PBS Rootle Roadster Tour brings hands-on learning to Buncombe County
A free PBS Rootle Roadster Tour stop in Swannanoa put literacy tools, screenings and family resources in front of children ages 0 to 8.
The PBS Rootle Roadster Tour turned the Swannanoa Resilience Hub into a free early-learning stop for Buncombe County families, packing hands-on activities, books and community support into a single day at 216 Whitson Avenue. The event ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, 2026, and was built for children ages 0 to 8.
For families looking for low-barrier enrichment, the value was in what was on site: PBS North Carolina said the tour included hands-on learning activities, PBS KIDS resources, take-home materials, giveaways, screenings and live performances. The Swannanoa Resilience Hub said the stop also featured science experiments, STEM activities, arts and crafts, music and movement, wildlife and nature exploration, literacy games, free books, sensory-friendly play, a mobile golf simulator and aviation demonstrations. The Swannanoa Market was also present.
That mix mattered because it brought early-childhood learning and support services directly into Swannanoa rather than asking parents to chase them down across the county. PBS North Carolina says the tour is aligned with the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, with an emphasis on literacy and social-emotional learning. Buncombe Partnership for Children and NC 529 were listed among the 2026 partners, alongside the Swannanoa Resilience Hub.
The Swannanoa stop was not a one-time gesture. PBS North Carolina said the Rootle Roadster Tour launched in 2022 with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five, and by 2026 it had traveled more than 3,500 miles, visited 19 North Carolina counties, partnered with more than 200 community organizations and welcomed over 75,000 participants. PBS North Carolina announced the 2026 tour in March and said the statewide run kicked off April 25, with additional stops in Currituck County, Macon County and Clinton.
For Buncombe County, the message was straightforward: early learning does not have to wait for a school building, a registration window or a long drive. The Rootle Roadster Tour brought literacy tools, family resources and child-focused activities to a place that could use them, and it did so as part of a larger statewide effort aimed at reaching young children before kindergarten.
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