Event to be held June 29 at NYM City Hall Ballroom

By Kathryn Wilkowski

Summer Intern

The kickoff to the New York Mills summer reading program begins on Wednesday, June 29 with live music from The Jolly Pops at the NY Mills City Hall Ballroom. 

Starting at 3 p.m., a few happy dads will be performing upbeat, original music for a family concert to please both kids and adults alike. The group will sing about alligators dancing, Popsicles, trains, and pet dinosaurs. 

This high-energy family performance is free and open to the public, funded in part with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage fund and sponsored by the NY Mills Public Library and Viking Library System.

After 10 years of touring the globe with his acoustic rock band Breaking Laces, Billy Hartong changed direction in 2016, founding The Jolly Pops to “provide music, movement and fun learning through experience.” 

No preregistration is required, the performance will be free and fun for all ages. 

Following the kickoff, the library is hosting a summer reading challenge and summer story time for kids Pre-K through grade 4 in July. 

As a wrap up for the summer, starting at 1 p.m., a family film of “A Goofy Movie” is being shown on Thursday, Aug. 4. 

People can contact the New York Mills Public Library 385-2436 on more information about these activities.