This event features sessions taught by local experts, building community engagement. The Main Library transforms into a giant classroom with sessions held in more than 20 areas throughout the building and surrounding grounds, offering entertainment and practical skills for children and adults. Sessions last from 15 to 45 minutes and cover activities from making great BBQ to performing magic tricks to training your dog. Technology classes include how to use Google Apps, geocaching, and how to save to the cloud. And “How-to” college sessions, aimed at preparing students for the transition from high school to college and helping them succeed when they get there, included how to go to college for free, how to return to college as an adult, and DIY dorm décor.

This is a unique educational event, encouraging community members of all ages to learn together. The length and hands-on approach make it perfect for quickly picking up a new talent or learning something new.

The How-To Festival, which began in 2012, was conceived as an inter-generational learning experience, teaching practical, hands-on skills that could be learned in short sessions. Since the launch of the Festival, two dozen libraries have launched their own festivals based on LFPL’s, from across the United States to Canada to England.