(303) 974-5978
129 N Harrison Ave, Lafayette, CO 80026
Monday-Friday: 7 AM - 7 PM, Saturday-Sunday: 8 AM to 7 PM
Events
Check out this page to find out what’s new and happening at The Read Queen.
April-May 2024
Print your own page here
Writing Spring: A Generative Workshop with A. Manette Ansay
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Sunday, April 7, 2024
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2:00 PM 4:00 PM
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129 N Harrison Ave, 80026
Learn more/Register here
WOW! LITERACY FESTIVAL
Saturday, May 4, 2024
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join us for the WOW! Literacy Festival on May 4, 2024 from 1:00-4:00pm in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
More than twenty children’s book authors and illustrators will be on hand thoughout the afternoon with readings, fun activities, and opportunities to get your book signed. Books will be sold at WOW! through a table set up by The Read Queen.
Included with admission or membership, and financial support is available for those in need.
Looking for something hot and savory for lunch? We’ve got some new items on the menu!
We now serve hot, crispy, and delicious Tip Top Pies!
In other news…
SILVER PEAK STUDIO is moving to LAFAYETTE in April! Can you help bring Jewelry-making classes to life for kids? Kickstarter campaign ends April 18th.
Learn More
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Jewelry classes for kids ages 8-13, which will be held in a separate space from our metalsmithing classroom (FUNDED)
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A scholarship fund so that jewelry classes are accessible to everyone, regardless of one’s financial situation (TOP PRIORITY)
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A jewelry supply store so that jewelry supplies are accessible for our students and local jewelry designers. (THE REMAINDER)
February 2024
November-December 2023
October 2023
Call to reserve your copy of The Immigrant’s Wife 303-974-5978
Banned Book Week details
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WIN A $50 GIFT CARD!
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Contest runs through Banned Book Week: Sunday, Oct 1st – Saturday, Oct 7th, 2023
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Post a picture of any Banned Book on Instagram &/OR TikTok
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No purchase necessary, but if you need inspiration, we’ve got loads of Banned Books on display!
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Tag @TheReadQueenBookstore
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Each post with a tag is one entry
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No limit on number of posts
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Drawing will be held on Oct 14th
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Need not be present to win
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Winner’s name and handle will not be publicized
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Winner will be notified via email
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Gift Card will be available for pickup at the Read Queen Bookstore on Oct 15th
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Gift Card will expire on Oct 15th, 2024
June 2023
That’s right, we’re 3 years old and it would not have been possible without our community! So, Thank You! Thank you for your inspiration, your friendliness, your excitement and thank you for your support! We are stunned and grateful to have made it three years in this amazing place. Tip a glass (or a book) to another 3 and come celebrate with us on June 17th for our Annual Tent Sale and Birthday Bash!
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
New Year, New You? Heck no! We like you just as you are!
Starting January 2nd, we will go back to regular hours for the rest of the Winter.
December 2022
We are excited to work with the Cultural Caravan again! Keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for something amazing coming to our parking lot this summer!
This ticketed event will be held inside the bookstore. Click on the image above or go here to get your tickets.
Mrs. Claus will be accepting donations of new books to distribute to Sister Carmen Community Center. Purchase a new book to give to Mrs. Claus and each child will receive a Holiday Activity & Sticker Book!
November 2022
Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving!
We are so grateful for YOU, our wonderful, welcoming community!
October 2022
12th Annual Window Painting Contest Oct 8-9!
Click here to register to paint by Oct 3rd. Window painting will take place on Oct 8-9.
We’re excited to have 4 windows for painting again this year! After October 9th, take a stroll through Old Town Lafayette to view the masterpieces! Artwork remains up for perusal through October.
Create some book art on Friday, October 14th!
Art Night Out is over so we’re opting for an Art Night IN
Art Night IN – learn to make books into art
October 14th, 4pm – 6pm
Cost $20, includes all materials and instructions
Drop-in, no reservations needed. One pumpkin takes about 30 minutes
Taught by Barb who has been folding, cutting, or otherwise transforming books since … um, last year
RQ Book Club meets October 28th
October Book Club will be discussing The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Book Club will meet Friday, Oct 28 from 6pm – 8pm in the Queen’s Lounge. Everyone is welcome, no reservations necessary!
