SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The Sioux City Public Library is hosting the 2026 Summer Reading program, and this year, there are plenty of free events for Siouxlanders to attend!
Summer Reading will run from June 1 to July 31, with participants of all ages being able to win prizes just by reading.
Just in the summer of 2025, the Sioux City Public Library logged a collective 500,000 minutes of reading between the 1,600 participants. According to a release, that means that one in ten school-age kids in Sioux City participated last year.
Story continues below
Some events require registration. Registration will open on May 1 and will be able to be found by clicking here. A list of Summer Reading events can be found below:
Summer Reading Celebration
Drop-in Thursday, June 4, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library
– Family Karaoke Dance Party, Creation Stations with plant-themed crafts, indoor skywalk, scavenger hunt, and add to the Library’s window mural
Read-To-Me Dogs
Drop in Tuesdays, June 9, June 16, June 23, and June 30 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library
– Children are welcome to practice reading to trained therapy dogs
Teen Crafternoons at the Aalfs Downtown Library — Registration required
Wednesday, June 10, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
– Create an upcycled t-shirt tote bag
Monday, July 13, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
– Make holographic kneading putty
RELATED: Beloved Siouxland book sale set to return this spring
Illusionist Keither West — Registration required
Monday, June 15, at 2 p.m. at the Morningside Branch Library and 6:30 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library
– Mind-boggling illusions and magic for all ages
– Both shows will be the same for each time slot
Family Yoga — Registration required
Saturdays, June 20, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library
– Relax with yoga poses for the whole family
Pokemon-a-thon!
Wednesday, June 24, all day at all Sioux City Public Library locations
– Pokemon Scavenger Hunt, Pokemon crafts
Seeking Sasquatch 2: A Teen After-Hours Mystery — Registration required
Friday, June 26, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Aalfs Downtown Library
– Teens will take over the Library and solve clues to unravel a mystery
Great Plains Zoomovile — Registration required
Tuesday, July 15, two shows at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Morningside Branch Library
– Meet small animal ambassadors during this family-friendly program
– Both shows will be the same for each time slot
Owl Programming with the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
Thursday, July 30, at the Morningside Branch Library
– Meet an Owl at the Library at 10:30 a.m. Registration required
— Meet the resident owls from the Nature Center
– Whoooo Ate This? Exploring Owl Pellets at 2 p.m. Registration required
— Investigate a sanitized owl pellet for clues about owl diets
You can find the full pamphlet, including extra events like Family Movie Fridays and more Hands-On Fun, by clicking here.
On top of all the events, the Youth Summer Reading Challenge will also go on!
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.