It’s a new season and there are lots of fun events happening at EVPL! Between pumpkin decorating, tea time, and Día de los Muertos – there’s something for everyone. Please take a look below to learn more about a few of our fall programs.
Fun & Crafts
Art Appreciation and Creation: Screaming with Yarn!
Immerse yourself in a bit of art history and feel inspired to make your own masterpiece to keep. In this session, we will re-create “The Scream” by Edvard Munch with string, yarn, and ribbon.
Saturday, October 7 • 1:30 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Bluey Bash: Happy Heelerween!
Have a Happy Heelerween with crafts, games, and giveaways based around the popular TV show, Bluey!
Monday, October 9 • 2:30 – 4:00 pm
EVPL Central
Spooky rating: 🎃
Pumpkin Melty Beads
Design a jack-o’-lantern with melty beads!
Tuesday, October 10 • 4:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Spooky rating: 🎃
Autumn Days: Decorate a cloth Trick-or-Treat Bag
Design and decorate your own cloth trick-or-treat bag with buttons, trims, fabric markers or paints. Take it along on Halloween night. Just add your own trick-or-treat style for the perfect Halloween!
Wednesday, October 11 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Spooky rating: 🎃
Autumn Leaf Rubbing
Create a work of art from a leaf.
Wednesday, October 18 • 3:00 – 4:30 pm
EVPL East
Spooky rating: 🎃
Children’s Art Series: Pet Ghost in a Jar
Adopt your very own pet ghost and make them a spooky habitat in a jar!
Wednesday, October 18 • 4:30 – 6:00 pm
EVPL West
Spooky rating: 🎃
TeenTober Craft: DIY Chalkboard Door Hanger
An activity for Teens to learn how to make DIY chalkboard paint & design their own door hangers! Learn to DIY-it with this fun and easy craft that is highly customizable.
Friday, October 20 • 4:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL West
Spooky rating: 🎃
Make Your Own: Spooky Halloween Lantern
Create a cool and creepy lantern to make any space feel more like Halloween.
Wednesday, October 25 • 2:30 – 4:00 pm
EVPL North Park
Spooky rating: 🎃
Drop-In Button-Making: Halloween
Celebrate 👻spooky season🎃!
Thursday, October 26 • 3:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Spooky rating: 🎃
Children’s Art Series • Take Home Activity Book
Visit EVPL West this November to get a free activity book to celebrate Native American Heritage Month!
November 1 – 30 • All day!
EVPL West
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Sugar Skull Decorating
Celebrate Día de los Muertos by decorating a sugar skull and learning the history behind this traditional activity.
Wednesday, November 1 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Dried Leaf & Mod Podge Craft
Create a wall-hanging fall craft with dried leaves and encase it in mod podge (will dry within 15-20 minutes).
Tuesday, November 7 • 3:30 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Central
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Film/Movies
Mean Girls Day
“On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was.” Join us for an awesome time where we will make some awesome crafts, listen to awesome music, and then just sit around and soak up each others awesomeness, while watching Mean Girls (PG-13).
Tuesday, October 3 • 3:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL North Park
Spooky rating: 🎃
Hocus Pocus & Spooky Sculpting
Come watch a Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus (PG), while sculpting your own Halloween decorations with polymer clay.
Friday, October 6 • 3:30 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Central
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Fandom Friday Trivia: Horror
(Please note: this program is not recommended for children.) Monthly fandom-focused trivia. Each month, we’ll dive into a different fandom from film, TV, books/comics, video games, and more! No devices are necessary. There will be prizes for winners!
Friday, October 6 • 4:30 – 5:30 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃🎃
Crafternoon: Watch Party
All ages are welcome to watch Scoob (PG) and create hanging bats for Halloween.
Thursday, October 12 • 3:30 – 5:30 pm
EVPL North Park
Spooky rating: 🎃
Movies & Mug Cakes
Watch Mean Girls (PG-13) while indulging in a mug cake. Please bring your favorite microwave-safe container for extras.
Friday, October 13 • 4:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL West
Spooky rating: 🎃
Monday Matinee: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
You are invited to watch this 1948 comedy horror film. Abbott & Costello meet Dracula and a mad scientist. This film is not rated.
Monday, October 30 • 3:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL East
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Teen Paint Party
Join us for a teen paint party! We’ll be watching Coco (PG) and painting pieces for Día de Muertos; refreshments will be provided. Teens can have their art displayed in our Teen Gallery through November!
