This post was originally published on this site.
Over October and November of 2025, The Big Read and partners held a wide variety of inspiring and impactful events. From author visits to dance theater performances, from book clubs to friendship bracelet making, there were many different ways for community members to come together to celebrate literature.
The Numbers
Over the two months, The Big Read and our partners hosted 161 events, reaching over 9,500 people. These events varied greatly, including lectures, author visits, crafting events, yoga, and family story times; this ensured that there was an event that could interest anyone. There were 61 Big Read events, 43 Little Read events, 37 Middle Read events, and 21 Mini Read events. Most of the people impacted were under the age of 18, at around 5600.
Author Visit
Award Winning author Leif Enger was able to visit 3 local schools and libraries to discuss his book I Cheerfully Refuse, books that impacted him, stories from living near the lakeshore, and so much more. His events were some of the most highly attended, with almost 400 people attending his event at Muskegon Community College, and 272 people attending his event at Hope. His talks reached a total of 830 people.
Most Attended Events
Some other events that were very popular were the StrikeTime Dance performances of Journey. There were 15 performances across Holland and Muskegon, and they reached over 1,000 people! There was also the Big Read Bar Crawl with Rake Beer Project, which had 350 attendees. Our dinner event with Phelps Dining Hall served 260 people, and included delicious food such as braised beef, scarlet pie, toasted ravioli, and a poutine bar!
In Schools
There were 5 teachers in 3 different districts reading I Cheerfully Refuse with their students. There were 20 teachers reading A Wish in the Dark with students in 11 different districts. Lastly, 8 teachers in 4 districts taught Journey to their students.
Overall, it was a great year working with a great community. We want to thank each and every person who helped to make these events happen, including our partners, volunteers, participants, and of course, the readers!
The Big Read has more exciting things coming, so stay tuned for more!
The post Looking Back on Fall 2025 for Big Read appeared first on Big Read Lakeshore.
