BUCKLAND — The Spanish holiday “El Día de Libros y de la Rosa” or the “Day of the Books and the Roses” was celebrated at the town’s public library Tuesday afternoon.
The event was modeled after an annual Spanish holiday celebrated April 23, where streets are lined with book vendors and buckets of roses. This day was also designated World Book Day by UNESCO in 1995 to pay tribute, the site says, to three great literary figures who died April 23, 1616: William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
In honor of the holiday, Buckland Public Library sold real and paper roses as well as second-hand books. Local artist Cyndy Weeks-Patterson led a craft workshop, with paper roses and various other objects using re-purposed books. The event was rounded out with a musical performance of love songs by Pilgrim Theater artist Kermit Dunkelberg and Spanish guitar played by Nils Donohue-Meyer.
Buckland Public Library Trustee Patricia Donohue said she learned about the holiday from a Spanish exchange student she’d previously hosted, and liked the idea of neighbors and friends exchanging books and roses.
“I just thought, well, we should be promoting books and reading anyway, so we’re doing it as a fundraiser for the library,” Donohue said.
The event was funded by cultural councils in Buckland, Shelburne Falls and Ashfield, which gave grants of roughly $100 to $150 each, Donohue said.
Reach Grace Bird at gbird@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280.