Mayor Jacob’s Read City 2026 kickoff is ready to stomp and roar this Friday, February 6, from 4- 8 p.m. at Bridgewater Place, 205 Bridgewater Road, Knoxville.

The Stomp! Roar! Dinosaur! kick-off event, originally scheduled for January 24, was postponed due to winter inclement weather. The event is free and open to the public.

Photos: TravelingDinosMuseum.com

This fun-filled, prehistoric celebration launches the 2026 Read City USA reading challenge: Stomp Back in Time, inviting readers of all ages to explore dinosaurs, fossils, and ancient life through hands-on learning and literacy missions.

Families can expect the full lineup of prehistoric fun originally planned, including:

  • Examining fossils, exhibits, and dino skeleton replicas, like two-year-old T. Rex, Junior
  • Meeting Vela the velociraptor
  • Coming face-to-face with Mighty Al, a full-size allosaurus replica skull
  • Measuring their hand against a gigantic allosaurus footprint
  • Holding some of the coolest fossils ever, from a triceratops skull bone fragment to dinosaur coprolite (dino poo)!

The challenge is part of Mayor Glenn Jacobs’ ongoing community literacy initiative, which encourages children and families to read, explore, and learn together. Families can pick up a Prehistoric Passport and start logging literary activities to earn stickers and prizes at the Knox County Public Library.

Mayor Jacobs, who serves as the head “paleontologist” for this year’s kickoff, will welcome families at the event. His leadership has been central to Read City USA since its creation, helping inspire the community to participate in annual themed challenges that celebrate reading.

“Stomp, Roar, Dinosaur! Is one of the most exciting ways to kick off the Read City challenge. Reading opens the door to every kind of venture, whether you’re digging into the age of dinosaurs or exploring new worlds through books. I can’t wait to see families learning, discovering, and having fun at this year’s event,” said Jacobs

Stomp! Roar! Dinosaur was made possible through a generous grant from the Jane L. Pettway Foundation.  More at: https://www.knoxcountylibrary.org/read-city

Mary Pom Claiborne is assistant director for marketing, communications and development for Knox County Public Library.

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