Book Club Roundup and Flagstaff Happenings

So many book clubs, a new arts & crafts shop, and a job opening at The Arboretum

Author

Alissa Zorn
February 25, 2025

Good morning Flagstaff! This is the edition that will inspire you to pick up a good book!

Today in Flagstaff Inspires:

  • 📚 Book Clubs

  • 🎨 Flagstaff’s First Creative Reuse Center

  • ☕ Clay Club Bowl & Mug Sale

Let’s go!

— Alissa Zorn

Community Sparks

Flagstaff Book Club Round Up

📚 Book lovers are the best and if you’re craving the company of fellow bibliophiles, we have just the thing. Take a look through the many book clubs we have in town and join them for a chat! Know of any I’ve missed? Hit reply if there are others we should know about!

  • What Are You Reading?: A non-traditional book club every other month to chat about recent books you’ve enjoyed. 🗓 Tues. Feb. 25th, 6 PM. at Bright Side Bookshop

  • Mead and Read: Monthly book chats with books by local authors. Next book: A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko 🗓 Tues. Mar. 4th, 6 PM at Drinking Horn Meadery

  • Silent Book Club: Enjoy a cafe treat and an hour of silent reading at this meet-up every other Saturday. There will be time set aside for optional socializing as well. 🗓 Sat. Mar. 1st, 11 AM - 1 PM at Bookmans Cafe

  • Bookseller’s Book Club: Every other month at Oeno and led by booksellers. Next book: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson 🗓 Tues. Mar. 25th, 5-6 PM at Oeno Wine Lounge

  • Flagstaff Turn the Page Book Club: A friendly group meeting monthly. Join their Meetup group for information on the next event!

  • Walk & Talk Book Meet: Get some exercise and chat about a good book. Next book: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon 🗓 Sat. Mar. 15th, 8 AM at Buffalo Park

  • Youth Book Club: Meeting at Yogaert on March 20th, Middle Readers (8-12) will meet at 5 PM, and will be discussing Alanna by Tamora Pierce. Young Adult Readers (13+) will meet at 6 PM and will be discussing Gallant by V.E. Schwab.

  • Flagstaff Big Read: Sponsored by NAU College of Letters and multiple community organizations, the Big Read brings together community through reading and discussing the same book. It has several events including art, writing and poetry workshops, book discussions, book walks, and much more. You can pick up a free copy of the 2025 Big Read book, There There, at any of these events. 

Library Book Clubs:

  • LGBT+ Book Club: Discusses books with an LGBT+ theme, characters, or written by LGBT+ authors. 2nd Monday of every other month. Next book: Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore 🗓 March 10th, 6:30 PM at East Flagstaff Library

  • Thursday Night Book Club: The Library's oldest book club (established in 2004) discusses contemporary Fiction and Nonfiction. Meets monthly on the 2nd Thursday. Next book: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward 🗓 March 13th, 6 PM at Downtown Library

  • Southwest Reads: Read books focused on the Southwest. 4th Wednesday of every other month. Next book: The Broken Circle: A True Story of Murder and Magic in Indian Country by Rodney Barker 🗓 March 26th, 6 PM at Downtown Library

  • Banned Book Club: Discusses books that have been banned or challenged, as well as the concepts of free speech and censorship as we encounter them today. Quarterly; dates vary. Next book: The Giver by Lois Lowry 🗓 April 1st, 6 PM at Downtown Library

  • Senior Book Club: Designed for seniors, this club provides large print books for easier reading. Meets monthly on the 3rd Monday. Next book: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 🗓 March 17th, 1 PM at Joe C. Montoya Community and Senior Center

Want to start your own book club?

Flagstaff Public Library offers Book Club Kits which contain 8 copies of a book along with resources to make your book club a success. Any library cardholder can check out a kit.

@FLAGSTAFFINSPIRES

Clay Club Bowl & Mug Fundraiser Sale - Support the CCC Ceramics department and get your next awesome handmade mug! Tuesday Feb. 25th 11 AM - 2 PM at the Lone Tree Commons at Coconino Community College

Tag @flagstaffinspires to get your photos or videos featured!

AROUND TOWN

Humor Writing Event:

🍅 Northern Arizona Book Festival is bringing back Throwing Tomatoes, a humor writing showcase for a third year! Submit your funniest writing and grace their stage in April. Submissions are due March 20th. Link to information and submission form here.

Business News:

✂ Flagstaff’s Joann store is closing after the brand declared bankruptcy for a second time in less than a year. There is no set date yet for the closure, but going-out-of-business sales started February 15th.

🖋✏ Art Exchange Opening: On the note of craft supplies, Flagstaff’s first Creative Reuse Center will be opening soon in downtown! At Ari’s Art Exchange you’ll be able to find inexpensive creative supplies (and donate your unused stash), browse local art work, use the open studio to experiment with new mediums, and meet fellow creatives. They are currently accepting donations of all kinds of arts & crafts supplies. Please contact Ari to arrange a drop off time!

