YMCA Annual Bookfair

After 40 years, the YMCA ended their annual bookfair in 2021.

History of the YMCA Bookfair

The YMCA Annual Bookfair had been held since 1978 and began as a single day event in the gymnasium of the historic Carondelet YMCA on Loughborough in South St. Louis City. It expanded to become a six day event. After having taken over and finally outgrown the entire Carondelet YMCA, the book fair was moved to the Kennedy Recreation Center in South St. Louis County and for several years called the Greensfelder Recreation Center at Queeny Park home. Many months of gathering and then categorizing thousands of books by hundreds of volunteers went into to each YMCA Bookfair. The money raised at each bookfair went back to the YMCA and to their outreach programs.