Arts & Entertainment

Beginners and experienced adventurers welcome! Bring a character or use one of our premade characters. Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events required. This event is part of a combined series. If you register for this event, you will be automatically registered for all of the following events.

Let's go! Drive, dodge, and maneuver your way to a first-place finish in our Mario Kart Tournament! Prizes for the winners. 6th grade and up.

Test your skills! Prizes and bragging rights for the winners. Tournaments held every Wednesday. 6th grade and up.

Join JPL's Anime Club each week for Japanese snacks, anime trivia, and art projects! All fans welcome! Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events is not required, but you will receive reminder emails about meetings if you register.

Want to see your artwork on display at the library? Come and create a mini masterpiece for our tiny art gallery display cases! Artwork will be on display in the library in April and available for pick up in May. Kids must register @ johnstonlibrary.com/events to attend this fun, no-school day event.

Join us for a Dragon Ball FighterZ throwdown every Thursday in the Teen Space! Choose a team of three fighters from the game’s 44 characters and battle it out to become the champion! The tournament will be a one-round, single-elimination tournament using the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

Do you have a passion for songwriting? Want to be the next great songwriter? Join us at the UNPLUGGED songwriter's retreat! UNPLUGGED is a weekend retreat where participants learn about writing and performing original songs as a singer-songwriter. UNPLUGGED is from 3/28/25-3/29/25.

Celebrate April Fool’s Day by watching Bella and Edward in all their sparkly, dramatic glory while snacking on your very own fancy, cheese-filled charcuterie board. Come for the cheese, stay for the sparkly vampires! Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events required. Twilight is rated PG-13.

Let's go! Drive, dodge, and maneuver your way to a first-place finish in our Mario Kart Tournament! Prizes for the winners. 6th grade and up.

Test your skills! Prizes and bragging rights for the winners. Tournaments held every Wednesday. 6th grade and up.

Join JPL's Anime Club each week for Japanese snacks, anime trivia, and art projects! All fans welcome! Registration is not required, but you will receive reminder emails about meetings if you register at johnstonlibrary.com/events.

Ready for an afterschool treat? Kids can join our monthly cooking class to learn basic cooking skills and practice following a recipe. Registration at johnstonlibary.com/events is required for this class and is open to kids in elementary school. This month, we are making fruit pizza!

oin us for a Dragon Ball FighterZ throwdown every Thursday in the Teen Space! Choose a team of three fighters from the game’s 44 characters and battle it out to become the champion! The tournament will be a one-round, single-elimination tournament using the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

Make your own junk journal - a creative, anything-goes notebook made from random scraps, doodles, and collages while watching the hit movie, Wicked. Register at johnstonlibrary.com/events

Get ready for the ultimate test of adaptability and skill at our Super Smash Bros. Random Mayhem Tournament! In this unique twist on the classic brawl, all characters and stages are chosen entirely at random! Embrace the chaos, master the unexpected, and see if you can rise to the top!

We will have hands-on art projects that will spark learning and discovery for kids in K-5 as well as a snack! This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program. Drop offs will not be permitted.

Do you love board games? Are you looking to meet some fellow board game enthusiasts? Join us at JPL’s Teen Board Game Club, where each month, we’ll introduce you to a new game and teach you how to play it. Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events is required.

Let's go! Drive, dodge, and maneuver your way to a first-place finish in our Mario Kart Tournament! Prizes for the winners. 6th grade and up.

Test your skills! Prizes and bragging rights for the winners. Tournaments held every Wednesday. 6th grade and up.

Join JPL's Anime Club each week for Japanese snacks, anime trivia, and art projects! All fans welcome! Registration is not required, but you will receive reminder emails about meetings if you register at johnstonlibrary.com/events.

Whether you like the show, the comics, or the card game, this is a program for Pokémon fans! We will allow for card trading at this program, but we ask that kids come to the class with their cards in a case or box with their name on it. Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events is required.

Join us for a Dragon Ball FighterZ throwdown every Thursday in the Teen Space! Choose a team of three fighters from the game’s 44 characters and battle it out to become the champion! The tournament will be a one-round, single-elimination tournament using the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

Stop by the youth services area between 10am-Noon for a quick craft! This is a drop-in program for kids, so no registration is necessary. Available while supplies last. This month's craft is fluttering butterfly craft.

