Elkhart Public Library

Coffee and Conversation
2025-06-24 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Cleveland Branch, 53715 C.R. 1, Elkhart, IN, 46514, United States
Catch up with friends and make new ones at this drop-in social time.

Fun in the Sun
2025-06-23 15:30 - 17:00, 2025-06-16 15:30 - 17:00 | IN
Join us at each EPL branch for games, activities, snacks, the free Book Bus and more. These are rain or shine events.
June 2 – Osolo
June 9 – Pierre Moran
June 16 – Cleveland
June 23 – Dunlap

Summer Theater
2025-06-23 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-16 15:00 - 17:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Join our cast, pick a play and select a part on June 16. Then, rehearse and prepare costumes and set them from June 23 to 27. Best for school-age children.
Below is a schedule.
June 16, 3 to 5 p.m. – Choose a play, tryout for parts, look for costumes and choose crew
June 23-26, 3 to 5 p.m. – Work on parts and memorization
June 27, 3 to 4:30 p.m. – Run through
June 27 at 4:30 p.m.- Performance for friends and family
Registration for this program opens on May 1. If you cannot attend on June 16 but want to participate, please contact Miss Judy at 574-522-2223.

Curbside Concerts: JR Clark Band wsg Dylan Tolbert (jazz fest special!)
2025-06-21 19:00 - 23:15 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Saturday night of festival weekend always fills us with the blues.

Dylan Tolbert brings some funk and soul to start us off at 7 p.m., and JR Clark Band returns to the roof for the 9 to 11 p.m. set.

Curbside Concerts are free and outdoors. Bands play on the rooftop stage, people watch from the parking lots below. Come hungry for the food, come thirsty for the beverages. Come smiling and we’ll protect that ready-for-the-weekend mood. More details here.

That Guys Gourmet Ribs will be cooking, and Tropicana will have your sweet treats.

WordPlay - Morning Edition at the Jazz Fest
2025-06-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
WordPlay is a poetry/spoken word experience in downtown Elkhart. Events are open to everyone and are a welcoming place for creative people to share stories, poems and words in a diverse environment.
These events honor the late John Homan and carry on his creative legacy. While most recent WordPlay open-mic nights have been at Jake Webster’s downtown studio, this special Elkhart Jazz Festival morning event will be on the library’s indoor stage.
WordPlay is free to attend.

Curbside Concerts: The Erly wsg Anna p.s. (jazz fest special!)
2025-06-20 19:00 - 23:15 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
We’re kicking off festival weekend in downtown Elkhart with an impressive doubleheader of local talent.

Anna p.s. gets us started at 7 p.m. with her indie-folk sound, and The Erly takes the stage about 9 p.m. to carry us away with strong Americana vibes.

Curbside Concerts are free and outdoors. Bands play on the rooftop stage, people watch from the parking lots below. Come hungry for the food, come thirsty for the beverages. Come smiling and we’ll protect that ready-for-the-weekend mood. More details here.

That Guys Gourmet Ribs will be cooking, and Tropicana will have your sweet treats.

Preschool Moana Party
2025-06-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Dunlap Branch, 58485 C.R. 13 East, Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Celebrate all things Moana with stories and activities.

Elkhart Jazz Festival
2025-06-20 - 2025-06-22 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
The 37th annual Elkhart Jazz Fest is happening downtown June 20-22. The downtown library is a hub for talent – from special Curbside Concerts to our Saturday morning WordPlay spoken word event. The indoor stage is reserved for pass holders – visit the Elkhart Jazz Festival site for performance times and ticket information.
Due to the stage and activities inside the building, the library will be unavailable for browsing and regular services both Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21. Please visit our four neighborhood branches for assistance and materials.

Juneteenth Celebration featuring Darryl Buchanan
2025-06-19 17:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Celebrate Juneteenth, a historic day that marks the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in the United States.
This family-friendly event presented by Indiana Black Expo – Elkhart Chapter will feature local nonprofit organizations, vendors, food trucks, and a free concert showcasing Darryl Buchanan.

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) commemorates June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas—two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation—to ensure that all enslaved people were freed. It is the longest-running African American holiday and became a federal holiday in 2021.

This event will also serve as the kickoff to the 2025 Elkhart Jazz Festival.

Summer Kids Cookies and Canvas
2025-06-19 15:00 - 16:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
(This event is full. Keep watching for more great activities.)
Choose a picture of your choice to make a painting of while learning new techniques.

