Enjoy Music & a Picnic. Explore Birding Walks. Find the Beat with VR.
Posted on April 21, 2026 at 6:00 am
Spring is the perfect time for exploring nature, digging in the garden, and having a picnic. Explore these activities and more happening at our libraries and outdoors. The following May event highlights are just a few that you may want to add to your spring to-do list.
For All Ages
Make history with your community during Picnic in the Park: Celebrating America’s 250th! Enjoy live music and bring a picnic lunch to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Members of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, wearing historical costumes, share examples of games and everyday objects from Colonial America. The U.S. Navy Band Northwest will perform live music. Plus, you can be part of a community photo at 1pm at the Veterans Memorial Plaza in Balfour Park (next to Spokane Valley Library).
You’re invited to cheer on local high school students as they perform original poetry on stage during the Annual Grand Slam. The panel of judges features local writers and literary enthusiasts.
Give school supplies a second life during the School-Cycle Supply Drive. Spokane County Regional Waste Ambassadors and Art Salvage invite you to take part in this 2026 school supply drive. You can donate gently used school supplies at any of our libraries in May–July. Volunteers will sort, refresh, and repackage your donations, and then distribute them to local organizations, students, and families—completely free of charge.
For Adults
Take a Birding Walk with the Spokane Audubon Society. During this bird watching adventure, explore the identification of birds, binocular set up, and resources that can be used when birding.
Bring your extra starters to the Starter Plant Swap to share with others, and pick up some left by other gardening enthusiasts. Add variety to your garden when you try a new starter plant!
For Teens
Bestselling author Elizabeth Lim discusses Dangerous Magic, Enchanting Romance, and Painting the Future in her novel A Forgery of Fate, recommended for readers ages 12 and older. Inspired by the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, this novel features a young art forger, a cursed dragon lord, and a scheme to bring down the gods.
For Kids & Families
Stop by the library for the Beat Saber Virtual Reality Competition (kids ages 8+, teens, and adults). Test your moves and stamina to see if you can reach the top spot on the leaderboard.
Explore Children’s Games: Then & Now, an America’s 250th event for ages 5 and older and their families. Experience merriment as you craft and play games that have been around since Colonial America. See how some games have changed over the years and which ones haven’t changed at all.
Along with these highlighted events, you can explore all our May library programs on our event calendar.
