Summer Reading 2025
Welcome to Summer Reading 2025: Color Our World!
The annual Summer Reading Challenge is for everyone! We invite you to challenge yourself to read 600 minutes between Saturday, June 28th and Saturday, August 9th. All participants will need to register in Beanstack and log their minutes digitally to participate.
Sign up for Beanstack online or through the app.
- The Beanstack Tracker app is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You can also find it by searching for "Beanstack Tracker" on your device's app store.
Pre-registration for the challenge will open June 1st in Beanstack and the challenge will begin June 28th.
Participants must be registered in Beanstack and log their minutes in order to claim their prizes. Registration, halfway, and finisher prizes are available until August 16th, or while supplies last.
Last day to log minutes and make prize selections with digital raffle tickets will be Saturday, August 9th . Raffle prize winners will be randomly selected on Monday, August 11th.
Registration Prizes
- All Ages: Sticker or pin + Melanzana Hat
Halfway Prizes
- All Ages: Leadville Punch Card (with lots of great prizes from all around Leadville!)
- Ages 0-11 also recieve a free book of choice from the halfway prize book shelf.
Finisher Prizes
- Ages 0-3: Choice of book from prize book shelf + 12 Digital Raffle Tickets in Beanstack
- Ages 4-11: Choice of book from prize book shelf, (TBA), + 12 Digital Raffle Tickets in Beanstack
- Ages 12-17: Choice of book from prize book shelf -OR- special order book + 12 Digital Raffle Tickets in Beanstack
- Ages 18+: 12 Digital Raffle Tickets in Beanstack, (TBA), + automatic entry to win iPad
- First 50 kids to complete the challenge will also recieve a free NeeDoh Nice Cube from RockyTop Toys!
Raffle Prize Options (to be selected with Digital Raffle Tickets in Beanstack)
Summer Reading Programming
Summer Reading is a special time of year where we pull out all the stops for our community. This year's them is "Color Our World" and as such, we're designing programs for all ages that celebrate our creativity and inner artists! Library staff are currently hard at work preparing an AWESOME summer programming line up to compliment this year's reading challenge. Please check back here for the latest information!
All activities are free.
All ages listed are suggested age ranges.
All activities are at the library unless otherwise noted.
Program registrations (if required) can be found on our calendar.
Messy Hands, Happy Feet
June 30th | 10:30-11:30 | Kiddie Korral | Toddlers
Hands on (and feet on!) painting program for toddlers to use their hands and feet to create colorful masterpieces.
"Seeds of Curiosity" Youth Garden Series with C4
JULY 7TH | JULY 21ST | AUGUST 4TH | C4 FARM | AGES 5-12
Sign up for one, two, or all three sessions.
July 7 – Intro to Gardening
Learn the basics of growing your own food! We'll explore seed starting, transplanting, and how to build healthy, thriving soil.
Register Here for the “Intro to Gardening” workshop!
July 21 – Farm Friends
Discover the importance of plant care, take part in fun farm chores, and meet some of the farm’s helpful visitors—beneficial critters and pollinators that help plants grow.
Register Here for the “Farm Friends” workshop!
August 4 – Taste The Garden
It’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor! Help our farmers with harvesting, participate in taste tests, and explore the garden using all five senses.
Register Here for the “Taste The Garden” workshop!
Summer Science Series
Tuesdays | 10-11:30am | Ages 5+ July 8, 15, 29 | Ages 8+ July 22
Where curiosity meets hands on exploration. Each session will explore a different topic so check our calendar for details.
Fish Hatchery Visit
Tuesday July 8th | 10:30am - 12:00pm | Fish Hatchery | All Youth
Meet us at the Fish Hatchery! We’ll be feeding the fish, taking a walk in nature, and enjoying a snack.
Little Artists Create & Play
Thursdays | 10:45-11:30 | Ages 0-4 | July 10, 17, 24, 31
Spark creativity and connection with hands-on art projects, playful activities, social time, and a few stories.
Artopia for Kids
Fridays | 1:30 - 2:30pm | Ages 5-11 | July 11*, 18, 25, and August 1st
July 11th registration is HERE.
Explore arts and crafts through fun projects using a variety of materials and techniques. Some dates require registration. Check our calendar for details.
Balloon Splatter Painting
Monday July 7th | 3-4:30pm | Library Parking Lot | Ages 8-12
Kids catch a thrill by popping colorful paint filled balloons with darts onto canvases.
Crystallized Books
Wednesday July 9th | 3:30-5:30 | Ages 9-12 | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Let your imagination flow with this one of a kind craft transforming ordinary books into crystalized works of art!
Suminagashi Art
Wednesday July 2nd | 2pm | Ages 6+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Suminagashi is the Japanese art of paper marbling. Create designs in water using floating ink and transfer them to copperplate paper!
Artopia for Kids: Special Claymation Edition
Friday August 8th | 2-4pm | Ages 9+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Explore the art of stop-motion videography using modeling clay and iPad photos.
