FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2026

Reid House Kids Book Fair Celebrates Literacy, Legacy, and Community

Sarasota, FL — The Reid House Kids Book Fair will bring together families, authors, and community members for a
celebration of literacy, culture, and creativity from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 4 at the historic Leonard Reid
House, located at 2529 N. Orange Avenue. The event is in conjunction with Newtown’s annual Spring Fling Easter parade
along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

The book fair highlights the importance of reading while uplifting Black stories and storytellers. Featured activities are
live entertainment, spoken word performances, storytelling, face painting, bounce houses, vendors, an Easter egg hunt,
and opportunities to meet local authors. Free books and holiday treats will be distributed to children.

The enduring legacy of Leonard Reid and his beloved wife Eddye is honored. Their home, originally located at Boulevard
of the Arts and Coconut Avenue served as a hub for literacy and community care. Known as a neighborhood “library,” it
was a place where free books were shared, inspiring generations through access to reading and education.

The entertainment lineup will feature performances by Mr. Stevey, Whit The Poet, Frankie Brown, Syesha, A’rayia
Davis, Amillia, Mya Barber, Sammy Waite, Amel Hunter, Jahkori, the Trinity Teen and Youth Choir, the Potter School
Drumline, the Lockhart Twins, and Alpha and Omega Incorporated Sorority.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet and engage with a diverse group of authors, including Whit the Poet, Dr.
Sharon Jefferson, Betty Jean Johnson, Helen R. James, Rosa Thomas, Xtavia Bailey, Vickie Oldham, Enid Marshall,
Jahkori Dopwell-Hall, Jeannie Wooten, and Andrea “Chocolate Butterfly” Williams.

Confirmed vendors include Kona Ice, Bat City Comic Professionals, Nhouse Taste of Soul, Jahko Designs, Angels Food
with Soul, Suncoast Remake Learning, Filet of Soul, The Lady with Nuts, Betty Jean Johnson North Sarasota Library,
Stitching Bluez, and Aloe Thought Media.

The Reid House Kids Book Fair is produced by Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition and Greatness Beyond
Measure. Major sponsors include Alpha Phi Alpha Foundation of Manasota, the Xi Psi Lambda Chapter, the Johnson
Singer Arts Education Foundation, Barbershop Men of Prayer and First Watch.

This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Book donations are welcome. For more information please
call Melanie Thomas (941) 744-7314 or email aaccsrq@gmail.com.

About Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition
Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition (SAACC) is a tax exempt, 501c 3 organization dedicated to
preserving, celebrating, and sharing the cultural, artistic, and historical heritage of African Americans in
Sarasota and beyond. To learn more about SAACC’s mission, please visit https://thesaacc.org/.