Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

About

Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine

Sunday, September 28, 2025

The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine is proud to partner with Indigo Arts Alliance (IAA), along with other statewide partners, for the annual Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival—a celebration of children’s book authors and illustrators of the African Diaspora. On Sunday, September 28, CMTM will present an in-person schedule of literary and art activities for the whole family, including art-making workshops and read-alouds. The Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival at CMTM is also an official Dollar Day$ event. Admission to the Museum & Theatre will be $1* for every visitor.

• Dollar Day$ admission applies to all visitors. Members are free. 

• A child must accompany adult visitors. Visitation is expected to be high. Reservations are recommended.

• Dollar Day$ is part of CMTM’s ongoing work and commitment, through the generosity of funding partners, to eliminate barriers families might face in taking full advantage of the facility. Every child belongs at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. 

Festival Tickets

Schedule + Programming

This year’s programming celebrates Black stories, voices, and artistry through interactive theatre, imaginative creations, and book-inspired activities. Highlights include special guest artists Ebenezer Akakpo  (MakerSpace) and Veeva Banga (Maddy’s Theatre), along with an immersive experience of a Mini Night Market, inspired by Seina Wedlick’s enchanting book The Night Market. Children and caregivers will delight in playful learning inspired by beloved works of Ashley Bryan, Denise Rosario Adusei, and more, bringing stories to life through art, imagination, and community. All programming included with admission.

Program Schedule

Read-Alouds + Performances (Maddy’s Theatre)

• 10:30-11 AM | Veeva Banga Dance Performance 

  Inspired by the book Cesaria Feels the Beat, Veeva Banga will be a guest performer in Maddy’s Theatre. Come ready to feel the beat!

• 12:30 PM | Cesaria Feels the Beat Read-Aloud with Evadne Bryan-Perkins
  Come together in Maddy’s Theatre for the powerful story of Cesaria, a deaf girl who dreams of dancing barefoot during Carnival with her dance group. Presented by Evadne Bryan-Perkins, a Black/Chahta actor, singer-songwriter, drummer, jewelry maker, linguistics student, and activist.

• 1:30 PM | The Night Market Read-Aloud with Atiim Chenzira
  Step into a magical Nigerian night market alive with sights, sounds, and tastes that delight the senses. Atiim Chenzira will be presenting this story on stage. Atiim is a mental health profession, community organizer, spoken word poet, and musician living and working in Portland, Maine.

• 2:00 PM | Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim Read-Aloud with Pious Ali
  Discover how courage, culture, and love can help overcome fears as Nana Ruby teaches Kwesi to swim. Presenter information coming soon. This story is presented by Pious Ali. Originally from Ghana, Pious is an expert in intercultural education, youth development, and community leadership. He currently serves as a member of the Portland, Maine, City Council.

Activities

Interactive Sessions (MakerSpace + IDEXX STEM Learning Hub)

• 10:00-11:00 AM | Mini Night Market
  Build your own tiny treasure table, character, food cart, or night sky painting as part of a collaborative market diorama. Inspired by The Night Market.

• 11:00-11:30 AM | Ashley Bryan’s Puppets: Making Something from Everything
  Create puppets from found objects, such as shells, driftwood, sea glass, and rope. Name your puppet, write a poem, and put on a show! Inspired by Ashley Bryan’s Puppets: Making Something from Everything.

• 12:00-1:00 PM | Ebeneezer Akapo: Adinkra Building & Creating
  Guest artist Ebeneezer Akapo shares Adinkra cut-outs—symbols rooted in the Akan legacy of Ghana—for you to build and create original art. Inspired by The Night Market.

• 1:00 - 1:30 PM | Feeling Sound: Cesaria Feels the Beat
  Experiment with vibrations and sound using latex-free balloons to feel music through your hands and body, just like Cesaria. Inspired by Cesaria Feels the Beat.

• 2:00-3:00 PM | Swim Stick Stamp! Art and Courage
  Create your own artwork celebrating someone who helps you face challenges, using Adinkra symbols and MakerSpace materials. Inspired by Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim.
  

The Festival Continues

This year, CMTM Blackbird programming will be featured at Lewiston Public Library. This programming is free and open to the public at Lewiston Public Library.

• October 1, 2025, 5:30-6 PM: Blackbird Beats - An Interactive Musical Performance

A musical adventure inspired by Ashley Bryan’s beloved tale. This one-performer show invites children to become colorful birds from Africa, celebrating diversity and the beauty of Blackness. Through beatboxing, dancing, and playful sound-making, young audiences will help bring the story to life in an engaging, hands-on experience. Aligned with Black and Brown studies curriculum, this dynamic performance reinforces themes of self-love and community. Let’s move, groove, and shout together, because Black is beautiful, UH HUH! This Program is presented by the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine at Lewiston Public Library as part of the Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival.

• October 7, 2025, 5:30-6:30 PM: Swim, Stick, Stamp! Art and Courage with Kwesi & Nana Ruby 

Come dive into the world of Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim by Kobina Commeh and illustrated by Bárbara Quintino. Create your own illustration using art materials that celebrates those who help you overcome difficult things, just like Nana Ruby helps Kwesi. Learn about the Adinkra symbols featured in the book and use them in your artwork! This Program is presented by the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine at Lewiston Public Library as part of the Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival.

Learn More

Learn more about the Beautiful Blackbird Exhibit at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine.