2023 How-To Festival
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Beginning at 10:30 a.m.
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The San Diego Public Library, in partnership with California Coast Credit Union, proudly presents its 8th How-To Festival on Saturday, June 3 at 10:30 am! The How-To Festival is an interactive community educational event with something for everyone and for all ages. We will be hosting an in-person event at Mira Mesa Library with a selection of how-to demonstrations presented by Library staff and community members, and simultaneously a curated collection of how-to videos will premiere online and will remain available for later viewing. Round up your friends and family and learn something new together, like How-To Bind a Mini Hardcover Book by Hand, How-To Make a Decorative Air Plant, or How-To Draw Odi the Coyote. There is something for everyone and all ages!
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Discover all our archived How-To videos on our YouTube channel.
Check out our 2023 How-To Festival Line-Up
Art & Crafts
How-To Make Seed Bombs
Presenter: Bianca Ramirez
Audience: All Ages | 
Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to create seed bombs with a cookie cutter, recycled paper, seeds, and hot water.
How-To Create a Button Wallet
Presenter: Claudia Rodriguez
Audience: All Ages | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn how to create a button wallet from scratch using recycled fabrics and materials.
How-To Make a Water Bottle Rain Stick
Presenter: Helene Idels
Audience: Elementary/Young Adults | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Take any size used water bottle and fill it with crinkled strips of foil and seeds, beans, and rice and then decorate it to make your very own unique rain stick for yourself or as a gift!
How-To Build a Terrarium
Presenter: Iris Thompson
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to create a beginner terrarium that you can enjoy at home.
How-To Do Legible Graffiti
Presenter: James Jepsen
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Instructions | Watch Video | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn how to draw and design Legible Graffiti in 3D using your name and pre-made examples.
How-To Draw Wednesday Addams (Netflix version)
Presenter: Janet Yeager
Audience: Elementary/Young Adults | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn to draw a cartoon portrait of Wednesday Addams through simple step-by-step instructions. Artists are welcome to use either traditional or digital media for this project. Although this presentation is geared to teens, everyone is invited to participate.
How-To Make Pom Pom Earrings
Presenter: Karen Nguyen
Audience: Elementary/Adults | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to make yarn pom poms and attach them to earring hooks to create colorful and whimsical earrings!
How-To Make an Artful Junk Journal 101
Presenter: Martha Contreras
Audience: Adults | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Crate a simple yet creative journal using upcycled items and recycled paper.
How-To Make a Flower Bouquet out of Paper
Presenter: Monil & Neha Garodia
Audience: All Ages | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn how to craft and easy flower bouquet with a variety of paper.
How-To Make a 4th of July Holiday Garland
Presenter: Robert Lanuza
Audience: Young Adults/Adults | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to make a festive 4th of July holiday garland.
How-To Create an Erasure Poem
Presenter: Tanya Thamkruphat
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Using written source material, like a magazine or newspaper article, a page from a book, or even advertising mailers, learn how to create an erasure or blackout poem. All you need is a marker or pen!
How-To Make an Upcycled Wine Cork Succulent Planter
Presenter: Nam Jin Lee & Theresa Higa
Audience: Adults | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn how to upcycle wine corks to create a succulent planter is a fun and eco-friendly way to add some greenery to your home.
Cooking
How-To Make Ube Mochi
Presenter: Linda Dami
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to make a Hawaiian style ube mochi which is baked and has some butter in it. The edges are a little even a little crispy!
Instructional
How-To Use Essential Oils in 5 Simple Ways
Presenter: Anna Gateley-Stanton
Audience: Adults | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn how to use essential oils by crafting a succullent diffuser, making a room spray, creating a diffuser bracelet or necklace, making a roller-bottle, or applying Vitality Oils to a tea bag before steeping.
How-To Care for a Bearded Dragon
Presenter: Bernard Cayetano
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Discover how to care for your beloved pet, the Bearded Dragon, including what to feed them, how to bond with them, and the basics for setting up a good enclosure.
How-To Electrify Your Home
Presenter: Carl Adkins
Audience: Adults | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn why and how to electrify your home both to save money, reduce green house gas emissions and drive investments to the local work force in here in San Diego.
How-To Wuther
Presenter: Christina Wainwright
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to dance along with the choreography from Kate Bush's 1978 music video for "Wuthering Heights," so that you'll be ready to don a red dress and dance in a field with all of the other Cathies from around the world who choose to celebrate The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever in July. The Pacific Beach Library will host TMWHDE on Sunday 7/30/23 at 2pm in their park, and this video will show you how-to bust your most Bronte-esque moves.
How-To Identify and Locate San Diego’s Official Flowering Tree the Jacaranda (Mimosifolia)
Presenter: Kathy Hargrove
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn about the jacaranda tree, how to identify it, where to find it, and how Kate Sessions and other organizations continue to plant this beautiful tree that lines so many of our streets in San Diego.
How-To Know What is Deductible on Your Tax Return
Presenter: Marianne Lindsay
Audience: Adults | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn about what might be deductible on your tax returns so you don't pay more taxes than necessary.
How-To Make Decorative Dish/Trinket Clay Bowls Using a Variety of Tree Leaf Prints
Presenter: Preethi Prabhu
Audience: All Ages | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn how to craft beautiful clay bowls to hold trinkets or serve as home décor or as a personalized keepsake gift using air dry modelling clay and a variety of leaf imprints.
How-To Get a Doggy Kiss
Presenter: Rachel Esguerra
Audience: All Ages | Instructions | Watch Video
Instructions | Watch Video
Learn how to teach your dog to give you a kiss using treats, positive reinforcement and patience!
How to Love Yourself!
Presenter: Shikha Rastogi
Audience: All Ages | Live at Mira Mesa Library
As a Self-love coach I come across so many people who are struggling in so many areas of their lives that they have no control over. But one of the things that adds to the stress of dealing with outside people and situations is our inability to offer ourselves the kindness, compassion and love like we would when someone else we love is going through such challenges. So my mission is to make people aware of the power of self-love and how it can help transform their lives!
How to Swing Dance
Presenter: Tonya Lehman
Audience: All Ages | Live at Mira Mesa Library
Learn to swing dance in a fun, audience participation lesson - no partner needed!