The Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System (ARCPLS) will host a community celebration June 6 to kick off the 2026 Summer Reading Program with a theme of Unearth a Story.
This free, family-friendly event will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Dave & Buster’s, 607 Cabela Drive, and is designed to encourage reading, creativity and learning throughout the summer while helping combat summer learning loss, according to a news release.
“Last year, our Summer Reading Program brought together hundreds of families across Augusta, with nearly 800 participants logging more than half a million minutes of reading,” said Emanuel Mitchell, Director of the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System. “This year, we are raising the bar. Our goal is to reach more children, more teens and more adults than ever before — because every minute spent reading this summer is a step toward a stronger future. We hope the entire community will join us on June 6 to kick things off and carry that momentum all the way through July.”
Attendees can enjoy literacy-focused games, vendor booths, giveaways, and engaging activities for children, teens, and adults. Registered Summer Reading participants will receive free food and free books while supplies last. A petting zoo from Wallace’s Farm will also be on site, making this a one-of-a-kind celebration for the whole family.
Participants can register for the 2026 Summer Reading Program at arcpls.beanstack.org, via the Beanstack mobile app, or in person at any of the six ARCPLS
branch locations. The program runs May 22 through July 31 and is open to Richmond County residents of all ages. Participants track reading time online or on a paper log available at all branches.
Readers of all ages — from infants to adults — are encouraged to read at least 20 minutes a day and log their progress to earn prizes and entries into grand prize drawings. Children and teens who log 600 minutes will receive a completion prize that includes a free book, a tote bag, and a Stars & Strikes certificate for an hour of game play (while supplies last).
Additional prize drawing entries are awarded at 900, 1,200, 1,500, and 1,800 minutes. Adults who reach the 600-minute goal will also earn a completion prize and grand prize entries.
Grand prize drawings will be held Aug. 3.
Libraries in Columbia and Aiken counties also offer a summer reading program for their residents. Special programs are held throughout the summer to encourage reading. To learn more about Columbia County’s library programs, go here; for Aiken-Bamberg-Barnwell-Edgefield Library programs, go here.
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