Celebrate Summer with the Ultimate Summer Challenge

The Library is challenging you to read every day this summer!

Calgary Public Library’s largest program, the Ultimate Summer Challenge, is back with free summer fun for readers of all ages. The Challenge encourages young families, kids, teens, and adults to log their reading every day and participate in free, fun activities and programs from July 1 to August 31.

Registration is free and opens on June 1 at all Library locations and online.

“Calgary Public Library staff are excited to make this our biggest Ultimate Summer Challenge yet, with lots of fun programs and prizes throughout the summer. We expect more than 20,000 kids, teens, and adults to sign up,” says Daniel Spooner, Librarian at Calgary Public Library and one of the leads of the program this year. This year’s program is open to adults as well as kids and teens. Everyone who registers for the Ultimate Summer Challenge is entered to win great prizes. Each age group will have their own set of unique prizes, including Calgary Zoo memberships, passes to TELUS Spark, a Sky Castle Indoor Playground party, iFly indoor skydiving passes, activity and book subscriptions, iPads, AirPods, and more.

Ultimate Summer Challenge is filled with fun and games, but it also helps address the growing gaps in literacy skills development seen throughout the pandemic. “Participating in the Ultimate Summer Challenge can help kids avoid the ‘summer slide.’ Some kids are at risk of losing literacy skills without regular reading practice in the summer. The Challenge is a fun way for kids to keep working on those skills and see adults modeling a lifelong love of reading too,” says Spooner.

Starting June 1, Challenge maps can be picked up at all 21 Library locations or downloaded at online and printed at home. Kids can also track their reading online using the free Library app Beanstack.

Calgary Public Library has partnered with TD Summer Reading Club to bring you a printable Challenge Map and virtual reading log this year. The Ultimate Summer Challenge is also supported by the J K L MacLachlan Family Fund. Find more information and register today.