Got a stack of paperbacks collecting dust? Ballard neighbors can spread them on a blanket at Salmon Bay Park this weekend to swap with fellow readers at the park's first community book exchange.
The free event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at 2001 NW Canoe Place. The format is simple: bring books you no longer want, lay them out on a blanket, browse what your neighbors brought, and take home something new.
"Seems everyone around here loves books and has way too many of them," said Marc J. Sachnoff, a Salmon Bay Park Stewards volunteer who organized the exchange. "It's a simple, easy, and fun way for neighbors to connect and get rid of some extra books while finding new reads."
Sachnoff told My Ballard the idea came after another Stewards volunteer saw a similar swap at a park in Santa Monica, California.
The Salmon Bay Park Stewards, a volunteer group partnered with Groundswell NW, formed before the pandemic and have previously hosted two Holiday in the Park celebrations and a Fourth of July neighborhood picnic.
Several newer volunteers have stepped into leadership as the group has grown.
The exchange is the latest event at a park that saw renewed neighborhood attention after Seattle Parks and Recreation completed a major playground renovation in 2025.
That project added nature-themed play structures, improved ADA accessibility, accessible picnic tables, and new benches while preserving the park's popular zip line.
The design came out of a community input process, and the ribbon-cutting was held April 27, 2025.
No registration is required for Saturday's book exchange. Just show up with books and a blanket.
Seattle Community Week Ahead: July 15–21
Wednesday, July 15 — Free Shakespeare: Wooden O performs Macbeth, 7 p.m., Richmond Beach Community Park, Shoreline. No tickets needed; bring a blanket and picnic. Approximately two hours, no intermission.
Friday, July 17 — Central District Farmers Market, 3–7 p.m., 1126 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Seattle. Weekly through October 30.
Saturday, July 18 — Salmon Bay Park Community Book Exchange, 2–4 p.m., 2001 NW Canoe Place, Ballard. Free, open to all. Bring books and a blanket.
Saturday, July 18 — Free Shakespeare: Wooden O performs Macbeth, 7 p.m., Luther Burbank Park, Mercer Island. No tickets needed.
Sunday, July 19 — Ballard Farmers Market, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., 5345 Ballard Ave NW. Open every Sunday year-round.
Sunday, July 19 — Free Shakespeare: Wooden O performs Macbeth, 7 p.m., Luther Burbank Park, Mercer Island.
Tuesday, July 21 — Seattle City Council meeting, 2 p.m., Council Chamber, City Hall, 600 4th Ave. Open to the public. Agendas posted at seattle.gov/council.
