Press

A noon parade at the Empire State Plaza on Saturday, June 7 will kick off the 4TH Annual Albany Reads Festival, an event at the New York State Museum organized to promote reading among South End students and build community spirit in Albany's South End.

Mayor and Mrs. Gerald D. Jennings, honorary chairs of the festival, will lead the parade, which will begin at the Empire State Plaza's Firefighters' Memorial. It also will feature the Albany Police Pipe Band and Alva the Bookworm.

The parade will end at the State Museum where Mayor Jennings will present community awards. Activities will continue until 4 p.m. on the museum's fourth floor Terrace Gallery and will include performances by the Student Theater Outreach Program, New Day Dancers, Mount Zion Youth Choir, Sheep of Zion II Dancers, Ensemble Mount Zion Singers, the Albany Housing Authority Youth Choir and the Magic Trunk of Puppets. There also will be booths staffed by community organizations, continuous storybook reading, face painting, carousel rides, Furry Tales and Touchables and book displays.

Shuttle buses will be provided from the John A. Howe branch of the Albany Public Library to the museum. Further information on the shuttle schedule can be obtained by calling the Howe Library.

The festival is being organized by Laura Chodos, a former state regent who is a member of Two Together, an after-school reading program formed through a collaboration between Giffen School and the College of Saint Rose. Other sponsors include the Albany mayor's office, the State Museum, the Times Union, YMCA, Albany Public Library, South End Improvement Corporation, Albany Teachers' Association, Centro-Civico Hispano-Americano, the Albany Housing Authority, Business Council of New York State, Urban Voices and Literacy Volunteers of America.

The New York State Museum, a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education, is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.