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In case you missed it, New York City is going car-free next week for Earth Day and, to celebrate, Broadway is being turned into a bookish block party with free reads, free refreshments and live literary programming. On Wednesday, April 22 from 11am to 6pm, book lovers can head down to Broadway between 36th and 37th Streets outside Gotham Hall and find "On the Road: A Bookmobile Block Party," an open-air and open-to-the-public literary event presented in partnership by House of SpeakEasy and the Garment District Alliance. That's a fun change from your favorite local bookstore, no?
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The block party will feature a free book distribution, complimentary lemonade served by the Garment District Alliance and live literary programming throughout the day, bringing House of SpeakEasy's "mission to the streets of Manhattan and inviting the public to experience the transformative power of reading," per organizers.
The event will also mark the debut of House of SpeakEasy’s new fleet of three Bookmobiles, each designed to bring free books directly to the communities that need them most: The flagship box truck Bookmobile is themed “We the People” in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of American independence; an all-electric pop-up Bookmobile will feature the artwork of beloved illustrator Richard Scarry; and the new House of SpeakEasy Sprinter Bookmobile sports the artwork of acclaimed author-illustrator James Yan.
“At House of SpeakEasy, we believe that book ownership should be a right, not a privilege. Owning a book is a unique form of wealth. What the SpeakEasy Bookmobile is doing is enabling that wealth to be shared,” said Amanda Foreman, co-founder and board chair at House of Speakeasy. Barbara A. Blair, President of the Garment District Alliance, concurred, saying: “We’re proud to partner with House of SpeakEasy to transform Broadway into a pedestrian-friendly destination, bringing books and literary programming to New Yorkers in celebration of Car-Free Earth Day. This event reflects the energy and creativity that define the Garment District, fostering a vibrant, welcoming neighborhood for all who live in, work in, and visit Midtown Manhattan.”
Check out more information here and get ready to snag your next great beach read!