Plan your season with the Summer 2026 Program Guide!

By St. Catharines Public Library - Jun 03, 2026

Program highlights

We love summertime at the library! Start planning your summer when you pick up a copy of our newest program guide at your local library branch or head over to our website to view a digital version.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming registration dates:

July program registration opens June 15
August program registration opens July 20
September program registration opens August 17

Upcoming Programs for Children and Families

Children's hands holding a butterfly made some crafting supplies.

Build-a-Bug

Monday, July 6 | 2pm | Merritt

Children 4-8 and their caregivers are invited to learn all about bugs and craft a giant bug of their own!

A painted clay turtle sitting on a porch.

Mini Turtle Painting Workshop

Tuesday, July 7 | 2pm | Merritt

Children ages 8-12 can explore the art of miniature painting by painting a clay-fired turtle and adding creative detail.

The silhouette of a child looking through a telescope into the night sky.

Astronomy from the Backyard

Tuesday, July 14 | 6pm | Central

For children and teens ages 9-15. Become a space explorer and learn to find stars and planets with just your eyes!

The characters of Kpop Demon Hunters standing on a stage.

Drop-In: Kpop Demon Hunters

Friday, July 24 | 2pm | Central

All are welcome to join us for an afternoon of activities and crafts inspired by the film!

Five children sitting around a table coding and building a toy car.

AI Explorers: Family Edition Workshop with Code Ninjas

Monday, August 10 | 6pm | Merritt

Children ages 8-15 and their parents will explore AI and machine learning together through fun tools, games, and activities with Code Ninjas!

A young child playing with a dinosaur skeleton toy.

Dinosaur Detectives

Saturday, August 29 | 10am | Central

Join Club Rex as we unpack dinosaurs and the Mesozoic time period with our collection of casts from museums around the world and other specimens! For ages 4-12!

Upcoming Programs for Teens and Tweens

Two women in an office environment celebrating.

The Summer Job Survival Guide—Know Your Rights

Friday, July 3 | 10am | Merritt

Participants ages 15-30 can start their summer job with confidence by learning the essentials of the Ontario Employment Standards Act with us at this program!

Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon

Saturday, July 11 | 10am | Merritt

Teens 15+ and adults are invited to come learn the basics of editing Wikipedia with us. We'll be focusing on topics related to Canada and fiction books!

A fountain pen sitting atop a journal full of cursive writing.

Poetry Workshop

Tuesday, August 11 | 6pm | Merritt

For ages 15+. This workshop is for poets looking to practice and hone their craft, and for aspiring writers of all sorts to learn techniques for dealing with a blank page, and how to go from nothing, to a piece of writing you can turn into something you're happy with and can share.

Programs for Adults

A vintage postcard of St. Paul Street in St. Catharines, Ontario.

St. Catharines at 150: Mixed Media Retrospective Art

Saturday, July 11 | 2pm | Dr. Huq

We're digging into the treasure trove of historical photographs from the library and then incorporating them into a mixed media art piece.

Learning to Work with AI: A Mindful Approach

Wednesday, July 22 | 6pm | Merritt

In this interactive workshop, we will cover the basics of GenAI tools such as ChatGPT, practice strategies to use them effectively, and discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks to the growing presence of AI in our lives.

A woman in a pink sweater building a jigsaw puzzle.

Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament

Saturday, August 8 | 11am | Merritt

Gather a team of up to 4 people for SCPL's jigsaw puzzle competition for a chance to win a prize!

A lacrosse stick propped up on some turf surrounded by lacrosse balls.

From Pastime to Pride: Lacrosse and Community in St. Catharines, 1860 - 1920

Monday, August 17 | 6pm | Merritt

Discover how lacrosse in St. Catharines grew from a local pastime into a major part of the city’s identity.

A woman in a yellow t-shirt painting on a canvas on an easel.

Adult Painting Afternoon

Wednesday, August 26 | 2pm | Dr. Huq

Join us to create a vibrant painting featuring sunlit swimming pools, crisp architectural lines, and breezy summer scenes, all inspired by a summer day.

A group of people sitting in a circle having a discussion.

Start Your Own Book Club

Tuesday, September 29 | 6:30pm | Merritt

Join us for a friendly, practical workshop that will show you how to create and run your own book club in your community.

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