendly hits at 10 a.m. The Hitmaker, described as a mix of Olivia Newton-John, Harry Styles, Van Morrison and more, will play at 11 a.m.
“We are so proud of the thousands of kids, teens and adults who took part in this year’s Summer Reading program,” said Library Director Joanna Bertucci. “The Sendoff is a way to celebrate all their reading, but also a reminder to keep the reading habit up as we all exit vacation mode and settle into our Fall routines.” Nearly 3,000 residents are participating in this year’s Summer Reading program, earning prize drawing tickets for every day they read or, in the case of adult readers, meeting the challenge of reading four books before August 16.
Registration is not required, but attendees who check in at the event and show they participated in Summer Reading will receive a ticket for a free Triple Scoop’d ice cream and a ticket to enter for a chance to win a gift card to one of eight local restaurants.
Summer Reading participants can collect their ice cream ticket by checking in at the booth on the Library Lawn by showing their paper Summer Reading log, or Library staff can look up their account in Beanstack, to verify they completed at least one level of the program’s challenge for their age group.
All Summer Reading prizes are donated by the Friends of the Park Ridge Library.
