The free event ran from 2-4 p.m. in the back parking lot and featured loads of games, from a bean-bag toss and goldfish bowl game, to a Plinko-like game and dinosaur-themed ring toss.

“We’ve been coming the last 2-3 years,” Clarissa Ortiz said as she watched her daughter Jenesis throw a hula-hoop at a tall wooden dinosaur. “It’s a nice time to get together with the community and have a good time with the kids. It’s something that gets summer started.”

The carnival has been going on for at least 20 years, to most people’s memories, and they always have a promising turn-out.

“At least 200 kids turn up for the carnival every year,” Jan Dekoff, library director stated.

OBSERVER Photo by Jo Ward Brielle Gustafson tries to get a baseball through the trunk of an elephant at the Dunkirk Public Library's Carnival on Friday.

Volunteers of all ages helped at the different tables that featured not only games but face painting, temporary tattoos and popcorn as well.

Robin Campbell, a carnival volunteer, loved watching the children try their luck at various events.

“I’ve been doing this for the last several years, I forget how many it’s been so long. I love working with the kids, it feels absolutely good to be working with the children.”

Jamie Gustafson’s 11-year-old son Bradon volunteered this year as well. “I have three younger ones participating now. We’ve been coming for about eight years. We are part of the summer reading program and really enjoy everything they do.”

A big focus of the carnival each year is to encourage children in the community to sign-up for the summer reading program. Pam Czarniak, the children’s coordinator spoke of the turnout they had last summer.

“The summer reading program is a big draw, usually 250 kids sign up and last year approximately 87 completed reading the 15 books or more, with more than 3,000 books read over the six-week period,” Czarniak stated. “If they complete the requirement they get their name in a book and I also purchase books for them to keep.”

Many parents love the program that is open to the community each year.

“It’s a nice program where they get rewarded for reading and it gives the kids a little bit of an incentive to do something good for their education,” mom Clarissa Ortiz added.

In addition to the reading program Dekoff also wanted to remind families of the other free events the library puts on every summer.

“We just want to let everyone know that we have so many great programs going on this summer, Every Friday we have entertainers over at the Dunkirk Middle School Auditorium and we want to encourage everyone to come over there. It’s from 10-11 a.m. and of course free movie nights on Saturdays from 2-4 p.m.”

The summer reading program for 2018 runs from June 27 to Aug. 3. For more information on this and other events please visit the Dunkirk Public Library at www.dunkirklibrary.org.