Booksellers Wrap Up Find Waldo Local

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Find Waldo Local, Candlewick’s longtime program supporting independent bookstores and promoting the shop local movement, went digital for 2020. Candlewick and the American Booksellers Association worked together to create a turnkey digital Waldo scavenger hunt for independent bookstores to host this summer.

This year’s digital campaign has run the entire summer, from July 1 to August 31.

Here are some of the ways bookstores participated in the digital event: 

Old Firehouse Books, in Fort Collins, Colorado, posted to Instagram: “Happy weekend! We hope you are staying safe inside away from the smoke, and we are sending good thoughts to all the people currently fighting the blaze and being evacuated. We hope they are all staying safe! We are back with another Find Waldo day! Your task: identify what popular book Waldo is hiding out inside of. We are almost at the end of our virtual Where’s Waldo event. Thanks to everyone who has been participating.”

CoffeeTree and The Fuzzy Duck in Morehead, Kentucky, posted to Instagram: “Waldo has packed up all his supplies and is virtually ready for the first day of school! Since he will be returning to school, he must say his farewell to his friends at CoffeeTree and The Fuzzy Duck until next summer!”

Winchester Book Gallery in Winchester, Virginia, posted to Instagram: “3 families and 6 great friends! Thanks for joining us for Find Waldo Local this year!!”

R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut, posted to Instagram: “Find a new favorite treat this summer with these amazing cookbooks for kids (and a fun themed Matching game)! Wait, does Waldo have a sweet tooth?”

Horton’s Books & Gifts in Carrollton, Georgia, posted to Instagram: “I’m searching for someone, can you guess who?”

Chapters Books & Gifts in Seward, Nebraska, posted to Instagram: “We've been hosting a Waldo hunt at Chapters on our Facebook page all month, but now it's your turn! Drop by Chapters to pick up a Waldo coloring sheet, then send us pictures of Waldo hiding around YOUR place! We'll be featuring your very own Waldos throughout August on our social media, and we look forward to seeing where Waldo hides in your neck of the words!”