The Rosslyn Business Improvement District has chosen literature as the vehicle through which they hope to unite the neighborhood, partnering with Carpe Librum and the Arlington County Public Library to bring the first-ever, all-day Rosslyn Reads! Spring Book Festival to Central Place Plaza from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on April 26.
A similar event hosted by Turning the Page, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring students receive needed educational resources, is responsible for inspiring Sophie Barrell, Rosslyn BID senior event manager, to create the festival, which coincides with Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2018.
Embracing the day, Rosslyn Reads! will attempt to appeal to all audiences via a pop-up bookstore selling used books, CDs and DVDs for $1-$5, a space for visitors to read peacefully, kid-friendly events like storytelling sessions and a puppet show courtesy of Arlington County Public Library, plus professional development services and free coffee provided by the Washington Business Journal for the adults in attendance.
“Rosslyn Reads! will offer a great spectrum of programming that should be of interest to many,” Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn BID, says. “There’s something for everyone from children and families to adults.”
All proceeds from the pop-up bookstore will support Turning the Page. For those in the area looking to declutter their bookshelves, donations are welcome.
“We are the shepherds of the neighborhood,” Burick said. “We work with different businesses to make sure Rosslyn thrives and is the neighborhood to be in.”
