Following the West Coast Book & Ephemera Trail

Coming up in October: a rare book crawl, if you will, down the West Coast of the United States. Several organizations have teamed up to schedule a series of events for bibliophiles, running from October 7-16. Said organizers: “Fall is a great time to visit, and we hope collectors of rare books, paper, and fine printing will start planning to make one or all of these events part of their future travel plans! Yes, it is possible to do it all!”

First stop: The Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair. Held October 8-9 at the Seattle Exhibition Hall, this is the Pacific Northwest’s biggest book event. More than seventy dealers are signed up to exhibit. Hours/admission: Saturday, October 8, 10 am-6 pm- $10; Sunday, October 9, 11 am-4 pm - $10.

Next: The Ephemera Society’s Mid-Year Gathering is happening Oct 10-13 in Portland, Oregon.     

Then: Rare Books LAX opens on October 14 at The Proud Bird in Los Angeles. Offering a wide variety of antiquarian books, ephemera, fine prints, maps, photography, and more. Hours/admission details: Friday, October 14: 5 pm-8 pm - $25 admission benefits our cultural partners; Saturday, October 15: 10 am-6 pm - $10 general admission; Sunday, October 15: 11 am-4 pm - $10 general admission. Free parking.

Plus: In conjunction with Rare Books LAX, the 47th Annual American Printing History Association (APHA) conference will also be held at The Proud Bird, October 13-15. The theme is “Making Artistic Noise,” which will explore the printing and printmaking revolution unleashed in the United States by the political and social movements of the 1960s and 1970s. The International Printing Museum (Carson, California), a Rare Books LAX cultural partner, is open to the public on Saturdays.

Staying in CA longer? Turn around and head back up to the Sacramento Antiquarian Book Fair on October 15. Hours/admission: 9:45 am-5 pm - $5.

And, last but not least, Biblio.live is hosting a West Coast-themed virtual fair from October 7-16.