Buy, browse books in fresh air at Rotary outdoor book sale in Chilliwack

Get ready to shop for books outside again, Chilliwack.

After the “overwhelming success” of last year’s Outdoor Book Sale, tables full of books will again be set up in a gravel lot this Saturday (Aug. 28), the Rotary Club of Chilliwack announced on Monday.

“With the very positive response we received from last year’s outdoor book sale, we knew we wanted to try and do it again,” said club president Karen Stanton. “Our Rotary building is bursting at the seams with books as community members have donated items throughout the year.”

With more people spending time at home throughout the pandemic, and without knowing last year if they would be able to go ahead with their annual week-long sale in October, the club brought the unique one-day outdoor event to Chilliwack readers last summer.

Fortunately, the week-long indoor Rotary Book Sale did go ahead last October, although it was moved from Chilliwack Mall to Chilliwack Heritage Park, a much larger venue.

READ MORE: Rotary Book Sale moves from Chilliwack Mall to Heritage Park

“Our annual book sale is hugely popular across the Fraser Valley. People come from across the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland to pick up some great quality books at a bargain price,” said Robyn Curtis, chair of the Rotary Book Sale committee. “We also want to support our teachers before the school year starts as well as children who have finished all of their summer reading.”

Most books will be $1 to $5, and there will be a selection of DVDs and records as well.

Like last year, the one-day book sale will take place in a lot outside the Rotary Service Building at 44870 Wolfe Rd. Foot traffic will be in one direction only, and only one person or family may be at a table of books at a time. Credit/debit machines will be available for contactless payment.

“Being outside means there is lots of room for people to spread out and distance from others,” said Anita Rogers, fundraising and grants director for the club.

They are also in need of more volunteers. Folks can help out the day before, the day of, or the day after the sale. To volunteer, email rotaryclubofchilliwack@gmail.com.

The one-day Chilliwack Rotary Club Outdoor Book Sale is Saturday, Aug. 28 (weather permitting) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rotary Service Building (44870 Wolfe Rd.) at the west end of Townsend Park. Free parking is available on the east side of the building.