Montgomery County Pennsylvania Library District

Benjamin Franklin Visits HVL
2026-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Huntingdon Valley Library, 625 Red Lion Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA, 19006, United States
Actor and Historian Mitchell Kramer visits the library as Benjamin Franklin.
Sponsored by the Irene Reiter Endowment.
Please R.S.V.P.

Scrap Flag Sewing #1
2026-06-06 11:00 - 12:00 | Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1700 Markley Street; Suite 116, Norristown, PA, 19401, United States
Intended for teens & adults
Come sew an American flag using scrap fabric!
Registration required

USA 250th Celebration
2026-06-06 11:00 - 14:00 | Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1700 Markley Street; Suite 116, Norristown, PA, 19401, United States
The United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial) on July 4, 2026, marking two and a half centuries since the Declaration of Independence.
Join us at the library, a few weeks early, as we observe and celebrate. There will be a range of activities for adults and families including speakers, activities, and cake!
Sheilah Vance, is the author of several bestselling and award-winning books will speak. They are the award-winning nonfiction book, Threshold to Valley Forge: The Six Days of the Gulph Mills Encampment (2025), the novel Becoming Valley Forge (2016), Creativity for Christians: How to Tell Your Story and Stories of Overcoming from the Members of One Special Church (Sept. 2010); the novels Chasing the 400 and Land Mines, and its companion journal, Journaling through Land Mines.
Threshold to Valley Forge: The Six Days of the Gulph Mills Encampment was named a Finalist, Regional NonFiction, Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2025. Becoming Valley Forge won the Regional Fiction Category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2016).
Ms. Vance will speak and sign copies of her local history book.

Educator Christian Klemp will appear in Revolutionary Era clothing to talk about colonial history and the revolution.
Representatives from the Peter Wentz Farmstead will lead patrons in quill writing (register separately for this).
Our sewing teacher, Nancy M., will lead a sewing class making folk flags (register separately for this).
Teens from the library’s cooking & culture club will demonstrate colonial cooking.
We’ll also have colonial games, trivia, and even a few prizes.
Lastly, there will be cake!

Registration helps us plan, but is not absolutely necessary. Coming together as community to remember our history is what is most important.
Learn more

Writing with a Quill Pen #1
2026-06-06 11:30 - 12:15 | Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1700 Markley Street; Suite 116, Norristown, PA, 19401, United States
Are you curious what writing with a quill pen is like? Come learn about 18th century writing and artwork and get a chance to try it out for yourself.
Presented in partnership with Peter Wentz Farmstead.
Registration required

Writing with a Quill Pen #2
2026-06-06 12:45 - 13:30 | Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1700 Markley Street; Suite 116, Norristown, PA, 19401, United States

Scrap Flag Sewing #2
2026-06-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1700 Markley Street; Suite 116, Norristown, PA, 19401, United States

The Unfinished Business of 1776
2026-06-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Conshohocken Free Library, 301 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA, 19428, United States
Join us for a timely discussion with local author Thomas Richards, Jr. on his just released book The Unfinished Business of 1776: Why the American Revolution Never Ended. As we remember 250 years of history since the American Revolution this year, what are our hopes for the future of the country? Please register in advance so we know how many plan to attend.
About the Author: Thomas Richards, Jr. teaches history at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia and holds a PhD in History from Temple University. He is the author of Breakaway America: The Unmanifest Future of the Jacksonian United States, he lives in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania, where George Washington once camped.
Registration is required

The Revolutionary War in Montgomery and Bucks Counties
2026-06-09 18:00 - 19:30 | Upper Perkiomen Valley Library, 350 Main St, Red Hill, PA, 18076, United States
Michael Jesberger, military historian and lecturer, will be here to help us celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Mr. Jesberger will be speaking on the Revolutionary War in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Both counties played an important role in the fight for independence.
Register at https://mnl.libcal.com/event/16314967

