Where’s Waldo Local Returns This Summer!

One of our favorite activities in Astoria during the summer is the annual Where’s Waldo hunt, a month-long event around the neighborhood for one of America’s most beloved characters, Waldo. It’s again being organized by the fine folks at the Astoria Bookshop.

The event starts July 1 and ends July 29. To participate, all you you have to do is go to participating local shops and pick up an official Waldo passport. Find Waldo, a six-inch tall cardboard character, complete with his signature striped shirt, located in any public part of each participating business. Then get the passport stamped (or signed) at each location where you find him! And while hunting for Waldo is pretty fun in and of itself, there will be bonuses:

• The first 125 players who collect store stamps/signatures from at least 10 different businesses and turn their passports into the Astoria Bookshop win an “I Found Waldo” button and a “$1 Off” coupon.
• Players who collect at least 20 of the 25 possible stamps/signatures win an “I Found Waldo” button and a “$1 Off” coupon PLUS they are entered in a drawing on July 30 for other larger prizes.

Here is the complete list of participating businesses:

• 60 Beans Coffee & Tea, 36-02 Ditmars Blvd
• A Dancer’s Closet, 42-16 28th Avenue
• Art House Astoria, 23-35 Broadway
• Astoria Bier & Cheese -35-11 Ditmars Blvd
• Astoria Bookshop, 31-29 31st Street
• Astoria Coffee, 30-04 30th Street
• The Brass Owl, 36-19 Ditmars Blvd
• Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Co, 35-09 Ditmars Blvd
• Chateau le Woof, 30-02 14th Street
• The Geekery HQ, 42-11 Broadway
• HiFi Records, 23-19 Steinway Street
• Inside Astoria, 28-07 Ditmars Blvd
• La Bomboniera Marylu, 34-19 28th Avenue
• Lavender Label, 29-03 23rd Avenue
• Lockwood, 32-15 33rd Street
• Luludi Living Art Inc., 23-07 24th Avenue
• OK Café, 22-04 33rd Street
• Petals and Roots, 31-27 31st Street
• QED, 27-16 23rd Avenue
• Raising Astoria, 26-11 23rd Avenue
• RESOBOX, 41-26 27th Street
• The Stonework, 37-06 Ditmars Blvd
• Tea & Milk, 32-02 34th Avenue
• Whiskers Holistic Pet Care, 19-31 Ditmars Blvd

Here’s a handy-dandy map of all the locations, too:

On July 30 there will be a big party at the Astoria Bookshop. Turn in your passport and you’ll be entered into the grand prize drawing, which will likely include Waldo postcards and books, and other goodies from local establishments. Good chance there will be many of the business owners attending—this will be a good chance to meet local shop owners, say hello, and even fangirl/fanboy your favorite folks.

We anticipate this will be another great Where’s Waldo event! Big thanks to the Astoria Bookshop for organizing.

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Summer Reading Challenge: Book Bingo! | ShelfTalker June 6th, 2017

[…] of the reasons Candlewick’s Where’s Waldo? annual summer contest — in which bookstores engage local retailers in a fun competition that brings customers into all […]

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