Kimberly Hoffman
Lords and ladies of Columbus, the Bartholomew County Public Library is inviting the community to A Bookish A’Faire, its second annual Library After Dark fundraiser.
There will be juggling, jousting and jolly Renaissance-themed activities as the Friends of the Library raises money for the summer reading program.
During the event, on March 22 from 7 to 9:30 p.m., guests can partake in jousting with pool noodles, loom knitting, fairy tale themed trivia and much more, Marketing and Community Relations Manager Maddie Paul said. Miles Eddy, also known as Sebastian the Juggling Jester, will also perform two shows throughout the evening and interact with guests throughout the evening.
Tickets for “A Bookish A’Faire” are $40 per ticket and it is a 21 and older event. Tickets can be purchased at the circulation desk or on mybcpl.org. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes.
The Columbus Mandolin Orchestra will perform Renaissance music with a 15-piece orchestra during the event, according to Vice President of the Friends of the Library Board Kimberly Hoffman. A cash bar provided by Columbus Bar and catering from Elev8 Events will be offered, as well as a silent auction with items donated from local businesses such as Zen Wellness, she said.
“We’re really excited about the vendors that we have because the Mandolin Orchestra, they just recently formed like within the last year or two. Elev8 is a women-owned business, minority business,” Hoffman said. “Columbus Bar is an established organization here in Columbus and really gives back a lot to the community, so (we’re) really excited to use all of these people.”
The event will be the second Friends of the Library fundraiser held after a successful 1920s-themed event last year, Hoffman said. She said they chose to do a Renaissance Faire to match the summer reading program’s theme, and because they really wanted to do a Renaissance Fair.
“… we also had so much fun last year that we just wanted to do it again, it was just so much fun. And we were the organizers so you know we’re running around trying to keep everything going for everybody but still, it was fun for us,” Hoffman said. “Just to see all the guests really enjoying themselves because they were really having fun.”
Fundraising from the event will go towards the library’s summer reading program and purchasing its prizes, as well as the teen book boxes and art events. Hoffman said one of the big things Friends of the Library does is fundraising so the library can offer these programs, with their two biggest fundraisers being the Library After Dark events and the book sale. She said she looks forward to dressing up like a fairy, but she mostly looks forward to being able to help the library.
“That’s the big thing is it’s awesome to have all this fun and while we’re having the fun be able to provide for the library,” Hoffman said. “So, I think that’s probably the overall goal, it’s super fun to dress up, it’s super fun to get together and joust and watch a juggler and listen to music, but in the end if you could have all that fun plus help the library, that just makes it all worthwhile.”