Drop-In LEGO Build
2025-06-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Osolo Branch, 3429 E. Bristol St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Build whatever you can dream of with the available LEGOs.

Friends of Elkhart Public Library meeting
2025-06-18 18:00 - 18:45 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
The Friends of EPL conduct regular business meetings at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. The meetings are open to the public. Click here to learn more about the Friends.

Board of Trustees Meeting
2025-06-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Osolo Branch, 3429 E. Bristol St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
The Elkhart Public Library meets the third Tuesday of each month to discuss library business. Learn more about the board and upcoming meeting here.

Stories in the Garden
2025-06-17 17:00 - 17:30, 2025-06-10 17:00 - 17:30 | Wellfield Gardens, 1011 N. Main St., Elkhart, IN, 46514, United States
Every Tuesday join us for a fun and interactive Storytime with the beautiful Wellfield Gardens as a backdrop. Find us in the Children’s Garden area and watch this page or our Facebook if the weather is iffy.
Wellfield Gardens offers free admission to Elkhart County residents on Tuesdays.

Squirt Gun Painting for Teens
2025-06-17 16:30 - 18:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Paint without brushes as we use squirt guns to create a unique colorful canvas.

Get into Gardening
2025-06-14 10:00 - 11:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Start or improve your garden throughout this informative series focusing on pollinators, native plants and harvesting seeds.
May 3 – Gardening how-to with Purdue Extension educator Mark Evans
May 24 – The Buzz on Pollinator Habitat
June 14 – Super Start with the Super Nine – all about the nine native plants selected for their value to our local environment
Aug. 2 – How to Harvest Your Seeds with Mark Evans

Ox Bow Books and Boots
2025-06-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Dunlap Branch, 58485 C.R. 13 East, Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Miss Debbie from the Dunlap Branch and Miss Krista, an interpretive naturalist manager with the Elkhart County Parks, lead this book discussion at Ox Bow County Park’s Cottonwood Shelter. Books and Boots is for the whole family, but specifically geared to ages 8-12. Dress for the weather. In April, this club moves to second Fridays.

April 11 – “Better Together (Heartwood Hotel)” by Kallie George
May 9 – “The Sign of the Beaver” by Elizabeth George Speare
June 13 – “Rascal” by Sterling North
July 11 – “Home Again (Heartwood Hotel)” by Kallie George

Picnic in the Park Storytime
2025-06-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Cobus Creek County Park, 30680 C.R. 8, Osceola, IN, 46561, United States
Bring your lunch to Cobus Creek Park for a special all-ages Storytime with Miss Rhonda. The park on C.R. 8 is just down the street from Cleveland Branch.

Summer LEGO Bots
2025-06-13 10:30 - 11:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Work with others and use coding to bring movement, lights and sounds to LEGO builds.
Registration opens for this event on May 1.

Cutting Board Craft
2025-06-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Decorate a beautiful bamboo cutting board using paints, stencils and more.

Taller de Ojos de Dios
2025-06-12 17:30 - 18:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Conozca la historia y la artesanía de los Ojos de Dios, un arte tradiocional mexicano. Crea el tuyo propio mientras exploras su significado cultural. Todos los materiales están includos.
Ojos de Dios is a traditional Mexican art. Learn its history and cultural significance and create your own using our materials.

Cutting Board Craft
2025-06-12 17:30 - 18:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Bring your creativity and decorate an 18-inch cutting board with paint, stencils and more.

Summer Fun Family Movie
2025-06-12 14:30 - 16:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Enjoy free popcorn while we watch “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (PG, 1h:49m).

Quilts and the Importance of Storytelling
2025-06-11 16:00 - 17:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Learn the history of quilting and how it relates to storytelling, specifically in the Black community, from Dr. Tony Jean Dickerson. Dr. Dickerson is the Dean of Education at Martin University in Indianapolis and the founder of Akoma Nitoso Modern Quilt of Central Indiana. See beautiful quilts up close and hear the stories behind the patterns and fabrics.

Reptiles and Amphibians
2025-06-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Osolo Branch, 3429 E. Bristol St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Meet the frogs, toads, turtles and snakes that live in our parks and yards.

Coffee and Canvas for Adults
2025-06-10 17:30 - 18:30 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
(This event is full. Keep watching for more great activities.)
Follow along as local artist Linda Pieri helps us create a work of art.
Registration for this event opens May 1.

Super Mario Wonder for Teens
2025-06-10 16:30 - 18:00 | Downtown Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, IN, 46516, United States
Bring your friends to hangout and play Super Mario Wonder on the Switch.
