Let the games begin: Olympic-inspired fun comes to HDL

Haven’t quite perfected that back handspring or double layout with a half-twist?

That’s OK. Everyone can join in Olympic competitions of a different kind with Herrick District Library this summer.

The 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics slogan is "Games Wide Open,” and HDL will host a series of tournament-style games this summer. The library’s theme this summer is “Books Wide Open.”

There will be tournaments in Mario Kart, Euchre, Beat Saber VR, and Settlers of Cattan. Registration is required at herrickdl.org/events.

All levels of Mario Kart driver can join the library’s Mario Kart tournament 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, at the North Branch. Registration is required and will begin on July 16. 

HDL will host a tournament of the Michigan classic game Euchre 6:30– 8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, at the Main Library. Registration opens Monday, July 22.

Beat Saber VR has come to the library. Beat Saber is a virtual reality rhythm game where players — surrounded by a futuristic world — slash to the beat of adrenaline-pumping music as blocks fly toward them. Thursday, Aug. 15, the library will host a Beat Saber VR competition 5:30 to 8 p.m. Registration opens Aug. 1 at herrickdl.org.
The Settlers of Catan competition will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Main Library. Registration is required starting Aug. 7.

At the library’s Animal Olympics, kids will test their skills against some record-holding animals and compete in HDL’s own Library Games. The event is in coordination with the Outdoor Discovery Center and geared toward kids. There will be two times — 11:00 a.m. to noon at the HDL North Branch, Riley St., and 1-2 p.m. in Centennial Park, 250 Central Ave., Saturday, July 27. The ODC will bring some real-life animal record holders.

The Bookish Olympics — 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, July 29, at the HDL North Branch — will be a chance for kids ages 6 to 11 to try their hand at library-themed Olympic games. They will see how tall they can stack books, balance a book on their head, design their own flag and other book-themed games. This is a drop-in program.

Even the library’s Postcard Book Club is Olympic themed for the month of August. Kids can drop in all month long to check out any of the Olympic sport books on display, read one, write their thoughts on the provided postcards and return the postcard to the HDL North Branch book slot or drop it in the mail. Kids who include a return address will receive a reply.