(upbeat music) - PBS Utah's Reading Marathon Kickoff Party is almost here where children of preschool age through sixth grade are invited to read at least 20 minutes a day during the month of November.

Education program manager, Annie Frazier, is here to tell us about this year's event.

Hi, Annie.

First, let's talk about the Reading Marathon that really encourages kids to read or to read with their parents.

You've been doing this a long time now.

(Annie chuckling) - Yes, the Reading Marathon will run from November 1st to the 30th.

We challenge children ages preschool to sixth grade to read 20 minutes a day or 600 minutes total for the month.

And after that, you return to our website and submit your minutes, and each child that reaches that goal gets an Adventure Pass and gets into the zoo and the aquarium and planetarium and all sorts of fun things.

- Which is so great.

And what better thing to encourage kids to do than to read?

- Yes.

- And I know the very little ones can have their parents read to them.

- Yes, children can read on their own, they can read 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes before bed, they can read to a pet, their parents can read to them, they can read in their home language.

It's really open, because we want them to build those wonderful memories with their families.

- Oh, that's so great.

And talk about the big Kickoff Party, kids always love going to this.

- Yes, it's gonna be so fun.

We're at the downtown library on October 28th from 10:00 to 2:00.

Daniel Tiger will be there, as well as a few other PBS Kids characters.

We'll have a lot of different activities to do, children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes, and they'll trick or treat around to the tables, and they can read to an animal there.

So we have a lot of exciting activities for families to do together.

- Oh, it's so great, and I like that they can dress up for Halloween, so you kinda get a double party there.

- Yes, a Halloween party and excitement about reading.

- Yeah, which is wonderful.

Well, thank you so much for being here, and it's great that you just keep doing this, thank you.

- Well, thank you.

- And if you'd like to know more about the Kickoff Party for PBS Utah's Reading Marathon, it's October 28th from 10:00 to 2:00 at the Salt Lake City Public Library, Main Branch.

Go to pbsutah.org/events, that's pbsutah.org/events.

I'm Mary Dickson, thanks for watching Contact.

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