Bayfield, Wis. (May 24, 2024)—Three years ago, Honest Dog Books store owner Julie Buckles received a donation from a social media follower who told her to buy a banned book and give it to a person or institution in need. She, in turn, posted a message about the donation, and other customers followed the first donor’s lead, donating banned books for give-aways.
Overwhelmed by the generosity, Honest Dog Books celebrated with a small party in the Bayfield, Wis. Store featuring music and book giveaways. Last year, the party expanded to become the second annual “Stand With the Banned” street party, with music, hot dogs, and more book giveaways. The event proved so popular, Buckles found herself running to the grocery store to buy more hot dogs and she knew she had started something that she wanted to continue.
“I was hoping that book banning would slow down and I could just put together a block party,” she said. “But the pressure to ban books has only increased, so here we are again.”
The 2024 Stand With the Banned street party, co-sponsored by Honest Dog Books and Penny Print Studio, will be held 4-7 p.m. June 8 at the bottom of Bayfield’s Manypenny Avenue, featuring three bands, food for purchase, book giveaways, and the opportunity to support free access to books and reading.
Buckles said while the street party is great fun, the issue behind it is serious.
“Public libraries and school libraries are facing increased pressure from organized groups seeking to keep books away from the public,” she said. “As an independent bookstore owner and an involved citizen, I can’t ignore the threat to intellectual freedom book bans pose.”
Indeed, according to the American Library Association 4, 240 titles were challenged in 2023, a staggering 65 percent increase over 2022. The ALA documented 1,247 demands to censor library books and resources in 2023, and public libraries are increasingly targets along with school libraries. In fact, attempts to censor public library books increased by 92 percent in 2023.
The ALA reports Wisconsin is one of 17 states nationwide that saw more than 100 titles challenged. The ALA recorded 27 attempts to restrict access to titles, with 448 titles challenged – one of the highest in the United States.
Love of books is part of the reason Jan Lee, one half of the accordion duo “Double Squeeze” with Kris Edmunds, is thrilled to be back playing at the street party.
“We’re very excited and proud to be asked back, and to use music as a way to fight for the freedom of the written word,” Lee said. “It’s a wonderful, grassroots community event and we’re pleased as punch to be part of it.”
Lee said she and Edmunds consider Double Squeeze the “official house band” for Honest Dog Books.
“We played for the block party last year and wrote a special audience participation anthem for it called ‘When Will This Madness End?’ based on an old Italian protest song called ‘Bella Ciao.’ The song highlights and celebrates books that have been or are currently being banned for one reason or another. It was a received with enthusiasm, so we’ll be performing that again along with our standard, good time repertoire of polkas and waltzes and everything in between!”
Double Squeeze will play 4:15-5:15 p.m., preceded by the Chequamegon People’s Orchestra from 3-4 p.m. and followed by Molly Otis and Friends from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Buckles said another tradition is a custom screen print that can be purchased from Penny Print studio. Attendees can bring their own shirt for printing for $10 or can purchase a tee directly from Penny Print.
Silverwaves Jewelry of Bayfield will be offering a “make your own jewelry” event 3:30 to 5 p.m. featuring beads made from old book pages.
Additional sponsors include Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, which has donated use of their portable stage for the bands to use, and the other Manypenny block businesses, including Stone’s Throw, Blu Studio, Bell Street Gallery, Ghost Ship Gallery, and Narrative Properties.
Food will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the local ski and swim teams.