Wednesday, November 1 • 4:30 – 6:30 pm
EVPL West
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Crafternoon: Watch Party
Join us every month to watch a movie and create a craft. This month, we are watching Brother Bear (G) and making bear thank you cards for Native American Heritage Month. For families of all ages.
Monday, November 6 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL North Park
Fall coziness rating: 🍂
Legend of the Talking Feather
Make your very own talking feather and share in the re-telling of this Native American legend. In Native American cultures, decisions are made by shared agreements. This requires listening to one another. One way to ensure listening is by creating a talking object, such as a stick, stone, or seashell. These items are decorated with feathers, string, and paints, and encourage listening and cooperation. Increase your own heart for listening and cooperation by sharing in the legend of the talking feather.
Thursday, November 9 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Thanksgiving Fall Craft
Children can enjoy making a simple craft for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Tuesday, November 16 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL East
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Simple Holiday Sewing Project
A simple sewing project that can be used as a gift or décor.
Saturday, November 18 • 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Washington Square – McCollough
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Create Your Own Map
Learn all about how Native Americans made and used maps to navigate their lands. Afterward, learn how to make your own map for places familiar to you!
Monday, November 20 • 4:30 – 5:30 pm
EVPL North Park
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Storytimes & Books
Author Visit: Dr. Will Cooke, Canary in the Coal Mine
Book Discussions
Wednesday, October 4 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
EVPL Oaklyn
Wednesday, October 11 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
EVPL Central
Author Visit
Saturday, October 14 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Central
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Costume Storytime
Come dressed in your favorite costume as we celebrate the month of October with this special character storytime. Songs, dance, stories, and fun for all!
Friday, October 13 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Washington Square – McCollough
Spooky rating: 🎃
Spooky Storytime
Costumes are encouraged for this (not too) spooky storytime! For children aged 2-8 with a parent or caregiver.
Wednesday, October 18 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
EVPL Oaklyn
Spooky rating: 🎃
Booooo–ked: A Halloween Storytime
In partnership with Altrusa and Your Brothers Bookstore, EVPL presents a storytime for families at the storybook walk, Trail with a Tale. Join us for storytime, crafts, trick-or-treating, and more!
Saturday, October 21 • 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Trail with a Tale @ Evansville State Hospital Grounds
Spooky rating: 🎃
EVPL Foundation Fall Mini Book Sale
Books, movies, CDs, and more for sale from $0.50 – $2.00. A credit card payment option is available with a $10 minimum purchase. All proceeds support library programs and services.
Saturday, November 4 • 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday, November 5 • 1:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Central
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂
Author Visit: Dr. James MacLeod, Lost Evansville
Hear from award-winning Evansville historian Dr. James MacLeod, as he gives a presentation on his newest book, Lost Evansville.
Saturday, November 18 • 1:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Central
Fall coziness rating: 🍂
Food
Preserving Family Recipes
Celebrate Family History Month in October by preserving your favorite fall family recipes! Bring your recipe cards and a USB drive to save them digitally. You can even donate a copy to the EVPL Digital Archive. Registration is required. Please bring only one dish and recipe card per registered person.
Thursday, October 12 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL Central
Spooky rating: 🎃
Taste-Test Tuesday: Thanksgiving Dishes
Go on a flavor adventure! Taste and review a variety of Thanksgiving dishes—blindfolded! This program is for teens (ages 12-18) only. Registration is required. Registration closes 5 days before the event in order to prepare an adequate number of servings to taste test!
Tuesday, November 14 • 4:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂🍂
Magazines & Mocktails
Join us for a casual and enjoyable event to discover our diverse online magazine collection. This event is intended for adults aged 18 and older. You will be shown how to access a variety of magazines both online and at the library. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to make a mocktail, learn new recipes, create your own, and exchange ideas. Don’t hesitate to bring a friend along with you!
Saturday, November 18 • 3:30 – 5:00 pm
EVPL West
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂🍂
Fall Favorites
Mini Pumpkin Painting
We’ll have everything you need to paint your very own mini pumpkin for Halloween! Registration is required.
Tuesday, October 10 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Spooky rating: 🎃
Autumn Days: Harvest Party
Enjoy music, games, popcorn, and mulled cider as we decorate masks and create autumn garlands.
Friday, October 13 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Spooky rating: 🎃
Jack-O-Lantern 3D Designing with Tinkercad!
Join us for a short tutorial on how to create a profile on Tinkercad and learn the basics of 3D Designing with their software. Then design your own Jack-O-Lantern project to be printed and picked up at a later date (we will contact you to let you know when your 3D designed project has been printed). Registration required.
