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PHOTO: Evelyn Wong, of Fireball Bookbindery, talks with customers at the book fair. (Ella Fenderson photo)
LEWISTON – The first ever Safe Voice Grown-Up Book Fair, held Feb. 16 in Auburn, has been deemed such a success that next year’s event has already been scheduled.
More than 210 book lovers attended the event, held in the Hilton Garden Inn Riverwatch ballroom, to raise money for Safe Voices, the domestic abuse and sex trafficking resource center that serves Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.
Authors Lynn Steger Strong, Melody Paul, and Lynne Schmidt sold signed copies of their work and chatted with attendees about books, writing, and their work as authors in Maine. Books were provided by Lewiston’s Quiet City Books and Farmington’s Devaney, Doak & Garrett. The Lewiston, Auburn and Turner libraries also held used book sales to benefit their library programs.
The night also included more than a dozen vendors selling classic book fair favorites like sticky notes, bookmarks, stationery and pens.
Next year’s Grown-Up Book Fair is scheduled for Feb. 1.
“Overall, it was a very Maine-forward event,” said Grace Kendall, Safe Voices director of development and engagement. “Safe Voices works hard to be active members of the communities we serve. When a survivor needs to reach out to us, it’s easier for them to do that if they’ve seen us out in the community and maybe even already met some staff. So when an opportunity comes along to do an event like this, where we raise money for our work, do something good for our community and tell more people about Safe Voices, we get really excited.”
Kendall added, “We’re so happy the community responded so that it was such a good experience for the independent businesses who took part. The Grown-Up Book Fair will definitely be one of our signature annual events going forward.”
Natalie Pollock, general manager of the Hilton, said, “It’s exciting to bring new events and ideas into the L-A area. We look forward to exploring more creative events like this in the area and showing there’s no need to drive to Portland for fun.”
