Bookshop Brings ‘Find Waldo’ Event to Downtown State College

The Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop in downtown State College is hosting “Find Waldo Local,” an event co-sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and Candlewick Press, the publishing house of the wildly popular “Where’s Waldo” children’s book series. 

The bookshop was one of 300 locally owned bookstores nationwide picked to participate after owner Andrew Aschwanden submitted his application.

Children and their families, as well as anyone who wants to partake in the fun, are invited to visit local stores that were chosen by Aschwanden for a special Find Waldo passport. The first 125 people who collect 10 unique stamps or signatures on the passport and return it to the bookshop at 103 S. Allen St. will receive a Waldo temporary tattoo and a $1 coupon off any “Where’s Waldo” book. 

Collectors who get 15 or more stamps or signatures will also receive the same rewards as well as an entry to win grand prizes, including a deluxe set of Waldo books.

The deadline is Saturday, July 29, when a celebration with Waldo-related activities and a prize drawing will be held at 4 p.m. at the bookshop.

The following downtown businesses are participating: Freeze Thaw Cycles, McLanahan’s Downtown Market, Connections, Schlow Library, Growing Tree Toys, Kitchen Kaboodle, Nittany Quill, Comic Swap, Reini Goldsmiths & Jewelers, Duck Donuts, Downtown State College Improvement District, Webster’s Bookstore Cafe, Lions Pride, Lion & Cub, Harpers, Way Fruit Farm Downtown, W.C.Clarke’s The Cheese Shoppe and IQ Skate Shop.

“Find Waldo Local” was founded in 2012 as a promotion for booksellers across the country to encourage shopping local.