Join the Baby Rave!

There’s a party bumping at HMCPL! Our Baby Rave program kicked off last October, inspired by the viral children’s dance parties happening in other cities. We have space ready at the library, we have plenty of patrons with children ready to dance, all we needed was a local DJ, fun lights, and as many glow sticks as we could get to throw a unique event for children and caregivers alike.

“The goal of Baby Rave is to offer a free, fun activity for the entire family,” said Jude Mathias, Youth and Teen Services Librarian at the Madison Public Library. “Caregivers dancing with their young ones is a great bonding opportunity, and the unique, trendy nature of Baby Rave brings lots of people to our library that otherwise might never have noticed us!”

This event series is offered every few months at the Madison Public Library, and draws out-of-town residents and first-time patrons to the library for a unique family experience. Each event features kid-friendly techno music, colorful lights, and a fun time for kids and caregivers to dance together. Adults can enjoy a taste of rave music and community, and little ones can discover a new, interesting activity and sensory experience.

“The reception has been incredible, more so than we could have ever expected!” says Mathias. “We regularly have 400-500 patrons at each Baby Rave, I think it has been very successful!”

And certainly, the response from the patrons has been resounding. Many caregivers have started to bring their older children as well, the nature of the Rave making it appealing to babies, toddlers, and young children alike. Jessy de Armas attended two different Baby Raves with her child, and enjoyed spending time with her family with upbeat music and dance. “My child was 8 months old and was showing interest in music, so I thought it’d be a fun sensory adventure for her with the lights and sounds,” de Armas says. “She really enjoyed looking at (and chewing on) the glow stick bracelets and having her dad bounce her around. She was also very fascinated by the dancing T-Rex. We went with my sister and her 2 month old to the New Year’s Rave and they got to do crafts, dance together, and watch the confetti drop at noon!”

With all of the popularity and, well, rave reviews, we are excited to expand this recurring program with new themes, dance lessons for the children, and more. Our next Baby Rave will have a spooky, exciting Halloween twist, and we can’t wait to welcome more patrons to dance the day away with us!