Perry County Public Library hosts Christmas in July family event

Perry County Public Library turned its summer calendar into a holiday draw with a Christmas in July event at 289 Black Gold Blvd. in Hazard. The library’s posts pointed readers to the two-day program on July 9 and 10 and showed the public building leaning into a seasonal format designed to keep people coming through the doors during break from school.

The library promoted the event on Facebook with the message, “It’s Christmas in July at the library,” and added, “stop by tomorrow and Friday to browse uniq…” An Instagram post went further, announcing, “Christmas In July Vendor Sign-Ups! We are still accepting vendor signups for our Christmas in July event, happening July 9th and 10th!” That wording indicates the celebration included a vendor component, giving the event a community-market feel alongside the holiday theme.

The library’s regular hours frame why the event mattered for local families. Perry County Public Library lists public service Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Sunday. Its calendar of events and central Hazard address make it a steady stop for readers, parents and children looking for free or low-cost activities close to home.

The Christmas in July theme also fits into a county that already marks the holiday season with a larger community celebration. Perry County Government says “Christmas in a Small Town” is held annually on the second weekend of December in downtown Hazard. By bringing holiday programming into July, the library gave families a second chance to enjoy a Christmas-style outing months before downtown Hazard lights up in December.

For a public library in Perry County, that kind of programming does more than fill a summer afternoon. It keeps the building active, gives families a reason to visit during school break, and shows the library functioning as a public gathering place as well as a place to borrow books.