On this week’s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Kathryn McBride, manager of Peoria Public Library’s McClure Branch, about the 25th anniversary of Peoria Reads and a community block party taking place Oct. 10 at Columbia Park.
For 25 years, Peoria Reads has brought the community together around a shared book and the conversations it inspires. This year’s selection is Angeline Boulley’s "Warrior Girl Unearthed," a contemporary young adult novel following Perry, a 16-year-old Ojibwe and Black girl whose summer leads her into questions surrounding Indigenous history, identity and responsibility to community.
“The idea is that we would have absolutely everybody reading at the same time and having conversations about the same title,” McBride said. “It’s a really wonderful way in which the community can come together.”
On Oct. 10, Peoria Public Library brings the community together at the Peoria Reads Block Party. The free, family-friendly event features six speakers sharing perspectives on Indigenous history, culture and contemporary communities, alongside artists, vendors, food trucks, and children’s activities.
Among the featured guests are Indigenous chef Jessica Walks First, who will offer food demonstrations and tastings throughout the day, and Logan Pappenfort, director of tribal relations for the Illinois State Museum, who will speak about Indigenous joy and what it looks like today.
The block party also builds toward a November visit from author Angeline Boulley, who will continue the conversation around contemporary Indigenous communities and their futures.
The Peoria Reads Block Party takes place Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Columbia Park, next to Peoria Public Library’s McClure Branch. In case of inclement weather, activities will move to Peoria Public Library’s Main Library in downtown Peoria.
