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Get Creative! Children’s Book Festival Invited Students to Design Bookmarks

Posted on February 4, 2026

Johnstown, PA (February 4, 2026) – The region’s premier family event, the Children’s Book Festival, is set to return this spring with an exciting opportunity for young artists! This year’s festival kicks off with a bookmark design contest, inviting students to create and submit bookmarks based on their favorite book.

Hosted annually by The Learning Lamp, the festival connects children and families with bestselling and critically acclaimed authors, illustrators, and storytellers. All submitted bookmarks will be showcased at the 17th Annual Children’s Book Festival, taking place March 28-29, 2026, at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center in Johnstown’s historic Cambria City neighborhood.

“Our bookmark contest is always a highlight of the festival,” said Kerri Belardi, Director of Communications for The Learning Lamp, and festival organizer. “It’s amazing to watch kids bring this year’s theme to life with their own unique ideas and artistic flair.”

The contest is open to children in preschool through 6th grade, including homeschool students. Entries will be judged in the following age divisions:

  • Division #1: Pre-K & Kindergarten
  • Division #2: Grades 1 & 2
  • Division #3: Grades 3 & 4
  • Division #4: Grades 5 & 6

A winner from each division will receive a prize package featuring a personal library of books. Festival attendees will cast votes to determine the winners. Teachers can also win! By submitting bookmarks from their class, educators have the chance to win a classroom set of books.

How to Enter:

The Children’s Book Festival is organized by The Learning Lamp and is FREE to families. The event brings top-tier literary talent to Johnstown, and this year’s lineup is packed with must-see authors and performers:

  • Lauren Tarshis – acclaimed author of the bestselling I Survived series, Lauren Tarshis brings history to life for young readers through gripping storytelling and unforgettable characters. With a talent for transforming real events into thrilling adventures, she inspires students to explore history, build resilience, and develop a lasting love of reading.
  • Aaron Reynolds – award-winning author of Nerdy Birdy, Creepy Crayon!, and many other beloved children’s books, Aaron Reynolds combines humor, imagination, and heart to captivate young readers. Known for his playful storytelling and energetic presentations, Aaron encourages children and families to embrace creativity, enjoy reading, and laugh along the way.
  • Joe Wos – Award-winning Pittsburgh cartoonist who will bring his signature creativity and energy to the Children’s Book Festival with interactive storytelling and hands-on cartooning workshops. Host of PBS’s Cartoon Academy, Wos guides young artists through the steps of drawing cartoon characters while introducing artistic terms and fun educational facts. A professional cartoonist since age 14, Wos is internationally known for his syndicated MazeToons series, record-setting hand-drawn mazes, and live performances at more than 1,000 venues worldwide. His dynamic sessions promise to inspire imagination, creativity, and a love of cartoon art in children of all ages.
  • Rock N Roll Pet Store – created by children’s entertainer Mike Zaffuto. This unique experience blends music, magic, puppetry, and live animals to bring an imaginary pet store to life in an engaging and interactive way. With more than 35 years of experience performing at schools, libraries, fairs, and festivals, Mike’s performances encourage creativity, imagination, and a love for the arts.

The Children’s Book Festival is FREE to attend and offers interactive literary experiences designed to encourage reading, writing, and creativity. The festival features arts and crafts activities, writing and illustration workshops, new and used book sales, refreshments and more! Plus, every child who attends will receive a free book to take home and enjoy.

For more information about the 17th Annual Children’s Book Festival, call 814-262-0732 x245, visit our website, thelearninglamp.org, or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/CBFJohnstown/.

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The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high-quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2024, The Learning Lamp and our school-based division, Ignite Education Solutions, directly served 43,056 children and adults. In addition, we worked with 87 public and private schools in 17 Pennsylvania counties and supported 503 child care and community-based organizations with free or nearly free shared resources, positively impacting another 53,384 children in 55 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

Our programs include: child care and preschool, tutoring, school staffing, educational programs for at-risk students, online learning, credit recovery, school-based substance use prevention, project consulting for schools, and early childhood systems building.