Where’s Waldo? Iconic character will hide in 25 local businesses and you can find him

IDAHO FALLS — We’ve all seen him before. He brings back childhood memories of trying to find him in a sea of other characters in a children’s book. He’s an iconic illustration—a distinctively dressed man in a red and white striped shirt with round black glasses named Waldo.

We’ve asked: Where’s Waldo?

For the entire month of July, Waldo will be hiding in 25 businesses around Idaho Falls and people in the community are encouraged to find him.

Winnie & Mo’s Bookshop was selected as one of the bookstores around the country to participate in the scavenger hunt called, “Find Waldo Local.” Candlewick Press teamed up with the American Booksellers Association and hundreds of independent bookstores across the country for some hide-and-seek fun.

“There’s lots and lots of bookstores around the country that apply for it so we were excited to bring a new event to Idaho Falls and to have some fun in the middle of summer,” said Amanda Poitevin, one of the owners of Winnie & Mo’s Bookshop.

“Only 200 communities are selected nationwide for participation, and this is the very first time Where’s Waldo Local has come to Idaho Falls,” a news release from Winnie & Mo’s Bookshop said.

“The premise of it is that Waldo is hiding in 25 different businesses so anyone can go to the different businesses and look for Waldo,” said Poitevin. “He’s a little 6-inch figurine that they are looking for.”

There’s one Waldo figurine hiding in every business the entire month.

The 6-inch Waldo figurine. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

Poitevin and Whitney Holmes own the local bookstore that opened in December. Poitevin said starting on Friday, players can pick up a Waldo stamp card or passport at any of the 25 participating businesses. When a player finds a Waldo, they will receive a stamp or signature.

The owners of Winnie & Mo’s Bookshop. Amanda Poitevin (left) and Whitney Holmes. | Courtesy Amanda Poitevin

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Here is the list of businesses participating:

“It’s meant to support the ‘buy local movement’ and bring people to stores that they haven’t been in before and it’s just a fun thing to do,” said Poitevin.

There will be different prizes to make the scavenger hunt even more exciting.

“If you find 10 Waldos at 10 different businesses, they can turn in their passports at Winnie and Mo’s and they get a free temporary tattoo and $1 off coupon for Where’s Waldo books and if they get 20 out of the 25, they get this free temporary tattoo, the coupon and entry into our grand prize drawing,” said Poitevin.

There are additional prizes from local businesses too.

“We have a punch pass to the ARTitorium. We have a gift basket from The Caramel Tree, we have a gift basket from Healing Hands and from The Handmade Idaho Shop among other places that have donated some gifts,” she said.

Then, on July 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Winnie and Mo’s Bookshop will have a party to draw the winner of the grand prize for Find Waldo Local. The grand prize will have different Waldo Books, postcards, Waldo activity books and more. There will additionally be a fun Where’s Waldo look-a-like contest.

“I would encourage people to start at any of the businesses,” said Poitevin. “They have the whole month of July to do it and start marking off the different places and have some fun with it!”

Where’s Waldo passport. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com Where’s Waldo passport. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com