By Peggy Sturdivant

I no sooner set foot over the threshold at Secret Garden Books than Events Coordinator Suzanne Perry held up a piece of paper to me like a Russian figure skating judge, proclaiming, “This is big!”

After being out of town so long I had planned to ask her to catch me up on local doings, maybe get some column ideas. Instead I struggled to understand what was big about the paper in her hand and a six-inch cardboard cutout on a shelf over her shoulder of that iconic redheaded character known only as Waldo.

It took a few beats, but I am now up to speed on the July-long FIND WALDO LOCAL event playing out in 25 family-friendly local businesses. Participating businesses are listed in a “passport” which anyone can pick up and then find the Waldo figure hidden in each business. Once spotted the participant has the store stamp or sign and then they proceed in a quest for more spottings on the path to grand prizes.

Reading Suzanne Perry’s background material I learned that Waldo is now 25 years old. (I thought he was older). The FIND WALDO event launched in another part of the country; some 250 independent bookstores participated last year, acting as the headquarters for participating local independents. This year Perry and Christy McDanold, Secret Garden owner, decided it was a perfect fit for Ballard businesses.

Once educated I was as eager as any of what’s described as “hordes of kids” seeking to find Waldo. The scavenger hunt also helped to reacquaint me with Ballard. The underlying goal is to have residents enter and discover venues that they might not otherwise know about, pulled along by their Waldo-seeking child. However it only took the rumor of a life-size Stephen Colbert figure as a grand prize to start me on an adult quest.

As a member of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce and Ballard Merchant’s Association, McDanold is extremely committed to promoting collaboration between all local businesses. As far as both McDanold and Perry are concerned, the Waldo passport is accomplishing everything they had dreamed and more. New business owners have been meeting established ones; established businesses are participating in a new way. Over and over the merchants are hearing visitors utter the words, “I didn’t even know this was here.”

Kelli Faw has an addictive fabric shop, Drygoods Design, absolutely hidden through and above The Anchored Ship coffee shop on Ballard Avenue. The first one to find Waldo in any party gets to re-hide him. Faw assured me, “We try to keep them from being diabolical about it.”

Looking for Waldo in Ballard Blossom I learned they also sell jewelry, gourmet goods, baby items ... I never allow myself to go inside; I just dream of seeing a Ballard Blossom van pull up in front of my house. Jairus, an employee, told me Waldo moves around every morning. “He was in Weddings, then Baby. I’m not sure where he is now but we’ve only had two kids get discouraged and leave. Two boys,” he added. The clerk at Drygoods Design had just learned Digs was replacing Blackbird (due to its closure).

She told me that when she went in to check them out she “had” to buy a poster about cooking grains. Then her boss followed suit, and likewise “had” to buy her own copy. Digs is at 2002 NW Market Street, owned by a local couple and family-friendly. (This means they are not afraid of the middle school seekers who travel in packs).

It was apparent the not-so-hidden goal of getting people into businesses was working within the business as well as general community, and on me. I was entering storefronts new to me, like Sweet Mickey’s candy shoppe, tucked in the skate bowl corner of Ballard Commons Park. The owner Randy Brinker showed me the newspaper articles about his grandmother, the namesake. I listened as he introduced the Waldo program to a mother and her two children. Then I helped them find Waldo in the lollipops across from 18 kinds of licorice.

After just ten signatures the first 100 bearers can claim a $1.00 off coupon and an “I found Waldo” sticker. All passports containing at least 20 possible store signatures can be entered into the grand prize drawing. Participating businesses are each donating a major prize to be raffled at the grand finale party at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31 at Secret Garden Books. Passports are available at all the participating merchants and are due to Secret Garden by close of business on July 30th.

I biked between locations until I decided to save some for another day. I pondered whether it was as big as Suzanne Perry had claimed. I thought about the logistics of bringing together 25 independently owned merchants, as diverse as Sonic Boom and Filthy Rich, coordinating materials and prizes, and concluded the event is bigger than July is long.

Sometimes the most complicated ventures appear simple when the execution works well. The passport grid of Waldo venues suddenly reminded me of when you knit or crochet; each stitch pulls you toward the next. Then again I was passing Tea Cozy Yarn on 24th NW St, so the metaphor may have been subliminal. Nonetheless I felt myself pulled toward their door to look for the little guy.

Details and participating merchants at http://www.secretgardenbooks.com/event/wheres-waldoballard

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