Four Big July Book Fairs in the MidWest - St. Paul, St. Louis, Detroit & Chicago Celebrate Books

July 8-9 (Friday & Saturday)

Schoenecker Arena, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.

This fair caters to both experienced and beginning collectors. It hosts vendors who have decades of experience in bookselling offering items of major historical and literary significance. Many of these dealers also pride themselves on their selection of books and manuscripts connected to underrepresented groups in the historical record. A list of participating exhibitors can be found at: https://minnesotaantiquarianbookfair.wordpress.com/our-booksellers/

The in-person portion of the Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair runs from 3 to 7 p.m.on Friday, July 8th, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 9th. Tickets are $7 good for both days. Free admission for kids under 12, as well as St. Thomas students and faculty.

The fair takes place in the Schoenecker Arena at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. The Arena is in the Anderson Athletic Complex and Recreation Center. For map and parking information go to: https://minnesotaantiquarianbookfair.wordpress.com/about/

A panel discussing the Antiquarian Book Seminar, is scheduled for 1 pm on Saturday the 9th. At that time three graduates of the CABS-Minnesota will discuss what CABS means to them and to the rare book community at-large. The panelists will also discuss current efforts towards increasing the inclusivity of the book trade.

Panelists this year are: Ken Sanders - noted Salt Lake City, UT rare book specialist; Kara McLaughlin - proprietor of Little Sages Rare Books and Paper of Longmont, CO and Jaime Harker - founder of Violet Valley Bookstore, in Water Valley, Mississippi. She is a professor of English and director of the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies at the University of Mississippi.

General email contact for the two day event is tcantiquarianbookfair@gmail.com

For those who can not make it to Minnesota in person, a virtual incarnation is presented online at https://mnabf.getmansvirtual.com/

July 14-18 (Thurs. through Mon.)

St Louis Book Fair

Kennedy Recreation Center, 6050 Wells Rd, St. Louis, MO

The 2022 edition of the St. Louis Book Fair bills itself as the Midwest’s largest charity book event. Since 1950, this book fair has been a favorite destination of book lovers and collectors nationwide. Volunteers work year-round gathering over one million new, gently used, and rare items from individuals, estates, businesses, and other organizations. Fair proceeds assist local education and literacy programs with operational expenses, student aid, and other financial needs.

In addition to general interest material the fair also features rare and collectible items. To learn more about what is available visit https://stlouisbookfair.org/rare-collectible-books/

For dates and times see the schedule at: https://stlouisbookfair.org/the-book-fair-details/

Admission is FREE Friday through Sunday.

There is a paid preview on Thurs., July 14, for details see the website.

Payment options for preview admission and all items purchased include cash, check, or credit card (Mastercard & VISA accepted)

The last hours of the fair are reserved for pre-registered St. Louis non profit organizations who can take what is left at no charge. Non-Profit Day is closed to the public and limited to pre-registered 501(c)(3) organizations.

Interested in being a volunteer? Late in June (when this article was written) there were still open slots; for info https://stlouisbookfair.org/volunteer/

For questions about the event which are not answered at the site call: (314) 993-1995 or Email: info@stlouisbookfair.org

July 17 (Sunday) FREE

Detroit Festival of Books

Eastern Market, Shed 5, Detroit, MI

The Book Club of Detroit presents the 5th Annual Detroit Festival of Books on Sunday July 17. The free day long event is the largest book show in Michigan. Vendors from all over the US and Canada will showcase their wares including: used, rare, antiquarian, authors, children’s, new, unusual, ephemera, comic books, vinyl LP records, creative arts, and more. Fair hours are 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.(rain or shine) in Shed #5 of Detroit’s Eastern Market (2934 Russell St.)

Visit the Bookfest’s website https://detroitbookfest.com/ for details including parking, bathrooms, food, music and beer.

Sponsors include longtime Detroit book dealer John K. King Used & Rare Books, DBusiness Magazine and the City of Detroit. It also notes that there will also be a virtual Bookfest from July 15-17 and gives application information.

July 29-31 (Friday-Sunday) FREE

Newberry Library Book Fair

Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.Chicago, IL.

Chicago’s most popular used-book sale is back! Browse through thousands of books in dozens of genres, including fiction, philosophy, history, art, cooking, children’s literature, and much, much more. Many items are priced at $3 or less. Everything for sale at the volunteer-led Book Fair is generously donated, and all proceeds help further the Newberry’s mission to foster a deeper understanding of our world through research and learning.

Book Fair is cashless: only debit and credit cards accepted.
Please bring your own shopping bags.
Public transportation to the Book Fair is recommended, as street parking is limited.

The Newberry offers a Preview Day on Thurs. July 28: Members of the Newberry Associates at the Authors level and above ($100 or more/year) are invited to Book Fair Preview Day on Thursday, July 28. To learn more about the benefits of supporting the Newberry, or to make a gift, please visit Annual Support and Membership or contact the Development office at (312) 255-3581 or via email at contributions@newberry.org.

Sat. July 30- Free Chicago Storytelling in Bughouse Square coincides with the 2022 Newberry Book Fair. This free outdoor in-person event is on Saturday in Washington Square Park (“Bughouse Square”) across the street from the Newberry from 1-4. It celebrates the power of storytelling and its role in shaping our city.

People from across Chicago and beyond are invited to listen to a series of authors and storytellers, and even share their own stories in facilitated Story Circles. See the schedule at https://www.newberry.org/07302022-chicago-storytelling-bughouse-square

The festivities will also include the presentation of the Newberry’s first annual Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award. The award will be presented to Dawn Turner, author of Three Girls from Bronzeville.

Throughout the afternoon in the park, food trucks will provide sustenance, and the Newberry Book Fair may provide inspiration. Visitors can make their way inside the Newberry to browse thousands of used books in dozens of categories.

Explore other events taking place in Bughouse Square this summer, including Make Music Chicago 2022, 50-Minute Hamlet, and Bughouse Square: A History in Song and Story.