Read and Explore at Colt Creek State Park

The Friends of Colt Creek State Park will combine ecology and education Sept. 7 in the fledgling group's second major event since organizing earlier this year.

The event will be from 1 to 4 p.m. in the pavilion by Mack Lake at Colt Creek State Park in the Green Swamp north of Lakeland.

The event is being organized in cooperation with the Polk Education Foundation, READ Polk and AmeriCorps Polk Reads.

The occasion is celebrating International Literacy Day, which has been observed annually since 1967,

International Literacy Day, normally celebrated worldwide Sept. 8, was started by UNESCO to promote worldwide literacy.

In the spirit of the observance, anyone who displays a library card or brings a new or gently used book to donate will be admitted to the park for free.

Normal admission is $4 per vehicle.

Visitors also can bring a book to trade.

Although this event is open to all ages, many of the activities will be geared to children to encourage them to read and write.

Events will include nature writing, bookmark making and butterfly painting.

A number of children's authors are scheduled to attend to showcase their works by reading excerpts and autographing copies of their books.

They will include Robin C. Fox and Carol White Fox, Nancy Anderson Judge, Nicole Ford, April M. Whitt, Theresa Kowalski, Jennifer Alden and Ricky and Melanie Hoover.