photo by: Contributed

A family presents a lesson on origami folding at the Lawrence Public Library's "How-To Festival" in 2023. This year's festival will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

An event where residents get to share their expertise is returning to the Lawrence Public Library, where the organizers say there is always something new to discover.

The library’s ninth annual “How-To Festival” will take place Saturday at the library and will feature over two dozen local residents or organizations who will share their knowledge, skills and talents with visitors.

Melissa Fisher Isaacs, an information services supervisor, told the Journal-World that the festival is special and positive event as it offers a space for residents to serve their fellow community members.

Each spring, the library puts out a call for participants to be part of the How-To Festival. Fisher Isaacs said she heard from many presenters that they became inspired to share their expertise after attending a previous festival.

“It’s a cool opportunity to give people a platform to share that with friends and neighbors,” Fisher Isaacs said.

This year’s presentations include a wide variety of lessons like “How to Fold Origami,” “How to Create a Dungeons & Dragons Character,” “How to Understand Soccer and the World Cup” and “How to Help Turtles Cross the Road.” Fisher Isaacs said it is “always fun to discover” the various presentations that will be a part of the festival each year during the application process.

Although Fisher Isaacs said there are some mainstay presenters who have participated in the festival from the start, each year other residents or organizations showcase something different to keep the event “new and fresh.”

One year, there was a lesson on how to use pipe cleaners to make art. At first, Fisher Isaacs wondered what the end product would be, but the presentation “blew (her) mind” with how incredible the art was and indicated the amount of talent in the community.

“It is an example of the creativity people have (in Lawrence),” Fisher Isaacs said.

Fisher Isaacs said the event is a “really cool” opportunity for people to learn about different hobbies or skills that are sometimes unexpected. She believes a huge part of the event’s success is the way people in Lawrence seek community engagement and to help others — whether through learning a new craft or helping turtles cross a road.

“I think people are looking for ways to contribute to the community,” Fisher Isaacs said. “This is one way to provide that opportunity.”

The event will be held rain or shine on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library. More information about the event, including the whole list of presentations, can be found at the library’s website, lplks.org.

photo by: Contributed

Residents present their expertise at the Lawrence Public Library’s “How-To Festival” in 2023. The presenter shown here taught residents about different types of mushrooms.