The inaugural Catskills Book Trail will take off Saturday, April 25, scheduled to run for more than two weeks spotlighting 13 independent bookstores in the Catskills region.
The book trail will operate until May 10 and includes 13 book stores in the area. Individuals can pick up a passport at any of the participating bookstores on the map or the book trail’s sponsors Deer Mountain Inn and the Upstate Curious Team at Compass before starting their visits. No purchase is necessary to earn a stamp at each location.
“Of course we hope that people are supporting our independent bookstores with their fantastic selections of books and gifts and other fun stuff,” said Emily Helck, the founder of the Catskills Book Trail and owner of The Lost Bookshop in Delhi.
As individuals make their way to each book store and earn stamps, they will become eligible for different prizes. People who visit 12 or more will be entered in a drawing to win a $25 to each of the stores, with a $325 cumulative value. After visiting four spots, individuals can win a magnetic bookmark, at eight book stores they win a journal, and at 12 stores they will win a mug.
Helck said book trails take place across the country in other states, and she was looking for a way to “unite all of the bookstores in the Catskills.”
“We have a really strong literary community here, and I wanted to give visitors and residents alike an opportunity to experience all that we have to offer here,” Helck said.
She added that she was printing 1,000 passports for the event, calling it “ambitious.”
“We really are not quit sure what to expect in terms of response,” Helck said. “We have gotten a great reaction so far. People are really excited about it. We want to accommodate as many people as we can.”
The first day of the book trail falls on Independent Bookstore Day. With the last day of the book trail landing on Mother’s Day, Helck said, this could be a “fun, unusual activity” for the occasion.
“It felt like it’s a really nice thing to do with a mom who loves to read,” Helck said. “It’s a great alternative to another brunch, or an add-on to a brunch.”
Both dates will provide a nice “bookend,” Helck added.
While it is only 13 bookstores, she said, everything is fairly spread out in the Catskills. Helck said she encourages people to take their time and visit the local towns as well as the shops.
The Catskills Book Trail includes some used bookstores as well, Helck said, which are often less expensive. She said the trail will offer books that are only a few dollars, in addition to rare first editions that are very valuable. There are two children-focused stores on the trail — Ratty Books in Jeffersonville and The Dragon Wagon, a mobile bookshop pop-up participating April 25 only.
There will be a lot of books for both kids and adults, Helck said.
It is a challenging time for independent bookstores, she said, adding that people are “hungry for these in-person experiences.” In an age of bookstore ownership facing obstacles like book bans, it feels critical to be a presence providing a community space with access to the arts, she said.
Helck said becoming a bookstore owner is the dream of every child who grows up loving to read. She added that she feels very lucky to spend her life around books, sharing them with her community.
“I wanted to create an opportunity for people who love books and love reading to come together to explore our beautiful Catskills, our region, and get to connect with other people who love those things too,” Helck said.