Beat the heat with fun events at the Madison and Triana libraries
MADISON – With the thermometer exploding, the public libraries in Madison and Triana can provide cooler spaces and ‘cool’ sessions to learn and have fun.
“Open Art Fridays” — At Triana Public Library, the next session on July 10 will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These sessions are the answer for entire families who are looking for a casual art activity to enjoy.
Every week, the Triana staff will set out an art activity with examples and supplies. Patrons can arrive any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Participants will have a variety of activities to try . . . from water coloring to drawing with acrylic paint pens. “We might even do some origami,” the staff said. On July 10, the scheduled lesson will be fork painting.
No matter the skill set, everyone in the family can join the session. While Open Art Fridays is an all-ages event, adults will need to stay close to assist any children younger than five years old. (In the library, an adult must accompany any children younger than 10 years old.)
The staff will offer examples every week to do dinosaur art with the provided supplies to celebrate the library system’s “Unearthing of Summer Reading” theme. The themes for upcoming sessions will be Pop Art with Acrylic Markers, July 17; Oil Pastels, July 24; and Bookmarks, July 31.
• “Puppet Pals” – In Madison, Toddler Tales with Puppet Pals on July 9 will meet from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Children up to three years old will enjoy an interactive storytime and puppet show every Thursday. Then at 10:30 a.m., “Preschool Puppet Palooza” will give three- through fiveyear- olds an interactive storytime and show at the Madison Public Library, every Thursday at 10:30am. Registration is not required for puppet shows.
• “Escape Room: Mystery of the Missing Fossils” – This entertaining session in Madison on July 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will explore the murder of famed paleontologist Othniel Marsh (fictional and just for fun). Marsh’s priceless fossil discoveries have been stolen. Each team has been asked by local marshals to help solve the crime, capture the murderer and recover the fossils before they escape on the next train out of town. With only 45 minutes before the next train departs, are you up to the task?
To register for Escape Room, visit calendly.com/madisonstudio/ escape-room-2026. The mystery session targets children at least eight years old.
Sessions will start on the hour, and teams will consist of up to 10 players. Escape Room will also be available on July 11.
• Adult Arts and Crafts – These sessions at Triana meet on Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. The next meeting will be on July 11 for participants to make a tote bag.
Participants must register for arts and crafts. To register, visitcalendly.com/trianaprograms/ adult-arts-and-crafts-july11- totebags?month=2026-07. The last summer session for arts and crafts for adults on July 18 will involve the construction of magazine page beads.
• “Library Explorers: National Space Club in Huntsville” – In Triana, the meeting on July 22 will run from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Space Club members will present a STEM program. Learn about the power of magnets and linear momentum. Club members will bring a Gaussian accelerator, bar magnets and a Newton’s Cradle for hands-on demonstrations.
Madison Public Library’s address is 142 Plaza Blvd. For more information, call 256-461-0046 or visit hmcpl.org. Triana Public Library’s address is 357 Record St. For more information, visit 256-772-9943.
