Quote of the week

"I pay no attention whatever to anybody's praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings."

– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer

Summer Swim Camp registration opens tomorrow!

Summer is around the corner and it's the perfect time to get your kids in the pool! Menlo Swim & Sport offers a range of youth swim programs at Burgess and Belle Haven Pools, from swim camps and lessons to the Menlo Mavericks Summer Swim Team. Whether your child is just getting started or ready to refine their skills, we've got something for everyone. Registration for summer programs begins Sunday, April 26. Spots fill quickly, so don't miss out! Learn more.

Free Middle and High School Success Classes

The Blueprint offers free classes designed to help middle and high school students build the skills needed to excel in high school, college and beyond. The City of Menlo Park is offering a Blueprint workshop about "Finding your Interest and Extracurriculars (Leadership)" on Tuesday, April 28, from 4:30-6 p.m., at the Belle Haven Community Campus, 100 Terminal Ave. Explore your extracurricular interests and discuss how to strengthen your leadership skills in clubs. Reserve your free spot.

Belle Haven Community Campus Gymnasium closed for repairs

The basketball gymnasium will reopen on Monday, April 27, after a temporary closure to ensure a well-maintained space for all users. Until Monday, all rentals, classes and programming are canceled.

Bike Rodeo

Bring your bikes and join officers from the Menlo Park Police Department and California Highway Patrol Redwood City for a community bicycle safety event on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. in the parking lot between the Arrillaga Family Gymnasium and the Menlo Park Library. Learn more.

Video games for checkout at the library

Studies have shown that video games can improve manual dexterity, increase the brain's gray matter and improve intellectual and social skills. Also, video games are a lot of fun! Menlo Park Library now offers video games for checkout with your library card. Browse our collection of games for Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X. Learn more and browse the full collection.

Facility rentals 

The City of Menlo Park offers excellent venues for special occasions, including business meetings, celebrations, weddings and other special events. Our well-appointed facilities are available in various sizes, including spacious indoor/outdoor event areas ideal for gatherings and receptions in spring weather. Check out and reserve facilities online.

Nature's way at Bedwell Bayfront Park 

Bedwell Bayfront Park is Menlo Park's window to San Francisco Bay. This beautiful open space park and preserve is a great way to take in some sun, catch some views and revel in the natural world around us. With 160 acres of open space nestled within the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the park offers a wide range of daytime outdoor recreation opportunities, including hiking, running, bicycling, dog walking, bird watching, kite flying, photography and hilltop views. The park has an extensive trail system, most of which is unpaved; some park trails are steep and narrow. Park gates open daily at 7 a.m. and close at sundown. All park visitors should follow all rules and safety protocols posted on signage. Learn more.

eLibrary spotlight: Kanopy streaming TV and films

Get free access to thousands of movies with your library card without ever leaving your house! Kanopy offers streaming movies, documentaries, foreign films, classic cinema, independent films and educational videos. Visit our Kanopy portal to sign up and get 25 free streaming tickets every month. Learn more.

Schedule a library visit

Menlo Park teachers, now is the perfect time to request a guided tour of the library for your school, homeschool or other children's group. These visits can be outside of our regular business hours, so the library will be open just for your students. Our staff can provide a variety of activities, such as a storytime, a tour or a scavenger hunt, to teach students of all ages about the library and the resources we provide. Would you rather have the library come to you? We can do that too! Reach out to us to schedule a visit to your classroom, school assembly or other special event. Learn more.

One Book, One Coast: Japanese American History events — new events added!

Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., is hosting two months of special programming during the One Book One Coast program to bring Japanese American history and culture to life.

• One Book, One Coast is a shared reading experience that celebrates literacy, learning, community and civil discourse. Participating libraries will read and discuss They Called Us Enemy by George Takei. Learn more.
• Am I An American or Am I Not? Stop in for this special exhibition that explores historic and modern-day events that parallel aspects of the incarceration of Japanese Americans. The exhibition is viewable during library open hours through May 17. 
• Koto Music and Film with Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto. Enjoy a musical performance and view a documentary about how Koto and other Japanese cultural arts were preserved. Participate on Saturday, May 2, from 1–3 p.m.
• Americans Behind Barbed Wire. Learn about the WWII-era incarceration of Japanese Americans, from people who lived it. Join us on Monday, May 4, from 4:30–6 p.m.

More free literary and cultural programs 

These free literary and cultural programs received funding support from Friends of Menlo Park Library.

• Storytime. Join us for 30-minute-long storytimes at the library. Children and their caregivers will enjoy interactive early learning, featuring stories, songs and fun! 
  • Belle Haven Library – Tuesdays at 7:15 p.m., Fridays at 5:15 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:15 a.m.
  • Menlo Park Library – Thursdays at 10:15 a.m., Fridays at 10:15 a.m. and Saturdays at 11:15 a.m.
• Library Makes: Macrame Bracelets. Join us this afternoon in the Makerspace to make macrame bracelets! Participate on Saturday, April 25, from 2–3:30 p.m. at Belle Haven Community Campus, 100 Terminal Ave. Learn more.
• Songs and Stories with the Blue Fairy. Kids and families, join us to sing along with the Blue Fairy and her puppet pal Pinocchio on Sunday, May 3, from 11–11:30 a.m. at Belle Haven Library, 100 Terminal Ave. Learn more.
• Melanated Women Read. Melanated Women Read is a book discussion group by and especially for Black women. This month, we will discuss Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me by Glory Edim online via Zoom on Monday, May 4, from 6:30–8 p.m. Learn more.

Check out more free community programs
The above was just a sample of the many free activities hosted by the City of Menlo Park this week. Check out the community events calendar to see them all

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