Pennsylvania Women and Their Fight for the Vote
2026-06-12 08:00 - 17:00 | PVL @ Schwenksville Borough Hall, 300 Main Street, Schwenksville, PA, 19473, United States
Intended for adults
Join us for a 19-minute documentary, Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women’s Fight for
the Vote: Part present-day detective story and part a historical account of the movement for voting rights,
Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women’s Fight for the Vote tells the story of a band of
intrepid women and their one-ton bronze bell that became a celebrated icon of the women’s
suffrage movement. Followed by a Q&A with Amanda Owen, the filmmaker and executive director of the
Justice Bell Foundation.
Amanda Owen is a writer, independent historian, filmmaker, and the cofounder and executive
director of the Justice Bell Foundation. She wrote and directed Finding Justice: The Untold Story
of Women’s Fight for the Vote, a documentary that premiered at the National Women’s History
Museum and aired on PBS stations. Her book, The Justice Bell: Tracing the Journey of a
Forgotten Symbol was published in December 2025.
Justice Bell Foundation website: https://www.justicebell.org/
Learn more

Friday Movie Matinee - HVL
2026-06-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Huntingdon Valley Library, 625 Red Lion Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA, 19006, United States
Join us for a Free Friday Movie.
We are showing Apollo 13 (1995, PG)
Part of Huntingdon Valley Library’s America 250 series.
Movies are sponsored by Friends of Huntingdon Valley Library who generously pay for our movie licenses.

History of Camp William Penn
2026-06-16 18:30 | Glenside Free Library, 215 S Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA, 19038, United States
Intended for adults, but teens are also welcome.
Come honor Juneteenth by learning the powerful, local history of Camp William Penn.
Presentation to be given by local historian Donald Scott, Sr., author of the book Camp William Penn 1863-1865: America’s First Federal African American Soldiers’ Fight for Freedom.
Register here

Celebrate Freedom on Juneteenth
2026-06-19 10:15 - 11:00 | Roslyn Branch Library, 2412 Avondale Avenue, Roslyn, PA, 19001, United States
Intended for ages 4 – 12.
Celebrate freedom by making a Liberty Bell and Juneteenth magnets.
Registration required and opens on Sunday, May 31 at 9am

Celebrate America Book Club
2026-06-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Royersford Free Library, 200 South Fourth Ave, Royersford, PA, 19468, United States
Intended for Adults
Woman’s Club of Royersford presents Celebrate America Book Club, a monthly book club exploring the women who build America (1776-Present)!
As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, we’re diving into the untold stories of the women who shaped the United States from 1776 to today. From revolutionary printers and abolitionists to modern-day scientists and supreme court justice. We’ll explore the “hidden heroes” of our history.
The selection for this meeting is The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill
No registration required.
See the upcoming selections

Spies in the Revolutionary War
2026-06-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Indian Valley Public Library, 100 E. Church Avenue, Telford, PA, 18969, United States
Discover who some of the famous Revolutionary War spies. Learn where were they lived and the methods they used to spy. Try out some of the methods yourself!
Presenter: Dr. Susanne Johnston was an educator for 47 years in public and private schools and universities in the area. She specializes in the American Revolution, Native American Issues, genealogy, genetics and forensics.
Registration for this event opens Tuesday, June 9 at 9:00 am

Animals in the Military
2026-06-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Indian Valley Public Library, 100 E. Church Avenue, Telford, PA, 18969, United States
Intended for ages 5 – 12
This program is designed for elementary students to explore the fascinating ways animals have supported the U.S. Marine Corps throughout history. From horses and donkeys to dogs, cats, lions, and even ducks, students will discover how animals have been loyal helpers, mascots, and even heroes. Through storytelling, interactive questions, and fun activities, students will learn about teamwork, bravery, and the unique bond between Marines and animals.
Presented virtually by the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Registration starts June 10 at ivpl.org. You can also view the presentation at the library.

Ranked Choice Voting
2026-06-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Elkins Park Free Library, 563 Church Rd, Elkins Park, PA, 19027, United States
Intended for adults
Dr. Jack Nagel, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, will be coming by to talk to us about Ranked Choice Voting. This talk explains how RCV works for single-winner and multi-winner elections, presents arguments for and against the method, and assesses prospects for further adoptions.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Colonial Games: Drop-In
2026-06-25 15:00 - 17:00 | Abington Free Library, 1030 Old York Road, Abington, PA, 19001, United States
Intended for students in grades 3 – 8
Celebrate America 250 by playing games like it’s 1776! Join us in playing colonial-era games and making a whirligig to take home.
Note: If your child is 10 or under, parents and caregivers must stay in the department during the program.
No registration required!

Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World's Fair of 1926
2026-06-25 18:30 - 19:30 | William Jeanes Memorial Library and Nicholas and Athena Karabots Center for Learning, 4051 Joshua Rd, Lafayette Hill, PA, 19444, United States
The Sesqui Sinks. The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926, held in South Philadelphia, was meant to be the greatest world’s fair since the 1876 Centennial. Thanks to political corruption, greed, egotism, and the wettest summer on record, it became a crumbling, sodden, bankrupt mess, Philadelphia’s “forgotten fair.” The Sesqui served as a symbol for the city’s monolithic Republican Organization, where one boss (Congressman William S. Vare, the “Duke of South Philadelphia”) could kidnap an entire world’s fair and transfer it from the newly completed Fairmount Parkway to the swamps of South Philly, his congressional district. This talk also explores how the Sesqui became an unwitting battleground for many of the social struggles convulsing America in the 1920s: racism, anti-Semitism, women’s rights, the Ku Klux Klan, eugenics, and Prohibition.
Presented by historian Thomas Keels.
Registration opens Thursday, June 4

Postcards to the Past - Write to George Washington
2026-06-30 17:30 - 18:30 | PVL @ Schwenksville Borough Hall, 300 Main Street, Schwenksville, PA, 19473, United States
Intended for children ages 6+
We will share what we know about our first President, General George Washington, and learn a few new fun facts.
Then we will spend some time working on how to craft an old-fashioned letter and thinking about what we want to write in our letters to George Washington.
Colonial-style paper and quill-style pens will be provided.
Letters will be collected and sent to a Historical Character George Washington, who will write personalized responses to each letter.

Can’t make the workshop but want to get in on the fun?
Letters will be accepted July 1 – July 15
Letters can be dropped off at Schwenksville Borough Hall, scanned and emailed to askPVL@mclinc.org or mailed to:
Letters to President Washington
c/o Perkiomen Valley Library
290 2nd Street
Schwenksville ,PA 19473
Responses will be shared via email or available for pick up at Schwenksville Borough Hall.
Original letters will be returned with responses.
Registration required
Questions? Contact our Youth Services Coordinator, Lizzie Gnecco, at lgnecco@mclinc.org or call 610-287-8360.

Family Movie Night - IVPL
2026-07-01 18:30 - 20:30 | Indian Valley Public Library, 100 E. Church Avenue, Telford, PA, 18969, United States
Intended for all ages
Stop by the library for a family movie in a relaxed environment. For this event, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation by watching a movie based on the true story of a dog adopted by a private serving in World War I. This movie is rated PG.

The Declaration of Independence and American Dreams
2026-07-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Elkins Park Free Library, 563 Church Rd, Elkins Park, PA, 19027, United States
Intended for adults
The Declaration of Independence revealed both the American revolutionaries’ aspirational new ideals and their often-conflicting established values and interests. Professor Rogers M. Smith illuminates the tensions within the Declaration, the many roles it has played in American history, and what it might mean to take the Declaration as central to American national identity today.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

America's Semiquincentennial (250th!) Birthday Party!
2026-07-02 16:00 - 18:00 | Abington Free Library, 1030 Old York Road, Abington, PA, 19001, United States
Intended for kids of all ages and their families – *This is not a drop-off program. If children are 10 or under, parents must stay downstairs in the Children’s Area during the program.
Drop in any time to celebrate America’s birthday with treats, games, crafts, a scavenger hunt, and more!
Learn more

The Declaration of Independence & American Dreams
2026-07-02 18:30 - 19:30 | William Jeanes Memorial Library and Nicholas and Athena Karabots Center for Learning, 4051 Joshua Rd, Lafayette Hill, PA, 19444, United States
The Declaration of Independence revealed both the American revolutionaries’ aspirational new ideals and their often-conflicting established values and interests. As a result, the Declaration has both inspired reform causes and justified restraints on radical changes throughout American history. Professor Rogers M. Smith illuminates the tensions within the Declaration, the many roles it has played in American history, and what it might meant to take the Declaration as central to American national identity today.
Presented by Dr. Rogers Smith, Christopher H. Browne Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
Registration opens Thursday, June 11

