RALEIGH, NC — Where’s Waldo? In Raleigh, of course! The famous children’s book character in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting twenty-two local businesses throughout our community this July. Find Waldo Local is a great summer vacation activity and a wonderful way to support local businesses and the Shop Local Raleigh movement in our community, including these partners:

• Always Poppin’ Gourmet Popcorn

• Burke Brothers Hardware

• Crowemag Toys

• Edible Art Bakery & Dessert Cafe

• Edward McKay Used Books & More

• Escazu Chocolates

• Gameday Sports Outlet

• Galatea Boutique

• Great Yarns Etc.

• Mobley’s Shoes

• NOFO @ the Pig

• Quail Ridge Books

• Rise Biscuits & Donuts

• Seaboard Ace Hardware

• Stone’s Education & Toys

• The Alley

• The Carolina Popcorn Shoppe

• The Cupcake Shoppe & Bakery

• The Green Monkey

• Treat

• Unleashed- City Market or Lake Boone Location

• Videri Chocolate Factory

Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Raleigh!” passport, which contains the names of all the participating sites, and get their passport stamped or signed for each Waldo they spot. Collecting store stamps or signatures at ten or more businesses will entitle diligent seekers entry into a grand-prize drawing on August 6, with the top prize being a six-volume deluxe set of Waldo books. This year, participants can also #ColorWaldoAndWin: when they share a completed coloring sheet of Waldo on Instagram, they’ll be entered into a drawing to be one of five lucky winners of a deluxe prize pack.

Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in the late eighties. Since then, the Where’s Waldo? books have held a cherished spot on bookstore shelves the world over. There are now over 65 million Waldo books in print worldwide, and they’ve been translated into over thirty languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.

In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is once again teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and two hundred and fifty independent bookstores across the country for some hide-and-seek fun to encourage communities to patronize their local businesses. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo in Raleigh, call Quail Ridge Books at (919) 828-1588