Big Read of Anne Arundel 2026

Name: Big Read of Anne Arundel 2026
Start: 2026-04-01T10:00:00-04:00
Location: Anne Arundel county Maryland

Schedule

Wed, 01 Apr, 2026 at 10:00 am

UTC-04:00

Location

Anne Arundel county Maryland | Annapolis, MD

A month of family events and book giveaways during the Big Read of Anne Arundel County.
April is National Poetry Month with National Gardening Day, Earth Day and Arbor Day to remind us of our connection to the natural world. Anne Arundel County is celebrating during the month of April thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for a county-wide NEA Big Read. A wide range of events and activities have been created for the public to enjoy. All of the events are inspired by the book You Are Here, Poetry in the Natural World, edited by Ada Limón.
Chesapeake Children’s Museum is coordinating events from April 1st to May 2nd for all ages at the museum and at locations throughout Anne Arundel County sponsored by two dozen community partners from around Anne Arundel County. Activities include nature walks, story times, poetry writing, oyster shell shaking, children’s theater productions, dance performances, plantings, a green careers panel, and a meteor shower watch. Some events include giveaways of seeds and seedlings. Most events will have giveaways of the main book and or a children’s book: Outside Your Window, a First Book of Nature edited by Viola Davies.
The final event will be on Saturday, May 2 at Chesapeake Children’s Museum, El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day) with yet another book giveaway – poetry about nature for children in English and Spanish.
Some event highlights for families include:
Wednesday, April 1: Take the family to observe National Walking Day at Quiet Waters Park. In collaboration with the Eastport-Annapolis Neck branch of Anne Arundel County Public Libraries a StoryWalk with poems from the children’s book is being installed.
Tuesday, Apr. 7: Chesapeake Bay Foundation is hosting a Shell Shaking at the Maryland Oyster Restoration Center in Shady Side.
Friday, April 10: “Bringing Back the Sun” will be presented by Building Better People Productions at Riviera Beach Library.
Saturday & Sunday, April 11-12: Chesapeake Children’s Museum hosts badge-related activities for Girl Scouts of all levels. Check the website for costs and other details.
Sunday, April 12: Enjoy some Poetry Under the Tree at the Anne Arrundell Free School Museum. This can be your family’s starting point to honoring our country’s upcoming 250th birthday. The preserved schoolhouse, with retired teachers from Anne Arundel County Public Schools as its caretakers, was built in 1723! There will be crafts as well as poetry reading and a discussion of the Big Read book for adults.
Sunday, April 12: A nature-themed dance performance will be performed by the students of Davy Dance Academy (location in north county to be announced).
Monday, April 13: “Bringing Back the Sun” children’s theater performance by Building Better People Productions at Chesapeake Children’s Museum.
Tuesday, April 14: Chesapeake Bay Foundation presents a virtual Green Careers Panel for teens and other career explorers. What are all the jobs that support the natural world?
Wednesday, April 15: Poetry Writing Workshop at St. John’s College for teens to adults. This is another America250 historic site, established in 1636.

Saturday, Apr 18: One Hundred Trees at the Captain Avery Museum. The South Country Seed Collective will present herb activities and distribute seeds and seedlings including strawberry plants! Watershed Stewards Academy is contributing the Tree Giveaway (yes, 100 trees). There will be a display of children’s books from Deale Library. Student poets can contribute original poetry.

Saturday, April 18: Earth Day Festival at Quiet Waters Park with dozens of earth conscious vendors and organizations. Free park admission on this day.
Saturday, April 18: Take a tour of the trail at Mulberry Hill with Breaking Boundaries Environmental. The company’s mission includes fostering conservation, educating future environmentalists, and ensuring public access to the land and water of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Saturday & Sunday, April 18-19: A Tree Birthday Party celebrates the oldest tree (200+ years) at Historic Londontown and Gardens. There will be garden and tree themed crafts, scavenger hunts, games, other exciting activities and, of course, birthday cake! Environmental organizations will be on hand to share what they do to protect nature.
Sunday, April 19: Trees Badge workshop for Cadette Girl Scouts at Chesapeake Children’s Museum.
Tuesday, April 21: This one is for night owls. Join a Meteor Shower Watch at Carr’s-Elktonia Beach – wa-a-ay after dark!
Wednesday, April 22: Severn River Association leads an Invasive Species plant removal at Chesapeake Children’s Museum
Friday, April 24: Turn the poutiest of frowns upside down with this musical featuring whimsical puppets and live performers in a sweeping oceanic adventure. “Tale of the Pout-Pout Fish” will be performed at Maryland Hall.
Saturday, April 25: GreenScape is happening at multiple sites around the City of Annapolis. Help to plant some plants in public spaces! Girl Scout Juniors can earn the Gardener badge at Chesapeake Children’s Museum.
Tuesday, April 28: Pipefish and Poetry is a fish-catching poetry workshop with Arundel Rivers Federation. Seine for shoreline critters and use poetry building blocks to create own odes to the critters that were caught.
Saturday, May 2: Bring a blanket or beach chairs to take in the “Sleeping Beauty Ballet” on the St. John’s College campus lawn.
Saturday, May 2: El día de los niños/El día de los libros - Children’s Day /Book Day at Chesapeake Children’s Museum will have pony rides, Mexican cuisine, live music, traditional Latin American crafts and a book giveaway!
For more information, go to www.theccm.org or email [email protected].