In celebration of Car-Free Earth Day, House of SpeakEasy and the Garment District Alliance closed Broadway between 36th and 37th Streets for a free, open-air literary event featuring the SpeakEasy Bookmobile, free book distribution, complimentary lemonade, and live literary programming.
The Bookmobile Block Party took place on the day of House of SpeakEasy’s annual spring gala, Metamorphosis: On the Wings of a Tale, bringing the organization’s mission to the streets of Manhattan and inviting the public to experience the transformative power of reading.
“At House of SpeakEasy, we believe that book ownership should be a right, not a privilege. Owning a book is a unique form of wealth. What the SpeakEasy Bookmobile is doing is enabling that wealth to be shared.”
— Amanda Foreman, Co-Founder and Board Chair, House of SpeakEasy
“We’re proud to partner with House of SpeakEasy to transform Broadway into a pedestrian-friendly destination, bringing books and literary programming to New Yorkers in celebration of Car-Free Earth Day. This event reflects the energy and creativity that define the Garment District, fostering a vibrant, welcoming neighborhood for all who live in, work in, and visit Midtown Manhattan.”
— Barbara A. Blair, President, Garment District Alliance
The SpeakEasy Bookmobile fleet
The event marked the debut of House of SpeakEasy’s fleet of three Bookmobiles, each designed to bring free books directly to communities:
- The House of SpeakEasy Flagship Bookmobile, prepared for the national We the People tour celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence.
- The House of SpeakEasy Electric Bookmobile, an all-electric pop-up Bookmobile featuring artwork by Richard Scarry.
- The House of SpeakEasy Sprinter Bookmobile, featuring artwork by author and illustrator James Yang.
A tradition of mobile libraries
The House of SpeakEasy Bookmobile is part of a lineage of mobile libraries stretching back to America’s first bookmobile in 1904. The SpeakEasy Bookmobile goes where the need for books is greatest and distributes new books for free. Since its founding in 2017, it has traveled thousands of miles across the country and distributed tens of thousands of books in 18 cities across 14 states.
Featured artists
Richard Scarry created joyful, richly detailed books that have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. His Busytown universe has taught generations of young readers their first words.
James Yang is a Brooklyn-based illustrator, author, and winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. In 2026, his artwork was selected for the United States Postal Service’s Love Forever stamps.