The following article was written by Sharon Verbeten, the Youth Services Manager at the Manitowoc Public Library.
It was the best of times . . . it was the BEST of times! There’s just no getting around it—July at Manitowoc Public Library is going to be hot and busy with plenty of programming for kids and their grown-ups! And it all kicks off with Vehicles and Veggies! Intrigued? Read on!
MPL’s biggest annual event is Touch the Trucks, held this year on Wednesday, July 10, from 10 AM to noon—and since it’s an entirely outside event, cross your fingers for good weather! This year, we’ll bring together about 20 vehicles—from fire trucks and police cars to tractors and cement mixers—to the Briess Parking Lot across from the Library. Kids can climb aboard, beep the horn, pose for pics, and pretend to be big for a bit! Local organizations and companies take pride in their vehicles and we’re thrilled to highlight them!
This event is so popular that parking can be a bit tricky. So, plan on a short walk and a bit of traffic congestion at South Eighth and Quay Street that morning. Keep your grumpies at home—it’ll all be worth it to see the kids’ faces! As they say—Keep on Truckin’!
Now, onto those veggies—maybe not as exciting as big trucks, but far more healthy and colorful! The day after clambering on the trucks, if you “carrot” all—ha, ha!—come on back to MPL on Thursday, July 11, at 1 PM for Carrot-TOPIA—a 24-carrot event, celebrating the valiant orange veggie with our friends at Manitowoc County UW-Extension. Families with kids of all ages are welcome to join us as we share stories, plant seeds to take home, crunch some colorful carrot snacks—did you know carrots aren’t always orange?—and even dance with a life-sized carrot!
We’re taking this veggie very seriously—OK, somewhat silliously too!—and hope we’ll turn some veggie haters into carrot lovers by the end of the program.
Trucks. Root vegetables. It’s all part of our mission to educate, entertain, and bring diverse interests together—for All Ages! In short, we’re hoping that Vehicles and Veggies go together like Franks & Beans this July!