Find Waldo in Dixon during ‘Shop Local’ campaign

Where’s Waldo? In Dixon, of course.

Find Waldo Local has become a beloved summertime event in communities nationwide. This year, Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association are again teaming up with 325 independent bookstores nationwide, including Books on First in Dixon, for some hide-and-seek fun designed to encourage residents to patronize their local businesses.

There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts until the end of July.

Families join the scavenger hunt to find the iconic children’s book character, with his red-and-white-striped shirt and black glasses, hidden in 24 local businesses, including Fresco on First, Moore Tires, Rockin Nutrition and more. Find Waldo Local is a way to support the Shop Local movement by increasing foot traffic to a variety of stores.

To join in the fun, people can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Dixon” stamp card at any of the participating stores. With each miniature Waldo they spot, searchers get their card stamped or signed by the participating shop.

Eagle-eyed hunters can look for Waldo’s special 2025 red-and-white-striped magnifying glass in Books on First.

Collecting 20 or more signatures/stamps will get diligent seekers entry into a grand-prize drawing for Waldo books and other prizes, including gift cards and other goodies. All participants are welcome to attend the celebration party at 1 p.m. Aug. 2 at Books on First.

Martin Handford’s collections of crowd scenes took the world by storm in the late 1980s, and since then the books have held a cherished place on bookstore shelves, in family libraries and classrooms around the world. More than 80 million Waldo books have been sold worldwide, and they’ve been translated into more than 30 languages.

For information about hunting for Waldo in Dixon, call Books on First at 815-631-4418. To see a map of all participating stores, visit www.indiebound.org/waldo.