Trinidad library kicks off summer reading with foam party at Cimino Park

A foam party at Cimino Park will launch Trinidad Carnegie Public Library’s 2026 summer reading program, giving Las Animas County families a free way to keep children reading, moving and occupied once school is out.

The June 10 kickoff will run in two sessions, from 10 to 11 a.m. and again from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. MDT, at Cimino Park, 231 Modica Drive, also known as Jay Cimino Downtown Park. The event is free, open to children already in the reading program and to kids who just want to join the foam activity, and it will feature Ann Lincoln with support from the Southern Colorado Family Center.

The library’s summer theme for 2026 is Unearth a Story, a dinosaur-themed program built around books, activities, events and prizes. ReadSquared materials describe it as a prehistoric reading adventure for readers of all ages, with an emphasis on discovery and fossil-filled fun.

Parents can register for summer reading from May 30 through June 12, and participants may start logging reading on or after May 30. That gives families more than two weeks to get signed up and start tracking books before the registration window closes.

The setting matters almost as much as the foam. Cimino Park sits on the Purgatoire Riverwalk and already serves as one of Trinidad’s main gathering spots, with a playground, splash pad and bocce courts. Visit Trinidad says the Trinidad Farmers Market meets there every Saturday from June through September, so the library is folding its reading launch into a summer rhythm many local families already know.

That reach matters in a small county. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Trinidad’s population at 8,091 in July 2025, and Las Animas County’s at 14,391, numbers that help explain why free community events carry extra weight for parents looking for low-cost ways to fill summer hours. The library says its mission is to provide resources that encourage imagination, connections and inspiration, and its vision is to be the heart of the community with equal access to a diverse, updated collection and responsive programming.

By tying a reading kickoff to a foam party, Trinidad Carnegie Public Library is betting that a memorable afternoon at Cimino Park can do more than entertain. It can help turn summer reading into a habit that lasts well beyond June.