Each year, Raising a Reader Aspen to Parachute spreads the joy of reading by putting free books into the hands of some of Garfield County’s youngest children through the Children’s Arts and Literacy Festival. 

The local nonprofit’s fourth annual festival will return to the Glenwood Springs Public Library on Saturday for an afternoon of storytelling, community and creativity. Over 500 children attended the free event last year, according to an Oct. 2 news release from Raising a Reader. 

The festival supports Raising a Reader’s mission — to encourage parents to engage in daily book sharing with their children. It’s a habit that not only helps children build early literacy skills, but also aids in brain development and strengthens parent-child bonds

“A lot of times parents are afraid to sit down and bring a story to life,” said Kelly Baker, a former Raising a Reader employee and children’s author from Rulison. “…I think sometimes parents just need to see that when we sit down and we read together and we have fun, the kids want to do it more, and the parents want to read more with their children.” 

The festival is crafted for children up to age 8 but open to anyone.. It will feature live storytimes with several children’s authors, including local authors Baker and Wendi Silvano. Pennsylvania-based author Anthony Fredericks, who has published more than four dozen award-winning children’s books, will host storytelling and activity sessions. 

“Anything that gets them excited about books and reading and shows them the joy of reading is wonderful for kids, and I think that’s one of the things this festival does,” Silvano said. “It gets free books into their hands, but it also gets them to explore the pleasures of reading and literacy.”

Budding readers can also hop on the Rosybelle bus for an arts and crafts makerspace and even ride a fire truck. Other activities will be provided by arts organizations and festival partners including Carbondale Arts, Garfield County Public Libraries, Rocky Mountain PBS and Imagination Library CO.

Children will leave with more than another precious memory — each will receive a free bag and book as well as swag from festival partners. Among many of the books that will be available is “The Girl Who Dances in the Rain” by author Mariel Gorsuch and illustrator Lacey Newhard.

“It’s great for families to be together — making crafts, making music, sitting together as a story is being read — it’s a great bonding moment for the families,” Baker said.

“The festival’s a great time for families to be together, to choose good books to read and to create memories together,” she later added.