Finding Waldo returns to downtown Farmington this July. Visit Devany, Doak and Garrett Booksellers on Broadway to get a stamp card to play along. Pictured: DDG’s Waldo, Nicholas Cole is dressed as Waldo with his parade award in 2023 in Farmington. Courtesy Photo/Kenny Brechner

FARMINGTON — Where’s Waldo? The beloved character in a red-and-white striped shirt and black-rimmed glasses will be hidden as little cardboard standees in 20 downtown Farmington businesses this July.

“Find Waldo Local” is a free, family-friendly summer activity and a way to support local businesses, including 3D Games, Mixed Up, Reny’s and Divine Footwear. “This is a national event that began in 2012,” said Kenny Brechner, owner of Devaney, Doak and Garrett Booksellers [DDG] Booksellers. “We did it every year except during COVID.”

It is sponsored by the publisher Candlewick Press and 250 bookstores participate around the country 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 for the entire month of July.

Starting July 1, anyone can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Downtown Farmington!” stamp card at DDG Booksellers, which contains the names of all the participating sites. There is a Waldo gold medallion hidden in DDG Booksellers, so keen-eyed hunters can find that as well.

“Local merchants hide Waldo in their stores during the month of July,” Brechner explained. “We provide a passport that lists all the different stores participating in the event. They go to each store to find Waldo, and they then have the passport signed. When they have 18 or more signatures and bring it back to DDG Booksellers, they get a pin and some prizes and sign up for big prize drawings for the Where’s Waldo Party that takes place July 31 at DDG. We have cakes, games, and giveaways. We have seven or eight prize categories. Every year we save all the cardboard Waldo standees, and we put them in our window and the kids guess how many Waldo in the window.”

Devaney, Doak & Garrett is again running the annual Find Waldo Local scavenger hunt in downtown Farmington until July 31. Participants are tasked finding the eponymous character of the “Where’s Waldo?” series placed in different businesses across downtown. Pictured, DD&G employee Nicholas Cole, dressed as Waldo, hands out Find Waldo passports at Farmington’s 2022 Fourth of July Parade, where DD&G won first place in the walkers category for the first time after sending the character to the parade many times. File photo/Franklin Journal

“People love it, they look forward to it each year,” Brechner said.  “All the stores are downtown Farmington, 20 stores, all within walking distance. The store has a window cling in the windows at participating stores.” He said 150–200 people participated in searching for Waldo last year.

Waldo will also make an appearance in the Fourth of July parade taking place July 4 at 10 a.m. with the route going along Broadway  and other streets in Farmington. “We have a tradition of Waldo parade excellence,” Brechner noted. “We’ve won first and second place.”

For more information about hunting for Waldo in Downtown Farmington, call DDG Booksellers at 207–778–3454.