All activities are free.
All ages listed are suggested age ranges.
All activities are at the library unless otherwise noted.
Program registrations (if required) can be found on our calendar.
Summer Science Series
Tuesdays | 10-11:30am | Ages 5+ July 8th, 15th, 29th | Ages 8+ July 22nd
Where curiosity meets hands on exploration. Each session will explore a different topic so check our calendar for details.
Neon Night Paint
Tuesday July 15th | 5-6:30 | Ice Palace Park | Ages 12+
Use vibrant, glow-in-the-dark paints to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces that come to life when the lights go down!
Embroidery Workshop with Brena & Emma
Saturday July 12th | 2-4pm | Ages 12+ | Registration required
Learn the basics of embroidery while creating a needle case using felted fabric.
En Plain Air Painting
Saturday July 26th | 5-8pm | Ice Palace Park | Ages 12+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Learn how to paint from life and mix custom colors as we capture the beauty of Mount Massive. No experience necessary. Limited to 10 participants.
Printmaking 101: Block Party
Saturday, June 28th | 5-8pm | Ages 12+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Learn the basics of block printing and create your own original works on paper or fabric. No experience necessary. Limited to 10 participants.
Suminagashi Art
Wednesday July 2nd | 2pm | Ages 6+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Suminagashi is the Japanese art of paper marbling. Create designs in water using floating ink and transfer them to copperplate paper!
Craft Anarchy with Groucho (series)
Last Friday of the month | 5-9pm | Ages 14+ | Registration Required
CRAFT ANARCHY is a free, bilingual workshop series the last Friday of every month. Take one or take them all; the workshops are both individual or cumulative.
June : screenprint
July : mono & gel printing
August : book design, publishing, narrative and Fancy Stuff* (gold leaf, printing stickers, button making)
CRAFT ANARCHY is a self publishing program focused on learning self publishing techniques that can get your message out effectively! Learn punk rock techniques for making posters, books, flyers, stickers & more. Let people know what u REALLY think - you’re your own editor! Supported by Lake County Build A Generation.
SPECIAL PRIZES if u attend all 3 workshops. Also, at the end of the workshop series, participants will walk away with a self published book!
All activities are free.
All ages listed are suggested age ranges.
All activities are at the library unless otherwise noted.
Program registrations (if required) can be found on our calendar.
Printmaking 101: Block Party
Saturday, June 28th | 5-8pm | Ages 12+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Learn the basics of block printing and create your own original works on paper or fabric. No experience necessary. Limited to 10 participants.
Suminagashi Art
Wednesday July 2nd | 2pm - 4pm | Ages 6+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Suminagashi is the Japanese art of paper marbling. Create designs in water using floating ink and transfer them to copperplate paper!
Embroidery Workshop with Brena & Emma
Saturday July 12th | 2-4pm | Ages 12+ | Registration required
Learn the basics of embroidery while creating a needle case using felted fabric.
Craft Anarchy with Groucho (series)
Last Friday of the month | 5-9pm | Ages 14+ | Registration Required
CRAFT ANARCHY is a free, bilingual workshop series the last Friday of every month. Take one or take them all; the workshops are both individual or cumulative.
June : screenprint
July : mono & gel printing
August : book design, publishing, narrative and Fancy Stuff* (gold leaf, printing stickers, button making)
CRAFT ANARCHY is a self publishing program focused on learning self publishing techniques that can get your message out effectively! Learn punk rock techniques for making posters, books, flyers, stickers & more. Let people know what u REALLY think - you’re your own editor! Supported by Lake County Build A Generation.
SPECIAL PRIZES if u attend all 3 workshops. Also, at the end of the workshop series, participants will walk away with a self published book!
En Plain Air Painting
Saturday July 26th | 5-8pm | Ice Palace Park | Ages 12+ | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Learn how to paint from life and mix custom colors as we capture the beauty of Mount Massive. No experience necessary. Limited to 10 participants.
All activities are free.
All ages listed are suggested age ranges.
All activities are at the library unless otherwise noted.
Program registrations (if required) can be found on our calendar.
Summer Reading Kickoff Party
Saturday, June 28th | 12:30-2:00 | All Ages
Free ice cream, games & prizes! Show off your skills in our chalk art contest and sign up in person for the Summer Reading Challenge!
Drive in Movie Night: Encanto
Thursday, July 31st | 7pm | The Commanche Drive In - Buena Vista | All Ages
Show your library card for free entry at this joint program between Lake County, BV, and Salida Public Libraries! There will be games, a petting zoo, and other fun activities available until the sun goes down and the movie starts.
Modern Pop Art Experience with Artist Michael Albert
Monday, August 4th | 4:30-6:30pm | All Ages
Back by popular demand! Join Pop Art artist Michael Albert to learn about his work and create your own collage masterpiece using cereal boxes and other cardboard. Each participant gets a free signed print to take home!
