CATONSVILLE, Md. — A Catonsville bookstore is bringing the classic "Where's Waldo?" search to 27 local businesses, encouraging families to shop local while having fun this summer.
Growing Minds Bookstore on Winters Lane in Catonsville is organizing the "Find Waldo Local" event throughout July, a traditionally slower month for local businesses.
"Find Waldo Local is a chance for families to come out and engage with the local businesses in town. It's a free activity for them, and it's just a lot of fun," Jennifer Matthews, owner of Growing Minds Bookstore, told WMAR-2 News.
We keep asking "Where's Waldo?" Well, here's somewhere in Catonsville. Hear how you can find him:
The month-long event, sponsored by Waldo's publisher Candlewick Press, places the iconic character in 27 different locations around town, encouraging participants to visit local shops they might not otherwise discover.
"This is a lot of fun because it brings everybody out, it gets people in your stores, and gets them into places they might not have been before," Matthews added.
Lisa Swayhoover, owner of Better World Imaginarium on Frederick Road, is one of the participating businesses where Waldo can be found hiding.
"It's a nice opportunity for them to go into different businesses. People who haven't been here before find out about my business because of this, and vice versa. I promote this and people are just learning about Growing Minds Bookstore for the first time," Swayhoover said.
Families can pick up a "passport" at the bookstore or other participating locations to track their Waldo findings throughout town.
The event not only supports local businesses, but also introduces the beloved character to a new generation of readers.
"So, it's a fun way to get people engaged with Waldo books, which most of us as parents read when we were kids, so it's kind of getting the next generation in, and supporting your local businesses," Matthews said.
The search continues through July, with a celebration planned for August 1 at the bookstore for all participants, regardless of how many Waldos they find.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