PS: Book Club picks are 15% off during that month – for everyone! Discount applicable in-store only, we cannot offer discounts for online purchases. (Not combinable with other discounts or RQ Dollars) Call to reserve your copy today 303.974.5978
Plastic by Nature by Konner McIntyre on sale Oct 29
Our very own Author in Residence, Konner McIntyre, will be signing his newest book on Saturday!
Stop in for a chat with the author and meet the illustrator, Sidney Rushing, on Saturday between 11am – 4pm
We’ll be open all weekend!
Trick-or-Treating Lafayette businesses on Saturday, Oct 29 (along with the Fall Harvest!)
We’ll be open regular hours for your spooky needs!
Saturday Oct 29: 8am – 7pm
Sunday Oct 30: 10am – 5pm
Monday Oct 31: 8am – 7pm
The Lafayette Fall Harvest Festival coming Oct 29!
Saturday, October 29, from 10 am to 4 pm
Join us for the first Lafayette Fall Harvest Festival in Old Town in October! The Lafayette Harvest Festival will be a vibrant and family-oriented event featuring a marketplace selling fresh, local produce, as well as family activities centered are around the fall harvest.
October is National Cookbook Month
Cool weather got you thinking about what to cook for the Holidays?
There’s a reason October is National Cookbook Month – It gives you time to find the perfect dish to impress your Mother-in-Law at Thanksgiving!
Come in and browse our cookbooks – you will not be disappointed!
Summer titles that we are still really excited about
RQ co-owner, Deirdre, talks about some great Colorado Authors on CPR
September 2022
Time to Vote! Click here to voteVote for the Best of Boulder East County before Sept 19Lafayette has SO many great people, places and businesses – let’s show Colorado what the East County is all about by voting for your favorites! Here are some categories where The Red Queen really shines:
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September 2-5
We will be open all weekend!
We will be open normal hours over Labor Day Weekend
Friday 8am – 7pm
Saturday 8am – 7pm
Sunday 10a – 5pm
Monday 8am – 7pm
Have you heard “Never wear white after Labor Day”? Some historians believe that this rule was actually a way for the wealthy to separate themselves from the working class. Not only could they afford summer vacations—and the expensive clothes to match—but they didn’t do work that stained their white clothes. Middle-class laborers, on the other hand, often wore darker colors even in the summer to hide the dirt and grime that accumulated after a hard day’s work. Coco Chanel bucked this trend in the 1920s when she officially made white a permanent staple in her wardrobe, regardless of the season.
September 9, 5-7pm
Art Night Out at The Read Queen – Friday Sept 9
Drop-in for another Mini-Workshop!
Art Night Out in Lafayette is the second Friday of each month and The Read Queen will be open late. So come make some art in the Queen’s Lounge!
Create your own stamped charm
Friday, September 9th from 5pm – 7pm
Drop-in, no reservations needed
$20 includes instruction, materials & a coupon to the RQ Bookstore
Instructed by Kenzie Nelson, local metalsmith instructor & artist
September 18-24
Banned Book Week! Sept 18 – 24
We fight censorship every day, but this week is special!
Drop by during Banned Book Week to condemn book banning, protect the freedom to read, and celebrate the ways books unite us! There are lots of books we don’t agree with, but that doesn’t mean we cannot learn from them. A society prohibited from contemplating ideas is a doomed one at best; a dangerous one at worst.
Read a banned book!
September 23 – 6-8PM
September Book Club will be discussing When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
Book Club will meet Friday, Sept 23 from 6pm – 8pm in the Queen’s Lounge. Everyone is welcome, no reservations necessary!
PS: Book Club picks are 15% off during that month – for everyone! Discount applicable in-store only, we cannot offer discounts for online purchases. (Not combinable with other discounts or RQ Dollars) Call to reserve your copy today 303.974.5978
September 25 – Noon
Come join us Sunday, Sept 25 at noon when Author Danielle Higley will visit The Read Queen in person and read from her book, The Stories Behind The Stories, and sign copies!
In The Stories Behind the Stories, you’ll hear the incredible behind-the-scenes tales of twenty-nine beloved children’s classics. Discover the childhood inspiration behind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the original name of Curious George, the mysterious origin of Mother Goose, and what happened when Maurice Sendak told his editor he couldn’t draw wild horses…
August 2022
12 August 5-7pm
Art Night Out – Friday Aug 12
Drop-in for another Stamped Art Mini-Workshop!
