Summer reading program ends Friday

The city of Huntington Beach’s Summer Reading Program, “Home Run Readers,” will close at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday at the Central Park Bandstand with two free shows by children’s musical performer Razzle Bam Boom. Food will be available for sale, and guests are asked to bring sunscreen and hats.

This year’s program is already breaking previous years’ records. The final tally for the 2008 program was 5,056 participants. So far, 5,123 children have signed up for the 2009 program.

Sponsored by the Angels Baseball Foundation and the Beach Pit BBQ, this year’s program has seen more than 200 teens, and young adults volunteer for various positions, an increase of about 40 volunteers.

— Candice Baker