🌲 The Arboretum is hiring! The Arboretum is searching for a Naturalist and Visitor Services Manager to join their team. If you’re passionate about connecting people with nature, leading educational tours, and enhancing visitor experiences, this might be the perfect role for you. Find information on their staff page.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Tuesday 2.25

👨‍👦 Toddler Tales: Your toddler will delight in this special time for stories, songs, games and more. 10-11:30 AM, at Downtown Library

🏢 Lego Club: Kids ages 5-11 can enjoy a creative hour of building with hundreds and hundreds of blocks. 3:30-4:30 PM at East Flagstaff Library

🖼 Art Opening - The Power of Blood: Mexico's Casta Paintings: The Martin-Springer Institute unveils prints of colonial era Casta paintings. Peruse the painting and enjoy music from historical and present-day Mexico, spoken reflections by students and faculty, and light refreshments! Free and open to the public, 5:30-7:30 PM at NAU Riles Bldg, 3rd Floor

📚 What Are You Reading Book Chat: A book club for those who like to read what you want, when you want. Join this relaxed gathering to sip wine, snack on Chex Mix, and have great book discussions. Come prepared to talk about a book (or two!) you've enjoyed recently, and leave with a longer to-be-read list! 6-7 PM at Bright Side Bookshop

📕 Inyo's Ring Book Chat: Enjoy a glass of mead and chat with local author N. H. Schwabacher about her book, Inyo’s Ring. Galician and Irish snacks provided! 6 PM at Drinking Horn Meadery

🌊 The Getty Bronze on Trial: Art, Ownership, and Human Rights: Join Dr. Derek Fincham (J.D. and Ph.D.) to hear the remarkable story of the Getty Bronze, an ancient Greek sculpture lost at sea, later discovered in international waters and embroiled in controversy. 6 PM at NAU Liberal Arts 120, 700 S. Humphreys

👽 Flagspins Vinyl Night: DJ Quick Kay will be spinning vinyl on Tuesday evenings at the DSB Beer Garden. Beer discounts if you bring your own vinyl! Every Tuesday, 6-9 PM, Dark Sky Beer Garden

📝🍺Poet Brews - An Open Mic for Writers: Read anything you want up to ten minutes... fiction, poetry, nonfiction, a text you sent your ex, something you wrote while listening to others, a standup routine - give it a try! 7 PM, 21+, Flagstaff Brewing Co.

🎼 🐶 Community: A Concert and Pet Adoption Event: Join NAU Symphonic band with Special Guests: Flagstaff High School Symphonic Band and High Country Humane Society. 7:30 PM at Ardrey Auditorium

😂 Comedy Open Mic: Come ready to laugh! 8:30 PM at Hops on Birch

Wednesday 2.26

👩‍👧 📚 Preschool Express: Get together for fun surprises, stories, songs, and games! 10-10:30 AM at Downtown Library

👩‍👦‍👦📕 Family Story Time: Join this special story time for singing, dancing, and some great books! 10:30-11:15 at East Flagstaff Library

🎲 Bards and Nobles - Dungeons and Dragons for Teens: Beginner and experienced players welcome! This will be a continuing campaign; players are not required to be there every week. Registration required. 3:30-6 PM at Downtown Library

🎤 Poetry Slam Featuring Atlas St. Cloud: "atlas st cloud is a wasteland haunt. he writes about the stars left in our bone marrow and the places in which we hide ourselves.” Sign up on their Instagram or in person by 6PM if you want to perform! 6:30 PM Firecreek Coffee Flagstaff

📝 Weekly Writing Group: Wily Writers is a weekly group for practicing your writing with the use of prompts, timed writing, and group sharing. Learn more about writing and support others along the way! Wednesdays 6-7 PM Downtown Library, Northwest Corner

🧠Trivia Night: Challenging questions, local mead, fun visual and audio rounds, and prizes for 1st and 2nd place! Teams of up to 5. Seats fill up quick! Wednesdays 6-8:30 PM, Drinking Horn Mead Hall

Thursday 2.27

👨‍👧 Preschool Express: A second day for this preschool fun time! Get together for stories, songs, and games. 10-10:30 AM, Downtown Library

🎮 Game Day: Kids ages 8 to 17 can swing by the community room at the East Flagstaff Library to play video games and table top games. 3-4:30 PM, East Flagstaff Library

🌚 New Moon Manifesting: Ready for new beginnings? Create intention cards and harness the energy of the new moon to help bring what you want into reality. $15 - $30 sliding scale, 5-7 PM, Up & Coming Boutique (upstairs at 7 E. Aspen, next to Incahoots)

💃🕺Thursday Night Swing: Join Flagstaff Swing every Thursday for a FREE beginner swing dance lesson. After the lesson, stickaround for a swingin’ hot social dance. No partner needed! Lesson: 7-8 PM Social: 8–10 PM, Museum Club

🙋‍♀️TAPP’D Trivia Night: Join ‘Nice Mike’ for surprise categories each week. Free to play! 21+ Thursdays 7-9 PM at Dark Sky Beer Garden

LIVE MUSIC

Tuesday 2.25

Yucca North | Open Mic w/Josh Rohr | 8PM - 12 AM
Museum Club | Karaoke Night | 9-11:30 PM

Wednesday 2.26

Flagstaff Mall | Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music Bluegrass Jam | 12-1 PM
Hops on Birch | Open Mic | 6-10 PM
Charly’s | Blues Night - Chicago Bob & Elvin Killerbee | 7-9:30PM | $5
Cornish Pasty | Jazz Jam | 8-10 PM
Gopher Hole | Karaoke & Service Industry Night | 9:30PM

Thursday 2.27

Drinking Horn | Celtic Music - GreenLaw | 7-9 PM
The Orpheum | Shane Smith and The Saints with Jamie Wyatt | 7:30 PM | TICKETS

Call for Musicians

The Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance is looking for musicians!

🎵 Be part of the fourth annual summer of Music on the Square! Solo acts and groups are encouraged to apply. Applications are open February 20th - March 21st.

  • All performances must be family-friendly and appeal to all ages.

  • Preference will be given to local artists from the greater Flagstaff area.

Stay Inspired!

Thank you for reading Flagstaff Inspires. In just over a month we’ve grown to nearly 500 people getting events news from these emails (494 when I just checked 😄). Let’s keep it going! If you’ve found today’s email helpful, shout it from the rooftops. Or, likely more useful, forward it to your friends and neighbors.

Have ideas, feedback, or an event you want to be shared? I’d love to hear from you. Hit reply or send me an email here → [email protected]