- Benay Hicks
- 57 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Media Advisory
Book Harvest’s 6th Annual Summer Block Party
July 18, 2026 at Durham Central Park
WHAT: Book Harvest’s 6th annual Summer Block Party is a free community-wide event celebrating summer and books. The afternoon will include family activities and entertainment, highlighted by an abundance of free children’s books for every child—from infants to high schoolers—to take home and keep forever (there will be 15,000 books to choose from this year!)
WHO: Representatives from Book Harvest; community members; over 40 local organizations and characters including The Poetry Fox, Happy Dan the Magic Man, Rootle PBS Kids, Museum of Life and Science, The Bull City Woodshop, Bull City Robotics, and Weaver Street Market.
WHEN: Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
WHERE: Durham Central Park , 501 Foster Street Durham 27701
WHY: Book Harvest works to realize a world of literacy and justice for all—a world in which every child grows up with an abundant home library from birth and with a love of books, reading, and learning, and every parent feels supported, celebrated, and affirmed in their role as their child’s first teacher.
SCHEDULED EVENTS:
3:00 PM - Gates open; food, activities, and books are available for all!
4:30 PM - Storytime
6:00 PM - Event ends
VISUALS:
Boxes of 15,000 books being prepped for the event at Book Harvest (pre-event; now until July 18)
Children “harvesting” books; getting fairy hair; engaging in storytimes and activities
Happy Dan the Magic Man performing magic tricks; the Poetry Fox writing custom poems for all who ask
Community partners engaging with families through fun activities and giveaways
Volunteers providing books and helping with the event
Interviews with Book Harvest Founder and CEO, Ginger Young; willing families and volunteers; Book Harvest staff
About Book Harvest
Book Harvest’s mission is to provide books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. Internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy, Book Harvest has provided more than three million books to children and families since its founding in 2011, ensuring that children grow up from birth owning an abundance of books and that parents have the tools and power to ignite and strengthen their children's literacy for a lifetime. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished with books. Learn more at bookharvest.org.
Access the Book Harvest brand guide, including logos, photos, and videos: https://bookharvest.org/media-kit/
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