Friends of the Chehalis Library

08/29/2026

With the start of this year’s Chehalis Flying Saucer Party — officially called FSP2026 — now less than three weeks away, organizers announced this year’s speaker lineup and full event schedule in a social media post on Monday, Aug. 24.

First held in 2019, the Chehalis Flying Saucer Party commemorates pilot Kenneth Arnold's historic 1947 “saucer-like aircraft” sighting, which sparked the “Summer of the Saucers” and the modern UFOlogy movement.

FSP2026 events will be held at multiple locations in downtown Chehalis including the Lewis County Historical Museum, 599 NW Front Way, The Loft, 547 NW Pacific Ave., and McFilers, 543 NW Pacific Ave.

Starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, FSP2026 kicks off with the “Crash Landing Ceremony” at the museum’s parking lot along with activity announcements.

Then, on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., Jason Hassler, host of KXRW Vancouver’s Hassling the Paranormal radio show and his group Big River Paranormal will host a town hall event at the museum, where attendees are welcome to come share their own unexplainable sightings and other paranormal experiences.

Friday’s festivities conclude with the “Agents and Aliens Karaoke Costume Contest” at McFilers, starting at 8 p.m.

On Saturday, Sept. 12, the FSP2026 vendor market opens at 10 a.m. at the museum, along with a live musical performance by Richard Peterson, a musician originally from Lewis County described as a “well-known savant Seattle trumpet player/piano player/composer,” according to his Bandcamp page.

At 1 p.m., Kenneth’s granddaughter, Shanelle Arnold, will preside over the traditional Saucer Drop’n Dance Party, with music by DJ Ashwave. This event goes back to Chehalis’ old Krazy Days Festival in the 60s and 70s, where “saucers” (mini Frisbees) are tossed out to the crowd for them to catch, with each one having a prize taped to it. Prizes are typically deals or free items at local businesses — and this year may even include Lego sets.

Throughout the day at The Loft, starting at 10 a.m., speakers will be giving presentations as well, including representatives from the Washington state Mutual UFO Network branch, or MUFON for short. MUFON is a collective of scientists who investigate UFO sightings and catalogue them into a database available for researchers world-wide.

Full details here: https://tinyurl.com/2h5m7k35

08/29/2026

We have some exciting library card news!

We are so proud to be partnering with Laufey - 2X GRAMMY® Award-winning artist, New York Times bestselling author, and honorary chair of Library Card Signup Month and her global Laufey Book Club to offer a limited-edition TRL X Laufey Book Club Card celebrating community, creativity, and connection this September.

TRL is the ONLY library system in the state partnering with Laufey Book Club for this limited-edition card and one of nearly 50 library systems across the world launching these collaborative library cards.

How YOU can get your card:

• Cards will arrive at TRL libraries in early September, just in time for Library Card Signup Month.

• Follow your local Timberland Library on social media for an announcement when the cards arrive at your branch.

• Check your library’s open days and hours at TRL.org/Locations.

• Cards are available to both new and existing TRL cardholders*, one per patron, while supplies last. No reservations will be available.

Not a TRL cardholder yet? You can get one if you live, work, or attend school in our five-county service area! Learn more at TRL.org/Library-Card

*If you’re an existing cardholder, your new Laufey card will come with a new library card number.

08/28/2026

STATE POET LAUREATE TO VISIT CHEHALIS LIBRARY: Poetry lovers will want to come to the Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Regional Library on Friday, Sept. 11.

Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield will appear at the library for “An Hour With the State Poet Laureate.” The event starts at 5 p.m. in the library’s large meeting room.

Sheffield will speak about his journey on becoming the state poet laureate, as well as read some of his poems. Afterward, Sheffield will take part in a question-and-answer session with attendees.

“We are thrilled and honored to have Derek speak at our library in his position as our state poet laureate. We hope people not only in Chehalis but in surrounding communities will attend to hear him share his poetry and answer questions,” said Muriel Wheatley, library manager for the Chehalis and Centralia branches of Timberland Regional Library.

Sheffield is Washington’s eighth poet laureate. He teaches at Wenatchee Valley College and edits poetry at Terrain.org.

The free event is co-hosted by Timberland Regional Library and the Friends of the Chehalis Library. FOCL is paying for the costs related to the event.

The Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library is located at 400 N. Market Blvd. in Chehalis.

— News release

05/14/2026

Here’s a list of just some of the reasons local libraries matter 📚

Join us this Saturday, May 16th for the Library Love Gala as we celebrate and support a resource that gives so much back to our community.

Dinner ticket sales end Thursday at 7pm.
General Admission tickets will remain available up until the event.

Get your tickets now! 👇
pnwtickets.com/e/library-love-gala

04/15/2026

Our libraries need us! 📚🫶

As funding challenges grow, the Friends of the Library are stepping in to help bridge a critical gap while Timberland Regional Library works toward a more sustainable future. This isn’t just about keeping the lights on. It’s about protecting something our communities rely on every single day.

Libraries are one of the few places that remain truly for everyone. They are spaces to learn, connect, explore, and access information freely. For many, they are a lifeline. For all of us, they are worth protecting.

Every dollar raised at the Library Love Gala goes directly back into local programs, resources, and services that keep our libraries strong, accessible, and alive for future generations.

Be part of something that truly matters.

Join us on Saturday, May 16th from 5 to 9pm.

Get your tickets here 👇
mcfilerschehalistheater.com/library-love

04/15/2026

Come join us!! 👇

The Friends of the Centralia and Chehalis Timberland Libraries are inviting the community to an evening of books, community and celebration at the Library Love Gala, taking place Saturday, May 16, …