Minot library hosts May 30 summer reading scavenger hunt

Minot Public Library and Ward County Public Library will launch their 2026 Summer Reading Challenge with a downtown scavenger hunt on Saturday, May 30, according to library announcements and a Ward County calendar listing. The event starts at Main Street Books in downtown Minot at 1 p.m. and runs until 2:30 p.m. Participants will pick up a passport, follow clues through downtown stops and return with a completed passport for a prize and summer reading registration. The reading program itself begins June 1 and runs through July 30, the libraries said. ### Where does the scavenger hunt start, and what happens there? Main Street Books is the starting point for the May 30 kickoff, according to Minot Public Library’s summer reading page. The library said people of all ages are invited to begin there, collect a passport and head out on a downtown scavenger hunt built around clues and local stops. Ward County’s event calendar says participants should return after exploring downtown with a full passport to receive a prize and register for the summer reading program. (minotdailynews.com) The Minot Daily News reported the kickoff as part of the libraries’ annual challenge. ### Who is running the program? Minot Public Library is partnering with Ward County Public Library on the kickoff and the broader summer reading effort, the two organizations said in public notices. (minotlibrary.org) The Minot Daily News article also identified the event as a joint effort tied to the annual Summer Reading Challenge. (co.ward.nd.us) Main Street Books is serving as the kickoff location in downtown Minot. Event listings circulated online describe the scavenger hunt as a downtown activity involving local businesses, though the library’s own page centers on clues, exploration and the Main Street Books starting point. ### What is the summer reading challenge schedule? June 1 is the first day of the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, and July 30 is the final day, according to Minot Public Library’s May program post. (minotdailynews.com) The library said the challenge is themed “Unearth a Story” and invites readers of all ages to take part during the summer window. May 30 is the public kickoff date in Minot, with the scavenger hunt positioned ahead of the logging period. (minotlibrary.org) Ward County’s calendar says the completed passport can be used to register for summer reading at the event itself. ### What does “Unearth a Story” refer to? The 2026 theme is “Unearth a Story,” which appears on Minot Public Library’s summer reading materials and on the Collaborative Summer Library Program site. (minotlibrary.org) CSLP says the theme is intended to emphasize discovery through books, programs and local knowledge. Minot Public Library said this year’s challenge invites readers to discover “hidden worlds, buried histories, and unforgettable adventures.” The local program language matches the national summer reading theme libraries are using in 2026. (co.ward.nd.us) ### What should families know before May 30? Saturday, May 30, is the date to show up at Main Street Books between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., according to the library and Ward County listings. (minotlibrary.org) The event is open to all ages, starts downtown and ends with prizes for completed passports. June 1 is when participants can begin the formal Summer Reading Challenge, and July 30 is when the program ends. (minotlibrary.org) More details are posted on Minot Public Library’s summer reading page and Ward County’s calendar entry for the kickoff. (minotlibrary.org)