Annual Book Sale celebrates Opening Night at Earl Warren Exposition Hall
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - More than 200 volunteers helped unpack and set up one of the most popular events among local and visiting book lovers at Earl Warren Showgrounds.
The Mary Jane McCord Planned Parenthood Annual Book Sale is now in its 47th year.
"It's a big event," said Tia Blickley, Event Co-Chair. "The event started in garages and then moved up to the big Warren Hall. We didn't have it last year because of COVID but this time we brought 3,440 banker boxes full of books."
Organizers filled five moving vans to move the books. And, there's a new addition this year.
"It's the first year we've done puzzles and we're very excited. We think all these people who did it during COVID got into jigsaw puzzles, we've got over 700 puzzles and games."
Blickley also touted 56 "category owners" with each containing different categories of books. Overall, a great selection of all genres including cooking books, pre-1960 vintage books, fine binding leather books, children's books, and occasionally, something rare or valuable.
"Somebody just came in and found one of these Chumash books that they've been looking for for a long time," said Blickley.
Doors open Thursday, September 16 at 4:00 p.m. for Opening Night. Admission is $25 that night only, then free throughout the 10 day sale which ends September 26.
The Annual Book Sale raises roughly $120,000. All proceeds go to the local branch of Planned Parenthood.
