As the longest night approaches, so too does Martinborough’s annual “Mid-winter Monster Book Fair.”
First Church Martinborough uses proceeds from the Kirk Fairs in October and the February and March Martinborough Rotary Fairs to help with the funds necessary to maintain the Church and its grounds, pay rates, insurances etc. As with everything costs just keep going up and 4 years ago it was decided, as an additional fundraiser, a 3-day Book Fair would be trialled. The shortest weekend seemed a good time to hold such an event and to begin a weekend of book-perusing and purchasing, Friday evening’s Guest Speaker was Scott Tulloch who spoke to a captivated audience, of his career in children’s book-writing and illustrating .
This was followed by tea, coffee and some delectable delights after which the doors from the Supper Room were then opened to the Main Hall, whereby people were free to roam at their leisure and have first option at selecting from the hundreds of books on sale.
The first Book Fair was very well received and the two subsequent Fairs have been so successful that it has now become an annual event. People are very happy to donate their books for on-sale, and then come along over the weekend to stock up for the following year’s reading. With prices beginning at $1.00 and a huge selection of genre, it’s a good way to get rid of any small change and get in some good reading over the colder nights ahead.
This year’s speaker is the well-known identity Gareth Winter whose talk will be most interesting. Tickets for opening night, Friday 15th June, are available from the BNZ, Library, Martinborough Transport Depot and Sheryl Howie at P&K’s office. Doors will be open to everyone from 10.00am on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th.We look forward to seeing another huge crowd this year.
Donated books will still be gratefully received up to the opening night.
