In Largest Turnout to Date, Suncoast Remake Learning Days Draws Nearly 52,000 Children and Families to Fun-Filled, Learning Events

Since its inception in 2022, more than 168,000 people across our region have participated in Suncoast Remake Learning Days, with participation growing steadily each year. This year’s fifth annual celebration, which concluded on May 2, was no exception, with nearly 52,000 children and families showing up to the 380 free, interactive learning events across Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties, making it the largest turnout to date.

Nearly 370 local organizations held Suncoast Remake Learning Days events over the 15-day festival, including schools, museums, libraries, after-school organizations, early child care centers, churches, universities, and media outlets. Tailored to youth from pre-K through high school and their families, caregivers, and educators, events were organized across six learning themes:

• Arts
• Maker
• Outdoor Learning
• Science
• Technology
• Youth Voice

Through funding from The Patterson Foundation and support from the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, all of the learning events were free, designed to spark curiosity, and celebrate the joy of adults and children learning side by side. The Patterson Foundation also provided interactive trainings, event stipends, promotional materials, and networking opportunities for participating hosts in the months leading up to Suncoast Remake Learning Days to help these organizations bring their events to life.

“When children and families experience learning together in joyful, meaningful ways, it creates momentum that extends far beyond a single event,” said Beth Duda, director of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for The Patterson Foundation. “Suncoast Remake Learning Days brings our community together to spark curiosity, deepen connections, and strengthen a shared commitment to learning. Those moments, when discovery and connection happen side-by-side, help build the foundation for lasting success in their education and in life.”

Our region’s celebration was part of the larger Remake Learning Days, a worldwide celebration of innovative experiences and opportunities for youth to develop their sense of creativity, perseverance, and curiosity. Presented by The Grable Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based grantmaking foundation dedicated to youth and learning, this year’s celebration marked the 10th anniversary, with festivals taking place across 14 regions in the U.S. and two regions internationally.

In recognition of Suncoast Remake Learning Days’ fifth annual festival, the founder of Remake Learning and executive director of The Grable Foundation, Gregg Behr, visited our region in April and attended multiple events. For more than 15 years, Behr has helped lead Remake Learning — a network of educators, technologists, designers, and makers he founded in 2007 — to international renown, championing the importance of curiosity, creativity, and community-based learning. His visit reflected those values in action as he engaged with educators, families, and community partners who bring learning to life every day for children and families throughout the Suncoast.

If you would like to experience Suncoast Remake Learning Days for yourself as a host or visitor, be sure to mark April 24–May 8 down in your calendar for 2027’s festival. To learn more about how to host a Suncoast Remake Learning Days or experience the 15-day festival, visit SuncoastRemakeLearningDays.org.