Upper Dublin Celebrates 250 Years of Independence
2026-07-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Upper Dublin Public Library, 520 Virginia Dr, Fort Washington, PA, 19034, United States
Join us for a live community reading of the Declaration of Independence as part of the MontCo Houses of Declaration program.
Plus selfie station with Ben Franklin, free Handel’s ice cream, courtesy of Alan & Andrea Gnessin, and more!
Upper Dublin Library strives to make our programs accessible for all. For reasonable accommodations, please contact the library at 215-628-8744 or upperdublinlibrary@mclinc.org.
No registration required.

Friday Movie Matinee - HVL
2026-07-03 11:00 - 13:00 | Huntingdon Valley Library, 625 Red Lion Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA, 19006, United States
Join us for a Free Friday Movie.
We are showing 1776 (1972, PG)
Part of Huntingdon Valley Library’s America 250 series.
Movies are sponsored by Friends of Huntingdon Valley Library who generously pay for our movie licenses.

Red, White, and Rita's
2026-07-03 14:00 | Abington Free Library, 1030 Old York Road, Abington, PA, 19001, United States
This program is geared towards older teens and adults, but there is a part for kids!
In celebration of America250, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, everyone is invited to enjoy *free Rita’s!
Just show your voter registration card—or register to vote on the spot using paper or digital forms provided by Montgomery County Voter Services—to receive your treat.
Kids under 18 aren’t left out! They can vote for their favorite book character to receive their Rita’s.
*While supplies last
Interested in registering to vote? Click here: https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/753/Voter-Services

The Sesqui Sinks with Thomas Keels
2026-07-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Abington Free Library, 1030 Old York Road, Abington, PA, 19001, United States
Intended for adults

Join us for the first lecture in a series of three presentations on Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World’s Fair of 1926 by local historian Thomas Keels in commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary. Learn about how the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926, meant to be the greatest world fair since the 1876 Centennial, became Philadelphia’s “forgotten fair”.

Registration required

Revolution 101: The History of American Independence
2026-07-07 18:00 - 19:30 | William Jeanes Memorial Library and Nicholas and Athena Karabots Center for Learning, 4051 Joshua Rd, Lafayette Hill, PA, 19444, United States
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, join local historian Jim Segrave-Daly for a 4-part series with lively discussion of the causes, events, and individuals whose actions led tot he American Revolution and the historic changes that resulted. The series begins in 1763, after Englan’s victory in the Seven Years’ War, and culminates in ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776.
Series dates:
Monday, April 6, 6:30 PM – Registration opens Monday, March 16
Monday, May 4, 6:30 PM – Registration opens Monday, April 13
Monday, June 1, 6:30 PM – Registration opens Monday, May 11
Tuesday, July 7, 6:30 PM – Registration opens Tuesday, June 16

Declaration of Independence Reading
2026-07-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Conshohocken Free Library, 301 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA, 19428, United States
On July 8, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read on in Philadelphia, outside Independence Hall, for the first time to a large public gathering. Within days and weeks, similar readings were held across the state and around the colonies informing them that they had become “free and independent states”. Join us 250 years later on the library lawn for a re-enactment of the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
A Sign language interpreter will be provided. Popsicles and bottled water will be available as well as ways to participate in the reading itself! Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. The complete reading will take about 17-19 minutes. No registration required. Rain location will be in the Community Room which has a maximum occupancy of 49 people.
See the program listing on the Conshohocken Program Calendar

The Ladies of the Street with Thomas Keels
2026-07-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Abington Free Library, 1030 Old York Road, Abington, PA, 19001, United States
Intended for adults

Join us for the second lecture in a series of three presentations on Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World’s Fair of 1926 by local historian Thomas Keels in commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary. The story of how the Women’s Committee created the popular High Street of 1776, a recreation of Federal-era Market Street, which became one of the fair’s most memorable monuments.

Registration required
