Photo credit: Midland Public Libraries

What to watch: Midland County Public Libraries kick off October with a new free exhibit and a full month of story times, crafts, genealogy help, teen workshops, and Halloween programs. Julia Child: A Recipe for Life opens Friday, Oct. 2, at Centennial Library and runs through Jan. 9, 2027. Families can also enter the annual Literary Pumpkin Contest from Oct. 5–24.

The big picture: Julia Child: A Recipe for Life is a traveling exhibit following Child’s path from her early days in Paris through her influential cookbook and television work. Visitors can also add a recipe card to a community cookbook on display throughout the exhibit.

These are the October programs for the Downtown (DT) and Centennial (CT) libraries, grouped by audience.

Midland’s top stories. One quick email. Free, every Friday.
Get Midland Wrapped, our free weekly email for busy Midland residents. Each Friday, we break down the week’s most important local stories — what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next — so you can stay informed without the noise.

All-ages programs

  • Friday Night Flix: Julie & Julia (PG-13), Friday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. (CT) – Film screening tied to the new Julia Child exhibit.
  • Hispanic Heritage Passport Adventure, Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. (DT) – Mariachi and folklórico performances, games, crafts, and activities on Latin American countries.
  • Literary Pumpkin Contest, entries accepted Monday, Oct. 5–Saturday, Oct. 24 – Children, tweens, teens, and adults are invited to decorate a pumpkin like their favorite book character.
  • Family Lego Time, Friday, Oct. 9 at 4:30 p.m. (DT) – Open build activity for families.
  • MCT Thinking Cap Players: The Quiet Helping, Friday, Oct. 30 at 5:30 p.m. (DT) – Immersive murder mystery from Midland Community Theatre’s Education Department.
  • Beyond the Exhibit: Community Cookbook, during exhibit hours through Jan. 9, 2027 (CT) – Fill out a recipe card at the exhibit to share with the community.

Kid programs

  • Fine Motor Mondays (ages 1–6), Oct. 5, 12, 19, and 26 at 10:30 a.m. (DT and CT) – Self-led drop-in play with blocks and building materials.
  • Baby Rhythm & Rhyme (ages 0–24 months), Oct. 6, 13, 20, and 27 at 11 a.m. (DT) – Books, songs, finger plays, movement, and developmental stations.
  • Dog Tales, Oct. 7, 14, 21, and 28 at 3:30 p.m. (CT) – Children practice reading aloud alongside Bruno, an Irish Setter.
  • Toddler Tales (ages 3–5), Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 at 11 a.m. (CT) – Stories, rhymes, songs, and movement to build literacy and cognitive skills.
  • Born to Read Birthday Celebration (ages 1–5), Thursday, Oct. 15, immediately after Toddler Tales (CT) – Monthly celebration for young readers, with a complimentary book.
  • Once Upon a Spooky Tale, Friday, Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. (DT) and Saturday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. (CT) – Halloween stories and crafts. Costumes welcome.

Teen programs

  • College Essay Prep, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. (CT) – Midland College professor Lacy Mayberry shares tips on writing a college admission essay.
  • Squishy Boxes, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. (DT) – Design and create squishy box fidgets.
  • Teen Craft Club: Ghost in a Jar, Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. (CT) – Decorate a jar as a home for a little ghost.
  • Beyond the Exhibit Book Club, Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. (CT) – This month’s read is The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett.
  • Acing Your Interview, Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. (DT) – Pro tips and tricks for successful job interviewing.

Adult programs

  • Beyond the Exhibit: Let’s Cook!, Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) – Work with clay to make favorite foods and paint them.
  • Kintsugi, Thursday, Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. (DT) – Japanese repair of broken pottery with lacquer mixed with gold powder. Bring a small broken dish or object.
  • Genealogy: Off the Shelves, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. (CT) – Open forum for those researching genealogy, guided by current members.
  • Lineage Workshops, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. (CT) – Volunteers with the Lieutenant William Brewer Chapter NSDAR assist in the Genealogy Department.
  • Page Turners Book Club, Monday, Oct. 12 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) – Discussion of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
  • Ghost Painting, Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) – Create Halloween-themed ghost art on pages from old books and magazines.
  • Pumpkin Palooza, Thursday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. (DT) – Mini pumpkin painting, with all supplies included.
  • Genealogy Lock-In, Friday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (CT) – All-day research event with Zoom speakers in the Redfern Genealogy Center.
  • Ghostly Vignette Painting, Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. (DT) – Halloween painting for all skill levels focusing on fading vignettes.

Go deeper: Polly the Bookmobile has several public stops this month. Check the Bookmobile calendar for current routes.

  • Love Midland: Oct. 3 from 8–10 a.m., 801 N. Loop 250
  • Greenwood: Oct. 8 from 2–4 p.m., 10909 FM 307
  • Chalk the Block: Oct. 17 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., 200 W. Wall St.
  • Halloween at the Shoe: Oct. 17 from 6–9 p.m., 2514 Arena Trl.
  • Vital Care Spooky Wellness Fair: Oct. 23 from 4–6 p.m., 2514 Arena Trl.
  • Fire Department Truck or Treat: Oct. 24 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., 1500 W. Wall St.