Fairhope Library’s September Lineup: Game Night, a Needlework Club and a Plant Swap

FAIRHOPE — The Fairhope Public Library has announced a September calendar built for young adults, needlework enthusiasts and gardeners, with three free programs that require no advance registration.

From board games to plant swaps, the lineup reflects the library’s continuing effort to serve as a gathering place for residents beyond its traditional role as a book lender.

Board on a Monday: A New Young Adult Game Night

The first event, called “Board on a Monday,” will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, at the library at 501 Fairhope Ave. The come-and-go event kicks off a new monthly series designed for adults ages 18 to 35.

Attendees can choose from the library’s selection of games, which range from classics such as Scrabble to modern favorites such as Azul, or bring a favorite game from home. Tables will be set up so multiple games can run simultaneously, creating opportunities for both organized play with friends and spontaneous matchups with other attendees. No registration is required.

The 18-to-35 age range is one public libraries have historically struggled to reach. A relaxed, come-and-go format centered on board games gives that group a low-pressure way to meet other residents and try something new, and offering classics alongside modern strategy games means there is an entry point for both newcomers and longtime enthusiasts.

Needlework Club Debuts Sept. 21

The library will launch its new Needlework Club at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21, in the library’s Boardroom. Led by Susan Davis, the club will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on the first and third Monday of each month going forward.

It is designed for people interested in needlepoint, cross-stitch and embroidery, as well as those who simply enjoy spending time creating alongside fellow handcrafters. Participants of all skill levels and backgrounds are welcome. No registration is needed, though attendees should bring all materials for their current project.

Needlepoint, cross-stitch and embroidery have all seen renewed interest in recent years, drawing practitioners of all ages looking for a creative outlet that does not involve a screen. The Boardroom setting offers a quieter, more focused environment than the main library floor, which suits the kind of detailed work the club is built around.

Community Plant Swap Closes Out the Month

The September calendar concludes with a Community Plant Swap from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, under the library’s covered patio entrance.

Organized by professional horticulturist Grace Skidmore and Mobile Plant Swap, the event invites plant lovers to bring houseplants or outdoor perennials to trade with other enthusiasts. Attendees are encouraged to get cuttings potted and rooted ahead of the event to ensure successful trades.

Baldwin County Master Gardeners will also be on hand to answer questions about plant care and offer advice to both novice and experienced gardeners.

Fairhope’s mild winters, ample rainfall and long growing season have made it a gardening community for generations, and the swap has become a recurring favorite. For newcomers to the area, it doubles as an introduction to what actually thrives on the Eastern Shore, from native perennials to the more tropical specimens that do well in coastal Alabama’s climate.

A Library Serving 160,000 People a Year

The Fairhope Public Library serves approximately 160,000 people each year and provides an estimated $5.9 million in value to the community. Its mission is to provide equal access to information for the Fairhope community while sustaining and energizing the intellectual, cultural, educational and recreational life of the community.

The library has operated since 1900, when it was established in the home of Marie Howland through voluntary membership fees and community tax funds collected by the Fairhope Single Tax Corporation. The utopian Single Tax Colony that founded the city treated a library as essential civic infrastructure from the beginning, and that founding assumption still shapes how the institution defines its role.

Why Free, Drop-In Programming Matters

In an era when many community spaces have closed or moved online, public libraries remain among the few institutions offering face-to-face programming at no cost. The September lineup deliberately spans generations and interests — a game night for young adults, a handcraft club, a swap for gardeners — reinforcing the library’s role as a neighborhood anchor.

The absence of any registration requirement is part of the design. It lowers the barrier to participation and makes it possible for a resident to decide to attend an hour beforehand, which is often the difference between interest and attendance.

How to Take Part

All three September programs are free and open to the public, and none require advance sign-up. Residents interested in any of them can simply show up at the listed times at 501 Fairhope Ave.

For the plant swap, attendees should arrive with cuttings or plants they are willing to trade and be prepared to take home something new.

The September events are part of a broader calendar of programming the library offers throughout the year for people of all ages. The Friends of the Fairhope Public Library, which supports the institution through book sales and volunteer work, hosts sales throughout the year and is another avenue for residents who want to contribute.

More information about the library and its full programming calendar is available on the Fairhope Public Library website, where programming announcements and any weather-related cancellations are posted.