General News
16 December, 2022
Summer holiday fun at Cairns Libraries
CAIRNS families can escape the summer heat at the Cairns Libraries and Council’s art galleries with a range of activities and workshops for the kiddies this holiday season.
Cairns Libraries is hosting activities throughout the region (excluding Sunday and Christmas closures) from Babinda to the northern beaches, with 19 different workshops and activities planned, including Dungeons and Dragons, coding and robotics, plenty of craft and art, stop motion animation sessions, circus, music-making, movies, a Sphero rally, drop in and build sessions and, of course – the Summer Reading Club.
Client Services Team Leader at Cairns Libraries Pauleen Francis said this year’s school holidays program had a lot in store for the children and their parents.
“The school holidays program looks amazing,” Ms Francis said.
“Our team has pulled together a diverse amount of activities for all ages.
“We have our usual craft workshops; we’ve got sessions where you can build with clay, do origami, card-making, even drawing in watercolour.
“And if you’re interested in circus skills, we’ve got a circus workshop, and we’re even having a sing-along to experience different types of music and instruments,” she said.
Other classic activities will be returning, like the coding and robotics sessions.
Ms Francis said the activities offered an opportunity to get away from the sun while doing something fun and productive.
“We have something for everyone,” Ms Francis said.
“Come and enjoy the facilities, they’re all airconditioned, and there’s lots for the adults to do while the kids are doing their workshops.
“And we’ve got the summer reading club, so once the kids have finished with their sessions and mum and dad are ready to go home, they can grab the summer reading club, and they can continue reading through the summer holidays.”
All activities are free, with no bookings required.
“Go to the Cairns Libraries website and look at our ‘what’s on’ calendar to plan what you’re going to do over the school holidays,” Ms Francis said.
After two challenging years with the COVID-19 pandemic and many activities cancelled or gone online, the staff at the Cairns Libraries is excited to see the community return to these spaces.
“As we’re coming out of COVID, people are really starting to come back to the libraries and enjoying the programs we’re putting out,” Ms Francis said.
“There’ll be lots of people coming, but we have space for everyone.
“It’s great to see so many people engaged; we’ve all been through so much, and it’s really great to see that people are using the facilities.
“We have many services that people can use from home, but it’s also amazing to see people face to face,” she said.
Ms Francis reminded the community to use the library facilities and all the fun free activities this summer.
“Come and have a look; go to our website or come into one of the spaces,” she said.
“Libraries are a lot different than what people remember; it’s a great space to be.
“We have community jigsaw puzzles; we have activities that people can come and do in the space but also lots of resources they can take home, like books, DVDs, magazines, telescopes and e-books and audiobooks.”
Find all the details on the library workshops at: https://bit.ly/3Lf3hHQ
The Court House Gallery in Abbott Street is also hosting activities throughout the school holidays, including ‘art buffet’ events for all ages and Green Screen Animation workshops for children over 10 years.
The three-hour animation workshops will be held on January 17-21.
• Online registration is essential through the event listings on the Court House website. https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/experience-cairns/arts-and-culture/arts-venues/the-court-house or click https://bit.ly/3uOXKAu in our online edition.
