The Buffalo Reading Invasion, an hour-long community reading venture in a public space, returns tonight from 7 to 8 at Larkin Square. Here’s a quick gallery of Larkin as a teaser.

In the first meeting July 23 in Bidwell Park, well over 100 people gathered to spend a quiet hour celebrating reading along Elmwood Avenue (photos here). It was a peaceful opportunity to gather friends, sit on a blanket and devour a few dozen pages of the Hunger Games, ESPN the Magazine or another piece of literature (or your Kindle, if you prefer that route) before parting ways.

Event organizer Geoff Schutte, a high school teacher at Tapestry Charter School in Buffalo, explains the mission of the monthly meetings on the Reading Invasion’s WordPress site:

The idea is simple: People bring something to read and “invade” a large public space. This isn’t a book club; just a time to come together, to enjoy the act of reading, and to remind our fellow Buffalonians that reading is an essential element of the many of our lives.

The Grill—the outdoor stand which sells four or five food options ($6-10) and a few beer selections (see Larkin gallery above)—will remain open until 8 p.m.

I don’t really need to wax poetic on the virtues of reading— it’s common knowledge—but it’s easy to play DoodleJump on your smartphone or watch the most recent episode of Breaking Bad instead of curling up with a book. Take an hour to relax, enjoy the comfy chairs or the covered, elevated gazebo of Larkin and relish some silent company.

Now, good luck getting this un-lodged from your mind:

(Header photo courtesy of Flickr / somegeekintn)