The “seed bomb” concept was originally developed by Masanobu Fukuoko, a Japanese farmer and philosopher, and it is a tactic used by “guerrilla gardeners” for greening abandoned lots. Come mix flower seeds with newspaper pulp and help beautify Syracuse. Open to ages 12 and up. No registration necessary.

James Baldwin's America is a community conversation that uses literature to explore our human experience. Facilitated by R. Deborah Davis of SUNY Oswego and Joseph Marusa (ret.) of Syracuse City School District, this program begins at 5 p.m. with a light dinner provided by the sponsors, followed by the discussion that begins promptly at 5:30. A reading packet will be provided at the first session. Participation is free, but registration is requested. Call (315) 399-4100. This program is supported by a grant from Humanities NY.

To celebrate Star Wars Day, Hazard Library will be making Star Wars-themed crafts, playing its LEGO Star Wars video game on Xbox One, and having a few galactic snacks. Open to ages 6 to 12.

Join the Central Library for popcorn and games in the TeenSpace every Friday. For teens ages 12 to 18. No registration required.

The newly formed South Side Collective, which provides community children with tools to communicate visually through photography, will host a photo exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, at the South Side Communication Center.

Celebrate Urban Birds Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Southside Academy Charter School. The event will feature a bird-art activity for younger children, and the school's science teacher will take a group outside on a bird walk to collect observation data for Cornell. Pizza and refreshments will be sold during lunch as a fundraiser for the school's athletic teams.

Join Betts Branch to help select the winners of "Poetry and Art in the Bus." The final selection of winners will be decided by the general public. Workshop providers: Martin Willitts Jr. (poetry) and Michael Sickler (drawings). This project was made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.

May 6 marks the nationwide Free Comic Book Day, and the Central Library will celebrate by helping others to create comics. In this workshop, participants will learn how to write stories, sketch thumbnails and develop your own characters. Open to ages 12 and up. No registration necessary.

A meeting of Syracuse United Neighbors will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at the Brady Faith Center. Special Guest Bill Simmons, director of Syracuse Housing Authority, will discuss what will happen to tenants concerning the I-81 Viaduct plans.

May is National Inventor’s Month, and Hazard Library is celebrating by experimenting with wind power. Participants will build a model wind turbine, then explore and test common materials to identify modifications that will improve it. Will wind power our future? That’s up to you. Open to ages 8 to 12.