Friday, October 13 • 4:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Pumpkin Decorating
Turn a pumpkin into your favorite book or movie character! Registration is required unless you are bringing your own pumpkin.
Monday, October 16 • 4:00 – 5:00 pm
EVPL Red Bank
Spooky rating: 🎃
Creepy & Crafty
Join us for a spooky evening of fun! All ages are welcome to popcorn, pumpkin painting, and a special screening of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG).
Friday, October 27 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL West
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Pumpkin Decorating
Come and decorate a pumpkin as your favorite book or movie character! Dress it up and accessorize it, then take it home to display and celebrate the season. Registration required.
Saturday, October 28 • 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Washington Square – McCollough
Spooky rating: 🎃
Improv Class: Halloween Edition
Yes, and join us for Halloween group activities, acting lessons, or just to have fun!
Tuesday, October 10 • 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Washington Square – McCollough
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃
Stories from the Graves: A History of Evansville Cemeteries
Join us for an evening of local history and stories from beyond the grave! Chris Cooke has been Evansville’s Cemetery Superintendent for over 15 years. He’s bringing images from Evansville’s past as well as results from paranormal investigations to EVPL North Park. It will be a fun, spooky evening for all ages.
Wednesday, October 11 • 6:00 – 7:30 pm
EVPL North Park
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃🎃
Explore Ofrendas & Día de los Muertos
Learn about creating Ofrendas to honor your loved ones for Día de los Muertos. We will explain the different pieces commonly included & how to make this tradition personalized for your family.
Wednesday, October 11 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
EVPL West
Spooky rating: 🎃
Autumn Days: Scrabble Tile Jewelry
Design and create your own unique and funky jewelry using upcycled scrabble tiles!
Thursday, October 12 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Spooky rating: 🎃
Halloween Skele-bration
Enjoy fall treats and spook-tacular activities at our Halloween bash!
Friday, October 20 • 3:30 – 5:30 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Spooky rating: 🎃
Tea Cup Painting and Elevenses
You are cordially invited to enjoy light refreshments and create a regal work of art. Registration required; all materials will be provided.
Saturday, October 21 • 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
EVPL Oaklyn
Spooky rating: 🎃
Grave Iconography Scavenger Hunt
Explore and learn about gravestone symbolism at our scavenger hunt at Oak Hill Cemetery and Arboretum.
Saturday, October 21 • 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Oak Hill Cemetery and Arboretum
Spooky rating: 🎃🎃🎃
EVPL Halloween Puppets Show!
Have some fun with puppets telling spooky stories! An arts and crafts project will follow after the show!
Saturday, October 21 • 2:00 – 3:00 pm
EVPL Central
Spooky rating: 🎃
Halloween Fest!
Join us for a fun-filled Halloween celebration at the READ Center in EVPL Central! We have a range of activities planned, including games, delicious treats, a scavenger hunt in the children’s garden, crafting sessions, and some exciting Halloween-themed movies to watch. Don’t forget to dress up for our costume contest too!
Wednesday, October 25 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL Central
Spooky rating: 🎃
Take & Thank • Gratitude jar kits for all ages
Pick up a gratitude kit from EVPL Stringtown! Each kit includes a plastic jar and supplies to decorate it, along with gratitude slips featuring prompts to help you keep track of and count your blessings. While supplies last.
November 1 – 30 • All day!
EVPL Stringtown
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂🍂
Día de los Muertos
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with us! Enjoy music, dancers, crafts, face painting, an art parade, food vendors, and ofrendas created by our community. Thanks to Montessori Academy & Signature School for partnering with us.
Saturday, November 4 • 2:00 – 6:00 pm
EVPL West
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂🍂
Puzzle Swap!
Bring your gently used puzzles that you no longer need or have already completed to EVPL Oaklyn and swap them out for some new-to-you puzzles! Please try to make sure all pieces are accounted for.
November 6 – 10 • All day
EVPL Oaklyn
Fall coziness rating: 🍂🍂🍂
Murder at the Library
It’s just another night for Evansville’s high society in 1923. The Stringtown branch is holding a benefit. It’s all jazz and books until someone is murdered! Get ready for a thrilling night of role-playing and mystery, where you’ll be swept up in a rendezvous with murder. Costumes are greatly encouraged. Registration required.
Friday, November 10 • 7:30 – 9:30 pm
EVPL Stringtown
Fall coziness rating: 🍂
