Light A Candle For Literacy

We're excited to have a great roster of authors and illustrators this year at the 2026 Literacy Parade & Children's Book Festival! We are officially six weeks away from one the most exciting and edifying events in , planned with the entire family in mind.

This year, we are honored to have James Earl Ransome join us! Ransome is an award-winning illustrator with over 70 published books. Ransome received the 2023 Children's Literature Legacy Award by the American Library Association for his contributions to Children's Literature. Throughout his illustrious 35-year career, Ransome has shared his talents with the world, bringing visual life to characters on a journey.

From books to murals to theater posters to documentaries, Ransome's gift for illustration is critically acclaimed. As a resident of New York with a plethora of distinguished recognitions, to have Ransome at our event is a really big deal! Learn more about Ransome's many accomplishments and available works at jamesransome.com.

Plan to attend to meet Ransome and other published creators on Saturday, June 13 during the festival from 1 - 4 p.m. Visit www.lightacandleforliteracy.org to join the parade, register for the festival, and find other opportunities to participate.

Our LACFL family loss one of a our very own recently, Ms. Jaime Howley.

Ms. Jaime was indeed a gem. As a resident, Ms. Jaime served in her community in various roles. She was a longtime friend and supporter of Mrs. Geneva Hayden, an advocate for mental health initiatives through her support of , a resource for new information and local history, a volunteer who gave her time and research skills, a lover of books, and of course, a valued member of our LACFL community, helping to reignite and support the Literacy Parade & Children's Book Festival.

As we process this great loss, along with those who knew and loved Ms. Jaime, we also remember Ms. Jaime's beautiful light. If there was ever a need that she could meet, we could count on her to get it done. She was a faithful reader for , a thoughtful contributor to the selection of books LACFL participants received, and the ultimate cheerleader.

We honor Ms. Jaime for the life she lived and the love she gave to people and to her community. If you knew Ms. Jaime, you know that she always did what she could. We welcome anyone who would like to share a lovely memory of Ms. Jaime to help keep her memory alive on this post. This year, we will ensure that she is recognized at the 2026 Literacy Parade & Children's Book Festival to give thanks to a true servant.

The Literacy Parade & Children's Book Festival will return this year! This time around, the festival venue will be at McKinley-Brighton Elementary. Join us on Saturday, June 13 for one of the most exciting events in curated for the entire family. Mark your calendars and plan to have a great time connecting with authors, illustrators, community resources and so much more.

Don't just attend the event, sign up to participate and share your gifts as well:
•Volunteers https://www.lightacandleforliteracy.org//volunteer-form
• Exhibitors https://www.lightacandleforliteracy.org//exhibitors
• Authors & Illustrators https://www.lightacandleforliteracy.org//authors-illustrators
• Performers https://www.lightacandleforliteracy.org//performers
• Marchers https://www.lightacandleforliteracy.org//marchers

We are so grateful for the continued support of Onondaga County Public Libraries for our event!

Thank you to all of the vendors who came out to share information related to their services. Each organization supports the community in their own unique way, so it’s always great to have so many resources available in one place.

There were so many cool activities available! Something for everyone in the family to enjoy, for sure. We had face painting, bubbles, reading rooms, theater and acting training, story tellers, and of course, we had Cinderella!