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Past Events

Midsummer Books

Sep16
Amanda Foody, Wilderlore book cover
PastAuthor EventFishtown

Enter Wilderlore: An Evening with Amanda Foody

5:00 PM • Wednesday, September 16, 2026Midsummer BooksFree

Join us at Midsummer to meet Amanda Foody, author of the bestselling Wilderlore series, for a special after-school event celebrating the magic of books, imagination, and worldbuilding. Readers will have the chance to: Meet Amanda and hear about the world behind Wilderlore Discover how an author creates magical worlds and creatures Talk about Barclay Thorne and his adventures Ask questions and participate in an author Q&A Get books signed and meet the author Keep the adventure going! We're also launching a new Wilderlore Book Club at Midsummer Books! Readers can sign up at the author event to journey through the entire series together — exploring the stories, creating their own field guides and maps, designing creatures, and more. We're not just reading Wilderlore. We're entering it. Over the fall we will explore the entire series together with three meetings per book. Thoughout this adventure Amanda will help us kick off each new book in the series and answer burning questions along the way.

Sep6
Jess yoon and the Legend of Ban Dal
PastKidsJuvenile FictionFishtown

Story time and Meet the Author: Jessica Yoon

7:00 PM • Sunday, September 6, 2026Midsummer BooksFree

Meet Jessica Yoon as she reads her latest picture book, the Legend of Ban Dal This modern Korean folktale about how the Asian black bear got its characteristic patch is a timely story about the delicate balance humans have with nature and about the trappings of greed and overconsumption. We will have crafts, a chance to ask the author questions, and of course a cozy storytime great for all ages. About the author: Jessica Yoon is a #1 New York Times bestselling author from Philadelphia (Go Birds!). Her books include BLACKPINK: A Little Golden Book Biography, Jeong Is Jeong, Kpop Demon Hunters: The Official Deluxe Junior Novelization, The Legend of Ban-Dal, and My Little Golden Book About K-Pop. She is a member of the Harrisburg Asian Writers Collective and a recipient of the Boyds Mills Anti-Bias Book Bearer Scholarship. When not writing, Jessica enjoys Pilates, spicy food, and spending time with her husband and kids. You can find her online at jessicayoon.com, on Instagram, and Substack.

Aug25
Midsummer Nights Paper and Provisions
PastAdult BeveragesFishtown

Midsummer Nights: Meditative Drawing

7:00 PM • Tuesday, August 25, 2026Midsummer Books$20

A relaxing, mindful art workshop where participants draw structured patterns to focus the mind, reduce stress, and create beautiful, abstract keepsakes without needing prior drawing experience. Join us for a relaxing art night! Whether you are new to zentangle or practice it regularly, basic pattern repetition is something anyone can do! We will guide you through a few simple patterns and use these to create your own display-worthy art! Included in the cost: All supplies: Paper, pens, markers, etc Take-home art: Everyone finishes a unique piece Snacks and beverages Special Class Perk: Each class ticket includes 20% off one Midsummer Books purchase on the day of the event.

Aug22
philly Book Crawl
PastCommunity EventFishtown

Philly Book Crawl

9:00 AM • Saturday, August 22, 2026Our Mutual FriendPresented by Midsummer BooksFree

A whole day of stories, right here in Fishtown. Midsummer Books is joining the citywide Philly Bookstore Crawl, a yearly celebration of Philadelphia’s wildly vibrant and wonderful bookstore scene, with a full day of author signings, giveaways, and deals alongside our friend, Fingerprint Bookshop. Expect author signings, a discount bin worth digging through, a raffle, bonus prizes, and a raffle. Come spend the day with us at Our Mutual Friend Get a free tote Spend $35 or more in the shop and take home a free Our Mutual Friend tote — the perfect way to carry out everything else you find. Enter our raffle Enter to win a swag bag stuffed with Midsummer goodies and books — because who doesn't love free stuff? Low-priced books Dig through our discount bin for gently used books looking for a new home. Great finds, better prices.

Aug20
Midsummer Workshop
PastKidsFishtown

Squish Happens: DIY Stress Ball Workshop

4:30 PM • Thursday, August 20, 2026Midsummer Books$15

Join us for a hands-on workshop where you'll mix up your own natural cloud dough and squish it into a stress ball that's 100% yours: your texture, your fill, your vibe. We'll walk you through the whole process step by step (it's part science, part sensory chaos, entirely satisfying), and you'll walk out with a squish that puts the sold-out ones to shame. Materials and instructions included — just bring hands ready to get a little messy.