October 2025

September 15 -
October 15th
Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month/Latinx Heritage Month takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino and Chicano community.

Beginning in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month was originally observed as “Hispanic Heritage Week”, but it was later extended to a month in 1988. Since then, it has been celebrated nationwide through festivals, art shows, conferences, community gatherings, and much more.

The month also celebrates the independence days of several Latin American countries, including: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on September 15th, Mexico on September 16th, and Chile on September 18th. They also include holidays that recognize Hispanic contributions such as Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day that is celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Some are also calling for a rebrand of Hispanic Heritage Month to Latinx Heritage Month to shift focus away from Spanish colonialism (and its harmful legacy of genocide and cultural erasure) and to be more inclusive of indigenous, Black, and non-binary Latinxs who are not always centered in these celebrations.

Check out our in-store display through October 15th, and also see our book list on our website, here. If you'd like to learn more about the month and notable figures, visit the national Hispanic Heritage Month page.

Kacey Gambrell Mask Painting Collage (1).png

October 3rd, 5pm - 8pm
Mask Painting Workshop

Join Eerie Dearie Arts at the Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative for a mask painting workshop!

Reserve your spot at the link, here, as space is limited to 15 people.

All supplies provided, and this workshop is FREE.

Come make your mask and be sure to celebrate homecoming with Adams State University!

October 5th - 11th
Banned Books Week

If you’d like to learn more about Banned Books Week, and the data available on the most commonly banned books, you can click here.

You’ll also be able to check out our Banned Books Display throughout the month of October.

To see how you can honor and protect our right to read, check out the actions you can take on Let Freedom Read Day (officially October 11th, but any day is a good day to take action) here.

October 10th, 4pm - 6pm
Artist Reception:
Kacey Gambrell

Kacey Gambrell, also known as Eerie Dearie, creates vibrant and imaginative works inspired by mythology, fashion, and all things creepy and cute.

She attended Adams State University and earned a BFA in Studio Arts with emphases of drawing, painting, graphic design, and fibers, which helped her hone her multidisciplinary approach to art.

She regularly participates in online collaborative projects and has recently launched her own YouTube channel for drawing tutorials, painting videos, and more. To see more of her work, visit @eerie.dearie.arts on Instagram, Eerie Dearie Arts on Facebook, or @eeriedearie on Youtube.

Of her current collection she writes, “A mask can do many things. It can hide a person in a crowd, conceal one’s identity, and even keep the wearer safe. Alternatively, a mask can make a person the center of attention and emphasize their presence to the point that anonymity is lost.

“Behind a mask, a person can be whoever they imagine. Hidden truths are revealed about a person's inner world when they choose to don a mask, especially those metaphorical masks such as online alter egos or the many faces people present to others in daily life.

“My wish with this collection is to invite the viewer to explore a world of magical and mysterious masks and the truths they don't quite conceal; perhaps even to consider the masks they, themselves, have worn through life.”

Join us on October 10th for a come-and-go reception from 4pm to 6pm. Meet Kacey and chat with her about her art, and see her art all month long.

October 18th, 6pm
Spadefoot Story Slam

Each month, we host the Spadefoot Story Slam community, sharing stories based on a theme, selected at the previous month’s Slam. While inspired by the Moth Story Hour, our monthly meetings are not a contest, but instead are a way to come together and practice sharing, and deep listening.

This October, join us for your stories on AFTERMATH. Prepare a story about consequences. Aftershocks and fallout. The morning after! Indelible grins! Walks of shame! Assessing the wreckage from the storm. After the dust has settled, the decision to rehash or relinquish! Next move? Tell us about a time you had to wait for the dust to settle, a time you suffered the consequences, a time you had to face the music.

We encourage, always, creative interpretation of the theme.

Stories should be true as remembered by you, and spoken from the heart, instead of read from the page. We don’t have an official time limit, but encourage stories that take 10 minutes or less, especially if we have a large group. We look forward to seeing you on October 18th at 6pm!