“Summer Prince George’s 2026” Library Challenge Kicks Off With a Week of Fun Dino-Themed Programs at All 19 PGCMLS Branches

Largo, Maryland – Summer Prince George’s 2026, the annual library challenge hosted by the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS), will have its big Kickoff Week at the end of June. Following this year’s “Unearth a Story” theme, all 19 PGCMLS branches will host exciting dinosaur- and archaeology-oriented kick-off events for community members of all ages starting on Monday, June 22. 

More than a traditional summer reading program, Summer Prince George’s (SPG) encourages children, teens, and adults to read 30 minutes each day, attend PGCMLS programs, and get acquainted with the Library’s borrowing collection and other resources, both physical and online. Community members are also invited to explore PGCMLS’ unique in-branch offerings — such as the DREAM Lab at the Fairmount Heights Branch Library, the in-floor dinosaur in the children’s area of the Laurel Branch Library, and the special collections at the Greenbelt, Hyattsville, and Oxon Hill Branch Libraries. 

“Summer is finally here, and our library staff invites you to ‘dig into’ fun times, great stories, and loads of activities related to dinosaurs, fossils, paleontology, and more!” says PGCMLS Program Services Manager, Rachel Zukowski. “Kickoff Week events across the system create a uniquely welcoming environment for the Prince George’s community to come together to launch SPG, and a way for each branch to showcase their creative spin on this year’s theme.”

Running this year from May 18 through August 14, Summer Prince George’s 2026 is presented in partnership with the PGCMLS Foundation, the Washington Nationals baseball team, and the Washington Spirit soccer team. As of June 15 — a full week ahead of official kick-off festivities — the challenge had nearly 1,800 registrants with almost 275,000 minutes of reading logged!

The full schedule for Summer Prince George’s 2026 Kickoff Week is included below, but highlights include: 

• A dinosaur egg craft at the Oxon Hill Branch Library; 
• A scavenger hunt, photo booth, and “Dino Dance Party” at the Glenarden Branch Library; 
• Balloon and storybook magic shows with local partner Mike Klee Magic at the Hyattsville Branch Library and the Hillcrest Heights Branch Library; 
• A cardboard craft “drive-in movie” program at the Bowie Branch Library; and 
• An outdoor adventure at the Spauldings Branch Library.

Additionally, community members over the age of 18 are invited to join their neighbors at the Library’s 2026 Book Crawl, an annual program designed to bring the magic of summer reading to library-loving adults through games and social activities hosted in partnership with local restaurants and community spaces. During SPG Kickoff Week, the Book Crawl will turn up at Town Center Market in Riverdale for a free game of “Name That Tune” (details below). This event will follow “Pride Bingo,” a returning Book Crawl favorite hosted by Charlemagne Chateau, which will launch this year’s Book Crawl festivities on Thursday, June 18 at Hyattsville’s Pizzeria Paradiso.

This summer’s Book Crawl will run through Tuesday, August 11, where it will conclude with the community-favorite “After-Hours Book Fair” at miXt Food Hall in Brentwood. There, attendees will get free tickets to “shop” a book and sticker fair in miXt’s upstairs gallery space. A nostalgic event not to be missed! 

For a full calendar of this year’s Book Crawl events, click here. For more information about Summer Prince George’s 2026, please visit pgcmls.info/summer.

Summer Prince George’s 2026: “Unearth a Story” Kickoff Events

Free | Monday, June 22-Monday, June 29 | All Ages | All Branches

Kick off Summer Prince George's at your local PGCMLS branch library! Drop by the Library between June 22 and June 29 to register for this year’s challenge while enjoying a variety of fun dinosaur- and archaeology-themed activities for community members of all ages. 

Registration prizes will be available starting June 22, while T-shirt prizes for participants with 10 points or more will be available starting June 29 (all while supplies last).

Note: Camp and group leaders must call the branch at least one week prior to the event to ensure that there is space for groups. Many programming rooms and spaces have strict occupancy limits. 

Monday, June 22

Oxon Hill Branch Library – Dinosaur Egg-sploration!*

2 pm | Register
*Registration full

Bladensburg Branch Library – Dino Bookmarks

3 pm | Register

Greenbelt Branch Library – Nintendo Switch, Dino Games, Coloring

4 pm | Register

Tuesday, June 23

Glenarden Branch Library – Scavenger Hunt, Photo Booth, Dino Dance Party

4 pm | Register

Upper Marlboro Branch Library – Summer Prince George’s Kickoff Activities 

4 pm | Register

Beltsville Branch Library – Summer Prince George’s Kickoff Activities 

5 pm | Register

Wednesday, June 24

Hyattsville Branch Library – Great Big Balloon Show 

Presented by Mike Klee Magic

12 pm | Register

New Carrollton Branch Library – Summer Prince George’s Kickoff Activities

4 pm | Register

South Bowie Branch Library – Dino-Mask Craft, Bicycle Helmet Giveaway*

Outdoors, weather permitting

4 pm | Register

*While supplies last

Book Crawl: Name That Tune* – Town Center Market

6:30 pm | Register

*Program is for adults only 

Thursday, June 25

Largo-Kettering Branch Library – Dino Yoga and Watkins Park Nature Center Program*

10:30 am | Register

*Registration full

Surratts-Clinton Branch Library – Dinosaur Arts and Crafts, Fossil Hunt, Scavenger Hunt

11 am | Register

Baden Branch Library – Summer Prince George’s Kickoff Activities

11:30 am | Register

Fairmount Heights Branch Library – Journey to the Center of the Earth

Presented by the Science Guys of Baltimore

2 pm | Register

Hillcrest Heights Branch Library – Storybook Magic Show

Presented by Mike Klee Magic

2 pm | Register

Mount Rainier Branch Library – Dinosaur Activities

3 pm | Register

Laurel Branch Library – Summer Prince George’s Kickoff Activities 

4 pm | Register

Saturday, June 27

Bowie Branch Library – Drive-In Dino Movie

10:30 am | Register 

Monday, June 29

Spauldings Branch Library – Outdoor Adventures

2 pm | Register

Accokeek Branch Library – Crafts, Gem Dig, Dinosaur Egg Hunt

3 pm | Register

To discuss coverage opportunities, members of the media can contact PGCMLS Communications Specialist Alexis Gunderson at alexis.gunderson@pgcmls.info.

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About the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

The Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) is a beacon within its diverse and dynamic community. The Library serves Prince George’s County, Maryland’s 966,000+ residents through 19 public branches, a law library in the County Correctional Center, various pop-up services and events, and 24/7 access to free online resources. As a trusted and responsive community leader, PGCMLS democratizes knowledge and opportunity by providing safe, accessible spaces where customers of all backgrounds can freely engage with the resources needed to build knowledge, literacy, skills, and creativity at every phase of life. Learn more at pgcmls.info/about-us.