Note: All submitted events must be approved before they appear in the calendar.
Children’s Book and Learning Festival Brings Stories and Activities to Downtown DC September 20
WASHINGTON (Sept XX, 2025) — The Children’s Book and Learning Festival will return on Saturday, Sept. 20, with a full day of author meet-and-greets, hands-on art activities, and family-friendly learning experiences.
The free, family-friendly event, part of Capital Book Fest and presented by the nonprofit Turning the Page, runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is co-hosted by the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center/TCMA, and DowntownDC.
This year’s event will feature 14 authors from the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC, each bringing their books and interactive art activities for families. Featured author Ann McCallum Staats will showcase her new book, “Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants,” and lead a fact-finding activity about plants. Children can also decorate small pots to take home and plant seeds.
Community partners will offer creative and educational activities throughout the plaza, including:
● The Story Walk, featuring the children’s book “Mel Fell” by the National Children’s Museum;
● Building and decorating paper crowns inspired by “Where the Wild Things Are” with the National Building Museum;
● Designing postage stamps inspired by favorite books and characters by the National Postal Museum;
● Coloring and designing tote bags with the Kiwanis Club of Washington, DC;
● Creating a paper surgeon’s tool belt with the Howard University Surgery Interest Society;
● And many more from partners such as Urban Adventure Squad, The Giving Square, WETA, The Phillips Collection, The Nature Generation, Shout Mouse Press, and DowntownDC BID.
In addition to the programming, the Carpe Librum pop-up bookstore will offer thousands of gently used books for $7 or less, with proceeds benefiting Turning the Page’s education programs in DC. View a full list of authors and activities here.
What: Capital Book Fest: Children’s Book and Learning Festival
When: Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Woodrow Wilson Plaza at Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Metro: Federal Triangle Station Parking: Public Garage at RRB/ITC
Who: Free and open to the public
More information about the Children’s Book and Learning Festival is available at https://turningthepage.org/childrens-book-and-learning-festival/.
###
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC)
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center is a dynamic hub for government, business, culture and community, in the heart of the nation’s capital. As the first and only federal building dedicated to both public and private use, the Reagan Building is the official World Trade Center Washington, DC (WTCDC), and a premier conference and event venue with executive office space, attractions, dining, retail, parking, and community activities. Visit rrbitc.com or follow us @ReaganITCDC. TCMA (A Drew Company) is the exclusive manager of Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC). For more information, visit drewcompany.com.
Turning the Page
Turning the Page engages Washington, DC and Chicago parents as educators in resource-rich programming, sharing opportunities for parents to become active participants in their child’s education. They aim to build a community of parents, caregivers, public schools, and community partners, leading to improved academic performance and social-emotional well-being. For more information, visit turningthepage.org. Carpe Librum raises valuable funds for Turning the Page by selling used books, CD, DVDs, and vinyl records donated by the community. They host outdoor pop-up book sales in the DC area throughout spring, summer, and autumn.
