Live music, adult beverages and cozy reads are drawing bookworms into Norfolk for The Ghent Rooftop Bar\u2019s Boozy Bookfair Thursday and Friday.<\/p>\n
Raina Mayhugh, the event\u2019s organizer and co-owner of the bar, said she wanted to recreate the excitement of elementary school book fairs, but for adults.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was always the best day at school.\u201d<\/p>\n
So Mayhugh started inviting local independent bookshops and readers to the restaurant in The Palace Shops & Station on 21st Street. The quarterly fairs over the last year and a half have grown exponentially.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore people are reading,\u201d she said, \u201cI think people are just kind of tired of the doom scrolling.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is the first two-day Boozy Bookfair, with more partners and attendees expected than before.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s supposed to be an easy place to come and get together,\u201d Mayhugh said. With the live music, communal dining on the rooftop and drinks, attendees can mingle or sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a ton of space in the venue. If you want to be alone, you can be; if you want to group up and talk, you can do that too.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event and parking are free, and the evening is kid-friendly with book options for all ages.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good way for the kids to see that books are fun,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
With the increasing popularity of each fair, Mayhugh has been hosting a variety of book-related events, including book clubs, blind dates with books and book bedazzling parties. In September, the rooftop bar will host a fantasy ball, the Faye Revel.<\/p>\n
People are encouraged to wear costumes, evening gowns and cosplay as beloved characters from fantasy books. The event will feature dance lessons, henna tattoos, a magician, music, prizes, whimsical decor and more.<\/p>\n
The Faye Revel is ticketed, but during the event, the parking lot will host The Shadow Market, a free event with more than 50 craft and artisan vendors.<\/p>\n