Ida Public Library in Belvidere, Illinois

06/18/2026

June was the traditional month for the Blaine Folk Festival. Starting in 1974, organizers planned a full day of music outside the Blaine Methodist Church. Originally, it was a fundraiser put on by the church youth group, drawing around 500 people. The next year, it drew 800, and by 1976, 1,500 or more were attending. Acts ranged from folk, to country, to gospel, and performers included professionals and amateurs. The first festival showcased at least 23 separate performances, and the lineup only grew from there. Here, you can see an impassioned performance by Tom Johnson at the 1976 show. Get out and enjoy some music while the weather is nice, even if it's just your phone in your backyard.

06/18/2026

Reminder: We will be closed Friday, June 19th in observance of Juneteenth.

We will reopen on Saturday, June 20th at 10am.

06/18/2026

Register now for our Garden Vegetable Stamping program with University of Illinois Extension!

In this program, youth will turn everyday veggies into creative art tools to create a colorful, vibrant piece of art. This is a program you won’t want to miss!

Register on our website under Events, scan the code, or click the link below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6JYpSkPtSuY9A-63SgKQjRkfLQbNbiPXF6bdFzkKa-Jn4sw/viewform?usp=dialog

06/18/2026

It doesn’t look like it will be very warm on Monday, but who doesn’t love some time to pause with the dogs!

Join us on Monday, June 22nd from 11am-1pm for some R & R with the Certified Therapy Dogs from Forest City Dog Training Club.

No registration required!

06/16/2026

There’s still time to register for Roots, Readers, and Real Food happening today at 6:00 PM at the library!

Join us for this engaging family program as we welcome Farmers Rising for a hands-on food lab experience. Kids and families will explore the differences between local farmers and food factories, discover where their food comes from, and learn from the experts at Farmers Rising through interactive activities and discussion.

Don’t miss this fun and educational opportunity to dig into the world of food and farming together. Register now and join us tonight!

Register by clicking the link below or visit our website at idapubliclibrary.org under events
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcuYz6jPjrXN1ugaiGY2fCrPY-_jiEFi3M836FTlszM94QtQ/viewform

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

There's still time to register the family for this fun and interactive safety class tonight at 5:30pm! Help your children learn summer safety techniques and what to do in a confrontation. This is a free program! Dress in comfortable clothing and shoes. Please register using the QR code, call the library, or use this link: https://forms.gle/owVSP6G8msqWfg717

06/12/2026

Bring the kids to Ida's lower lever meeting room Wed at 10:30 for this fun storytime and hands on garden exploration with the Winnebago-Boone County Farm Bureau. Registration is required. Use the QR Code or this link to register: https://forms.gle/k2AZok2afLLuiBKD6

06/12/2026

Bring the family to this great program Tuesday night at Ida Public Library. Come compare and contrast farmers VS. food factories in this library food lab with the experts from Farmers Rising! Registration required. Use the QR Code or this link to register: https://forms.gle/TkXYTwHDKCyXu5V89

06/12/2026

Over the past week, we have welcomed hundreds of people to the library as we kicked off our Plant a Seed, Read! Summer Reading Program. From all of us here at Ida Public Library, thank you for joining us and making this week such a success.

The fun is just beginning, so keep coming back all summer long for programs, events, and reading challenges. We can't wait to keep seeing you at the library!

We will end our 8 week Summer Reading Program with raffle prizes and Finisher’s Party on Saturday, August 8th from 10am-12pm at Rivers Edge for open gym, rock climbing and lots of fun!