Find Waldo Local

The campaign, which runs the entire month of July, brings together small business communities across the nation in hosting scavenger hunts for the striped and bespectacled picture book character. 

ABA member stores have until Sunday, March 1, to sign up for the campaign, which is co-sponsored by Candlewick Press and ABA. Participation is capped at 250 stores.

New this year, booksellers will receive a special mini Waldo standee, dressed just a little differently from the others to see if eagle-eyed Waldo searchers can spot the difference.

Candlewick will once again provide 250 host bookstores with a toolkit containing everything needed to launch a Find Waldo Local event in their communities.

Booksellers discussed strategies for planning and marketing such events as Independent Bookstore Day, Find Waldo Local, and Here’s Harry. 

This July, independent booksellers nationwide celebrated another year of Find Waldo Local, the shop-local challenge co-sponsored by Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association.

Indie bookstores across the country are taking to social media in preparation for the eighth annual celebration of Find Waldo Local.

Registration will be capped at 250 ABA member stores for the July event, which serves as a campaign to promote the value of shopping locally.