Bookworm bonanza brewing

The Hastings Lions' annual book and music sales have proved wildly popular with bargain seekers, to the financial benefit of the wider community. Photo / File

The Hastings Host Lions Club is holding its 26th annual book sale this month, fundraising for community projects.

The sale is a must-do on the Hawke's Bay calendar and two years it was split in two - music has its own fair as well.

The book sale is being held at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds in Hastings on Saturday, November 16, from 8am-pm, and on Sunday, from 9am-1pm.

The music sale will be held this coming Sunday, from 9am-4pm, at the same venue.

Countless books, magazines, puzzles and musical recordings have been donated from members of the community.

"Buyers come from all over New Zealand and line up ready for the doors to open and over the two days the bookworms just keep coming to sort through the thousands and thousands of volumes available for sale," book-sale volunteer Alan Harvey said.

Many first-edition books would be available and there were bargains galore to be had.

All profits from the sales go back to the community, with hundreds of thousands of dollars donated.

This year the book sale proceeds will go towards Ronald McDonald House in Wellington - used by hundreds of Hawke's Bay families each year.

Music-sale volunteer Ian Le Page said they had a good level of donations so far but there was always room for more: "The public have again answered the call for donations of CDs, LPs, sheet music, and we will even have some pretty good quality musical instruments up for grabs."

Disappointingly, few musical instruments had been donated to the music sale, Mr Le Page said, but they could still be dropped off at 104 Davis St, Hastings.