Where’s Waldo? He’s hiding in Flintridge Bookstore and 24 other businesses in La Cañada Flintridge this July.
Flintridge Bookstore is one of 310 independent bookstores teaming up with Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the “Find Waldo Local” scavenger hunt. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July.
Families search for the iconic children’s book character with his red-and-white-striped shirt and black glasses hidden at 25 local spots: Flintridge Bookstore, Berge’s Sandwiches, Salon Bisou, Rhodes School of Music, Button Nose Pet Shop, Stepping Stones to Learning, Dish Restaurant, Fresh Brothers, Honeybird, La Cañada Pool & Patio, Round Table Pizza, Constellation Coffee, UPS Store, Stephanie’s Art Gallery/Framing, The Smoothie Shop, See’s Candy, Cakery Bakery, Penelope’s Café, Magikids Robotics Lab, Boba Boba, Luna Grill, Small Shop, Handel’s Ice Cream, Gio’s Baker & Café, and Los Gringos Locos.
The scavenger hunt supports the “Shop Local” movement by driving foot traffic to businesses along Foothill Boulevard.
To join in the fun, hopefuls can simply pick up a “Find Waldo Local in La Cañada Flintridge” stamp card at any of the participating stores. With each miniature Waldo they spot, participants get their card stamped. Eagle-eyed hunters can also look for Waldo’s special 2024 gold medal hidden in Flintridge Bookstore. Collecting stamps at 20 or more businesses will entitle diligent seekers entry into a grand-prize drawing for Waldo books and other prizes. All participants are welcome to attend the celebration and award party at Flintridge Bookstore on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 11 a.m. to noon, with pizza from Round Table and cupcakes from Cakery Bakery.
Martin Handford’s collections of crowd scenes took the world by storm in the late 1980s, and since then, the books have held a cherished place on bookstore shelves, in family libraries, and in classrooms around the world. More than 80 million Waldo books have been sold worldwide, and they’ve been translated into more than 30 languages.
For more information about hunting for Waldo in La Cañada Flintridge call Flintridge Bookstore at (818) 790-0717. To see a map of all participating stores, visit indiebound.org.
First published in the June 13 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
