People inside Cosmic Monkey Comics in Northeast Portland on National Free Comic Book Day, May 7, 2022 (Andy Johnson)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The first-ever Portland Book Week has commenced at dozens of local bookstores that will offer discounts, raffles, author talks and all-things literary.
Held at 50 independent bookstores in the Portland area, the inaugural event runs from Monday, June 10 through Sunday, June 16.
According to organizers, the week will serve as “a celebration of our city’s thriving and ever-evolving literary community.”
“The goal of Portland Book Week is to showcase the vibrancy of our independent bookstore community, foster connections between literary-minded people across the city, and to geek out about books together,” Event Co-organizer and Powell’s City of Books Store Manager Bry Hoeg said in a statement.
With Powell’s on the heels of its busy warehouse sale — which was its first in at least 20 years — each location will participate in the inaugural event.
Other participating Portland stores include Cosmic Monkey Comics, Daedalus Books and Future Dreams Books. Locations throughout Beaverton, Oregon City, Milwaukie, Gresham and Southwest Washington are involved as well.
The retailers will host a variety of events, ranging from blind book swaps to trivia nights to poetry slams.
One of the “gold star literary events” is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at LGBTQ-owned shop Bishop & Wilde, where four writers will host a “Big Gay Reading” amid Pride Month.
The Rose City Book and Paper Fair, another highlighted event, will bring 60 book vendors to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland this Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aside from the $5 fair, most of the Portland Book Week events are free to attendees. Organizers are offering additional prizes to attendees who fill out and submit the bookstore crawl bingo by Sunday.
Find a full list of retailers and events online.