Unlock your creativity in our Spring Collaging Class with Madeline Maser, where you’ll explore combining materials like magazines, textured paper, and various artistic mediums to create expressive compositions. Learn essential techniques such as layering, cutting, and using adhesives.

LEGO Club provides a fun atmosphere where children can learn, build and play with the library’s set of LEGOs. Each meeting will have a new theme or challenge. Great for kids in grades K-5. Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events is required.

Experience the art of needle-felting! You’ll learn techniques to create beautiful, felted wool artwork using just wool and a needle in this beginner-friendly workshop. Follow along step-by-step to create a trio of spring flowers, or create freely with a rainbow of colors!

Learn the basics of needle felting as we make a cute, fuzzy creation! Needle felting is a way to sculpt objects and make art with wool. Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events is required for this class and is open to kids in 3rd-5th grade. This month, we're making a cute, fuzzy mushrooms!

This architectural sketching course, taught by Kelsey Wilson, introduces perspective drawing and graphite techniques to capture the space and architectural details of Hoyt Sherman Place. Focused on line and form, it provides a foundation for creating realistic depth and objects that feel solid.

Diamond painting is similar to painting by numbers. You use small, sparkly gems that stick to a special sticky canvas to make a beautiful design. Diamond painting helps to decrease stress & anxiety, enhance decision making skills, improve fine motor skills, and improve focus.

Schools out, so we've set up an Earth Day themed seek and find in the library. Stop by April 24th and 25th to follow the clues and riddles to win a prize. Recommended for kids in grades K-5.

We are making recycled art, reusing plastic bags to make a custom tote bag or wallet. The choice is yours! Feel free to bring your own plastic bags to use in this craft if you want. Bright colors are best. This program is open to grades K-5. Registration at johnstonlibrary.com/events is required.

Kindermusik is a German phrase that translates to “children’s music”. The program aims to help children learn and grow through music-making during the years when their brains are most critical for development. Children will explore music through instruments, movement, singing, and play.

Join us for a relaxing class where you’ll learn watercolor and drawing techniques while creating a sunflower still life. You’ll focus on one sunflower from an arranged vase, drawing it in detail before bringing it to life with watercolor. All supplies are included—just bring your creativity!

Discover how to transform raw canvas into a captivating work of art in this hands-on class designed for all skill levels. You’ll learn to create dynamic abstract backgrounds using watered-down acrylics, layering techniques, and textural elements like modeling paste on the unique surface of canvas.

We are offering accelerated piano and guitar lessons for the summer! Our accredited program is called Straight Shot, because lessons occur twice a week so students can achieve more during the summer months. Beginner guitar lessons are for ages 10-15, and beginner piano lessons are for ages 6-17.

Rock out with us at Girls Rock! Des Moines! Rock camp is a two week day camp experience where campers form bands, learn an instrument, play and write music, attend educational workshops, enjoy performances, and perform in a showcase at the end of camp! June rock camp is from 6/16-6/29 this year.

The annual Drake University Voice Intensive (DUVI) is a summertime camp designed for young singers ages 14+ to develop their voices and build confidence in performing and auditioning.

Kindermusik is a German phrase that translates to “children’s music”. The program aims to help children learn and grow through music-making during the years when their brains are most critical for development. Children will explore music through instruments, movement, singing, and play.

Do you want to learn how to record music? Do you want to learn how to produce music? Join us at GR!T Camp from 7/7-7/18! GR!T offers youth a unique experiential learning opportunity in recording artistry, audio engineering, audio technology, and production through working with an actual record label

Rock out with us at Girls Rock! Des Moines! Rock camp is a two week day camp experience where campers form bands, learn an instrument, play and write music, attend educational workshops, enjoy performances, and perform in a showcase at the end of camp! June rock camp is from 7/21-8/3 this year.

Travel around the world through movies! Earn a new stamp for your passport each day as we watch a movie from a different country then explore that country’s culture through fun activities. Campers will receive a free t-shirt, plus a light snack each day, including movie theater popcorn on Friday.

Singers who have finished grade K through 8 will enjoy five days of singing and fun that ends with a musical performance! Participants will experience choir rehearsals, musicianship, sectional rehearsals, and movement activities.