Book lovers can turn the page to their next great read at the Sarau Winter Sale, where thousands of donated books are waiting to be discovered.
The annual sale takes place on 25-26 July in the Moutere Hills Community Centre and coordinator Jenny Leith says it usually raises about $10,000 for the local community. Most of the books have a $3 price tag, apart from the odd specialist book.
She was one of the creators of the former Sarau Festival in 2009, which celebrated the local blackcurrant harvest. Pre-loved books were part of that event and the sheer volume of them prompted the winter sale, with 2,000 to 3,000 books donated each year.
“The jolly things breed! We thought one winter weekend, we’d sell books. It was so popular and it’s grown and grown. The people come! It’s always busy from the start.”
Pre-loved clothing has also become a part of the sale, while some years have included curtains, children’s toys, and even kitchen equipment. Books remain the big drawcard of the sale though, and Jenny says that there is always a good range of recent novels in the mix.
This year, a group of textile students from Motueka High School are organising the clothing section of the winter sale as a fundraiser for their upcoming trip to WOW in Wellington.
Book lovers hunting for their next read can recharge at the pop-up café with homemade soup and scones.
Money raised from the winter sale goes to the Sarau Community Trust, where trustees distribute it annually to the community, including the Moutere Kai Collective, Moutere Hills Community Centre and activities for young people.
The doors open between 11am and 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday and Jenny says that they always try to have live music for entertainment.
