The Elting Memorial Library’s 59th annual book fair will take place this Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in New Paltz. Each year, the fair attracts hundreds of local residents, book collectors and visitors looking for some literary bargains, or just to catch up with friends and neighbors and support their local library hub. No matter what genre you enjoy — whether it be cookbooks, popular fiction, autobiographies, nonfiction, children’s books, architecture, gardening or even books written in foreign languages — there is something for everyone at the fair.
For those who take their books and their book bargains seriously, there is the ever-popular Early Bird fee of $10, which allows entrance to the book tent from 8 to 9 a.m., an hour earlier than it opens for free to the general public.
Although the book fair is the hallmark of the event, there is also a raffle with over 100 prizes and gift certificates to be awarded, with the top two prizes being, first, a two-night, midweek stay for two at Mohonk Mountain House and, second, a farm-to-table dinner for four from Main Course. This year, there will be a special kid’s only raffle, tickets 25 cents each. Also, there will be a large flea market, as well as food, plants, jewelry, crafts and toys. While parents or grandparents peruse the book tent or flea market or chat with friends, there will be a host of children’s activities to keep the young ones engaged, including a lollipop game; a kidz-on-the-go soft playscape with rock climbing, web crawls and a ten-foot slide; face painting; pumpkin decorating; and a design-your-own book jacket contest. There will also be a kid’s dress up and photo booth.
The book sale, only, will continue on Sunday, September 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more, call the Elting Library at 255-5030. The library will be plastic-bag and -bottle free this year. Fair attendees are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags and drinking water. The library will have reusable shopping bags for sale for $1. Fair location is in the parking lot of the library, located just off Church Street and the corner of North Front Street in downtown New Paltz.
Join the family! 