Art Night Out in Lafayette is the second Friday of each month and The Read Queen will be open late. So come make some art in the Queen’s Lounge!
Create your own stamped charm
Friday, August 12th from 5pm – 7pm
Drop-in, no reservations needed
$20 includes instruction, materials & a coupon to the RQ Bookstore. Instructed by Kenzie Nelson, local metalsmith instructor & artist
Whet your appetite to learn with these fun pairings!
We’ve paired some fantastic novels with non-fiction books
For example; you can’t help but fall in love with the snarky octopus named Marcellus in Remarkably Bright Creatures. Guaranteed you will want to learn more about octopuses when you’re done. That’s where the non-fiction pairing picks up with Soul of an Octopus.
We’ve done all the legwork, you just pick your favorite pair and enjoy the ride.
Check out all the great pairings on our feature table.
Get 10% off each pair purchased! (Not combinable with other discounts)
20 August
Bookstore Romance Day is Saturday, AUG 20th!
The Romance novel has come a long way since the Fabio covers. Come in and check out our award-winning, best selling, and definitely robust Romance section!
10% off any Romance novel on Saturday, AUG 20th. We’ll be open 8am – 7pm
Here’s a fun read on the history of the Harlequin Romance, Fabio and Nora Roberts-
26 August 6-8pm
August Book Club will be discussing Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Book Club will meet Friday, August 26th from 6pm – 8pm in the Queen’s Lounge.
Everyone is welcome, no reservations necessary!
PS: Book Club picks are always 15% off for everyone! Discount applicable in-store only, we cannot offer discounts for online purchases. Call to reserve your copy today 303.974.5978
Listen to the Book Boss on Colorado Matters!
RQ co-owner, Deirdre talks about some great Colorado Authors on CPR
Click on the link to listen: https://www.cpr.org/
July 2022
July 4th
The Bookstore will be open 4th of July
Saturday, July 2nd open 8am – 7pm. Enjoy the fireworks at Waneka Lake after dark!
Sunday, July 3 open 10am – 5pm
Monday, July 4 open 8am – 7pm
Happy Independence Day!
July 17th
Pianist and author Jeremy Denk – 17 July
Jeremy Denk will be performing at the Chautauqua Auditorium on Sunday, July 17th at 6pm. You can pick up your copy of his book Every Good Boy Does Fine either at the Read Queen beforehand or at our pop-up table at the Chautauqua Auditorium on the day of the event. Jeremy will be signing books after the performance.
July 22nd
RQ Book Club – 22 July 6pm
For July, we will be reading Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. Book Club will meet on July 22nd from 6pm – 8pm in the Queen’s Lounge. Book Club picks are always 15% off regardless if you are in the Book Club or not!
June 2022
Saturday, June 4
Happy Birthday! The Read Queen turns 2 years old! Come celebrate with us all day on Saturday, June 4th! We will be having our annual Tent Sale in the parking lot starting at 8am, Live Music at Noon, Barchetta’s Pizza Truck and a chance to win a $100 gift card!
June 1st-11th
We’re honored to be celebrating our birthday with the Cultural Caravan, featuring Artists From Around the World in our own backyard.
Providing Pop-Up concerts with local businesses June 1st-11th Cultural Caravan is featuring a jam-packed schedule of free pop-up concerts in collaboration with 20+ local businesses and community organizations, including The Read Queen!
To learn more about their events happening throughout Boulder County click here
June 10th
Make Your Own Bookmark Mini Workshop
Art Night Out in Lafayette is the second Friday of each month and The Read Queen will be open late. So come make some art at a mini workshop in The Queen’s Lounge! Create your own copper bookmark and learn the technique of metal stamping from the jewelry artists of Sliver Peak Studio.
Celebrate Juneteenth!
See our in-store display with fantastic new titles by black authors. Or shop our online store for more great recommendations!
June 24th – 6PM
June Book Club / Author signing
Come meet the author on Friday, June 24th 6pm! Our June Book Club pick is Wild at Heart by Stacy Gold. Stacy will join our book club meeting in person and sign your copy!
