Downtown Macon celebrates Read Across America Week with creative business engagements

Downtown Macon was abuzz with excitement Friday as the annual Read Across America Week continued. To commemorate Dr. Seuss's birthday, businesses came up with creative ways to engage the community.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Downtown Macon was abuzz with excitement Friday as the annual Read Across America Week continued. To commemorate Dr. Seuss’s birthday, businesses came up with creative ways to engage the community.

The events coincided with the monthly First Friday celebration.

Hello Boba Café, located at 359 3rd Street, was among the businesses participating.

The cafe, which opened last year, held a Dr. Seuss reading time followed by face painting. According to owner and manager Renee Tu, when the Dr. Seuss-themed First Friday was brought up, they jumped at the chance to participate.

“The motivation behind the event is to bring some activities for the younger kids,” she said. “I have two kids under five, and I tried to think of what they’d like. I know they definitely like story time. That was something we wanted to do and face painting. Kids of all ages and even adults like it too, so we figured that would be a fun activity.”

Hello Boba Café was one of many businesses taking part in the event. Other businesses, such as Piedmont Brewery, served up green hags and spam, while the Macon Arts Alliance offered photo opportunities with Dr. Seuss as well as a reading area and coloring sheets.

Read Across America Week is an annual event that encourages children to read more books and improve their literacy skills. It is celebrated every year during the first week of March to coincide with Dr. Seuss’s birthday. The event is a way for businesses and schools to promote reading and encourage children to enjoy books.