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It will be an exciting day of fun and learning on Saturday, June 15, as Capital Book Fest hosts its annual “Children’s Book and Learning Festival” presented by nonprofit, Turning the Page on Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC).
Coinciding with the Juneteenth Weekend celebrations, this family-friendly festival will offer a full day of engaging and educational activities, featuring an exciting lineup of local authors from the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC and exhibitions from partners National Children’s Museum, DC Public Library, Washington Nationals, Nature Generation, ReadAbility, Urban Adventure Squad, The Giving Square, Washington Informer Spelling Bee and the DowntownDC BID.
From 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., children and their families can enjoy a variety of activities, including “Story on the Plaza” presented by the National Children’s Museum (NCM) and DC Public Library, a literary walking adventure with story pages on display from the book “Extra Yarn” by bestselling and award-winning author Mac Barnett. NCM will host readings at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. from the stage.
In addition to this immersive experience, 15 authors from the Children’s Book Guild will lead themed activities based on their books, like:
- Baseball Fun with Fred Bowen: Fred Bowen will share his latest baseball book, Extra Innings while the Washington Nationals knock spelling out of the park with a baseball themed spelling challenge, word searches, and more!
- Art and Animals with Susan Stockdale: Susan Stockdale will read from her latest book, Line Up! Animals in Remarkable Rows, and demonstrate how she painted the illustrations. Children can then create their own animal images using vibrant colored oil pastels on black paper.
- Cultural Crafts with Danielle Joseph: Decorate a tap tap bus with items that represent you and your culture! Danielle Joseph will lead this activity, inspired by her book I Want to Ride the Tap Tap, which explores the vibrant taxi-bus service in Haiti.
- Community Poetry with Pamela Ehrenberg: Join in creating DC’s longest-known magnetic-poetry-style poem! Inspired by her book Detour Ahead, Pamela Ehrenberg invites visitors of all ages to contribute lines to a collaborative poem celebrating life in DC.
The full list of authors and activities here.
Thousands of gently-used books, for all ages, will be on sale for $7 or less, as part of Capital Book Fest’s collaboration with Carpe Librum an outdoor, pop-up book shop selling community-donated books and raising valuable funds for the education-based nonprofit, Turning the Page. Festive music by DJ Joe will fill the air. A concession stand will offer lunch and refreshments, prepared by RRB/ITC’s culinary team. Participating authors will also be selling and signing their books.
The Festival will offer an unforgettable day of stories, creativity, and family fun. It will be a unique opportunity to connect with local authors, enjoy interactive activities, and celebrate the magic of reading and learning together.
What: Capital Book Fest: Children’s Book and Learning Festival
When: Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Woodrow Wilson Plaza at Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Metro: Federal Triangle Station
Parking: Public Garage at RRB/ITC
Who: Free and open to the public
