How many books did Pittsburgh families read during this year’s Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) Summer Reading Challenge? You can find out on Sunday, Aug. 9, while celebrating the joy of reading during CLP’s annual Summer Reading Extravaganza.

This year’s Extravaganza will run from noon to 5 p.m. indoors and outdoors at CLP’s main branch in Oakland (4400 Forbes Avenue), and as always it’s free to attend.

The O’Connor family joined in the celebration at this year’s Pittsburgh Bookfest. Photo by Nancy Andrews.

This beloved “bookend” to summer will offer crafts, activities, storytimes, free books and more. The fun will include a visit from Pittsburgh’s First Lady Katie O’Connor, CLP’s 2026 Summer Reading Ambassador, and her family, who will reveal whether Pittsburghers rose to this year’s ambitious challenge of collectively reading 160,000 books this year — double the goal set for last year.

Adding to the fun, this year’s summer reading program was built around the theme of “GROW.” So the Extravaganza will feature local partners such as Burghblooms, PSU Extension Master Gardener Program of Allegheny County, Phipps Conservatory, The Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh, and The Hood Garden.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Extravaganza 2025 photo by Annie O’Neill/ Annie O’Neill Photography.

Some scheduled events you won’t want to miss:

12:30 p.m.: The grand total announcement by the O’Connor family (outside the main Library entrance).
1 p.m. and 3 p.m.: Interactive storytimes with award-winning author and illustrator Melissa Iwai, who will read her latest book “A Garden for Lili” — a celebration of urban gardening and how food connects our communities. Each family who attends storytime will receive a free signed copy of the book while supplies last (at the South Wing Reading Room, second floor).
3 p.m.: A larger-than-life musical spectacle with SQUONK, with a performance of their new show, Joy Machine (outdoors).
1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. & 4 p.m.: A Bouquet Bar hosted by Burghblooms, where patrons can create their own mini arrangements while learning facts about local flowers (North Wing Reading Room, second floor).

2 p.m. and  4 p.m.: a Pittsburgh Puppet Works show called “Inky’s Library Mystery.” Join Inky the Cat and Albert the Dog on their thrilling adventure as they attempt to solve the Mystery of the Purrrsburgh (in the Lecture Hall).

All day: A collaborative mural with The Frick Pittsburgh, where attendees can showcase their creativity while bringing this year’s Summer Reading theme “GROW” vividly to life together (outdoors).

CLP Extravganza 2025 photo by Annie O’Neill/ Annie O’Neill Photography.

Check out the full list of partners presenting activities and experiences, including Animal Friends, the Center for Creative Reuse, the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library and many, many more, along with the list of food and treat trucks that will be on hand, right here.

And the summer reading fun continues: The Jerome Bettis Summer Reading Challenge, part of the year-long “Won’t You Be a Reader?” literacy campaign, runs through Aug. 31. Click here to get a downloadable form to keep track of the books your child has read (or the hours the child has spent reading or being read to, if they’re a younger child) and click here to upload your completed Reading Challenge submission. One lucky reader will be chosen at random to receive four tickets to a Steelers home game this fall!