This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Thursday, May 24th marks the last day of school for the 2017-2018 school year for the St. Vrain Valley School District.

Graduation services for Longmont High, Skyline and Silver Creek High Schools will be held on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Graduates of Old Columbine High School will be held on Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m.

For parents looking for summer child care, school district website states, "Licensed according the Colorado Department of Human Services summer camp childcare is offered onsite at different school locations each year. Although some sites may vary, programs are open from 7:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. Activities include off site field trips, swim trips, and engaging onsite experiences."

To find out if summer child care is available in a school near you, visit this website. More information about this Community Schools program is offered on the website.

This website offers a list of summer programs offered by St. Vrain Valley Schools. The programs offered include options for students in all grade levels. As stated on the school district's website, "please contact the school or program directly with inquiries. Be sure to check your local school site for additional programs that might be available."

The 2018-2019 school year will begin on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

Looking for some things to do with your children this summer? Below is a list of local programs, activities and learning opportunities.

The Longmont Public Library offers a summer reading program each year. To learn more about the program and to register visit their website.

The Longmont Recreation Center offers a variety of programs for residents of all ages. To learn more about the programs offered please follow this link to their website. The link will take you to the Recreation Center brochure.

The Longmont Museum is offering a variety of summer entertainment and learning options for students. To learn which opportunities you might be interested in visit their website.

Downtown Longmont will host their 10th Annual Downtown Summer Concert Series. Concerts will be held every Friday in June, concerts will be held along 4th Avenue between Main and Kimbark Streets from 6-9:30 p.m. A list of bands scheduled to play can be found here.

The Boulder County Fair will be held August 2-12 at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. To learn more please visit their website.

Do you know of other family friendly summer events, programs, or activities that are happening in Longmont? Please email us at [email protected] and we can add it to our list. Or submit your own event to our event calendar by following this link.

Firehouse Art Center's Artist of the Week: Vanessa Anderson

Vannessa Anderson is an artist whose practice is multi-disciplinary and spans several media, methods, and techniques. Her technical focus is in the media of drawing, oil paintings, and sculptural assemblage.

"As an artist, I am more interested in narrative, emotional and philosophical content than genre, and seek to match the message with the best media for the expression of an idea," states Anderson on the Firehouse Art Center's website.

"I view my work as a mirror to reflect the irony, humor, and whimsy of the stereotypical, middle-class American experience (if there is such a thing)," Anderson says in a Firehouse Art Center Instagram post. 

To learn more about the artists of the Firehouse Art Center visit their website.

Longmont Observer Hosts First News and Brews Event on May 21, 2018 at Longtucky Spirits

The Longmont Observer is hosting the first of many News and Brews events on Monday, May 21, 2018 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event will be held at Longtucky Spirits, located at 350 Terry St, Suite #120, Longmont.

Longtucky Spirits is opening its doors specifically for this event. They will provide a tour of the facility for Longmont Observer members at 7 p.m. They will also be serving their happy hour drink menu, all drinks on the menu are $5.

At 7:30, guest speakers, Communications and Marketing Manager for Public Works and Natural Resources, Holly Milne and Waste Services Manager, Charles Kamenides will be joining us to discuss the City of Longmont 21 Day Challenge.

Longmont Observer staff and writers will be there to carry on conversations about the topic of the evening or other local news.

All members of the community are invited to the event. The price for the event is $10. To purchase your ticket please click here.

Want to become a Longmont Observer member? Please follow this link to learn more. Thank you for supporting your nonprofit, non-partisan, Longmont focused, news source.