Book Club titles are always 15% off when you purchase in store. Call ahead to reserve your copy 303-974-5978
Best of Boulder
Wow! Just, wow! We are truly honored to have been voted 2022’s Best Independent Business in all of Boulder County!
First, we won Best Bookstore of East County, Best New Business and the most write-in votes for Best Latte and now this. Thank you!
Read about all the great winners here
May 2022
Attention Read Queen friends! We are so excited to announce that we are starting our very own Book Club! For our first book, we have decided to read Brendan Slocumb’s, “The Violin Conspiracy”
A riveting story about a violinist desperately trying to recover his priceless violin before a competition that might change his life and help him to break through the barriers of racism inherent in the classical music world.
Our first meeting will take place in The Queen’s Lounge on Friday, May 27th at 6:00PM. Come prepared to discuss the whole book including its themes, characters, plot development and more!
On a side note, RQ Book Club books purchased in-store will be 15% off during the month leading up to the meeting of that book.
We look forward to seeing you there!
You can also purchase this title from our affiliate, Bookshop.org. Please note we cannot offer a discount through Bookshop as this is a third party site. https://bookshop.org/
April 2022
Saturday, April 30th
Come in and browse a huge variety of bargain books, exclusive titles, Indie Bookstore coffee mugs, exclusive Grishaverse Tote bags (you know what we mean, Leigh Bardugo fans!) and much more. Plus loads of freebies!
Hours: 8am – 7pm
February 2022
Looking for something unique for Valentine’s Day? Searching for something fun to do in the cold, dark of winter?
Pick up your Scavenger Hunt Clue Card at the bookstore and invite a special someone for a Valentine’s Date Scavenger Hunt. Pick a day, ANY day in February for a Valentine’s Date!
August 2021
August 21-22 – Book Sale Event!
We’re having another great tent sale with live music all day Saturday and Sunday, August 21-22. Please come by to browse our great selection of used books that we just don’t have room for on the shelves, but are bargains waiting to be snatched up. While you’re at it, grab a cooled iced coffee, iced Chai, or an Italian soda to cool you off.
Lots of great titles to choose from!
Meet the author, Melissa Walker on Friday August 6 at 6:00pm
Sexuality is the most rigidly socialized and deeply misunderstood aspect of ourselves. It is time that we practice the moment-to-moment whole-body habits that help us form our own meaning and embodiment of our sexuality, from the ground up.
Join Melissa Walker, Licensed Professional Counselor and somatic sex therapist, as she reads from her new book, Whole-Body Sex: Somatic Sex Therapy and the Lost Language of the Erotic Body
Super-fun scavenger hunt! – ends June 26th
Click the image to enlarge on your phone or print out to take with you as scour Old Town to figure out the clues and snap a pic! Post on our Instagram page anytime up to noon on June 26th when we’ll hold our drawing!
MORE AWESOME STUFF COMING IN JUNE!
UPDATED DATE: Thursday, June 10, 5:00pm – 7pm … Book launch & signing for OFF TRAIL by Rick Polito, talk at 5:30pm
Thursday, June 10th 2021 5:30pm – Rick Polito’s new YA graphic novel Off Trail: A laugh-out-loud coming of age story of one teen’s preposterous experience in a wilderness therapy program. Click here to read an interview with Rick Polito
Saturday, June 12, Noon – 1:30pm … Book signing for SAVVY by Ingrid Law (for Middle school readers).
Saturday, June 12 2021 12pm – Book signing for Savvy with Ingrid Law.
Q: If you had a savvy or superpower what would it to be? Ingrid’s Answer: I would love to be able to be able to teleport anywhere in the world in an instant. Click here to learn more about Ingrid Law
Saturday, June 19, Noon – 1:30pm … Live music in the lot. Bring a chair and enjoy the day
Saturday, June 26, 5pm … Prize winners announced on social media for the Selfie-Scavenger Hunt
Selfie-Scavenger Hunt in Old Town Lafayette – June 1-25. Get your photo-face on, pull out your thinkin’ caps, and open up your Instagram for a fun-filled, walking tour of clues and news about Old Town Lafayette! We hope you’ll discover at least one new thing about our town and there’s a whole month to complete it! You could win a $50, $25, or one of three $10 gift certificates to The Read Queen Bookstore!