Dark Carnival, the second oldest science fiction bookstore in the US, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on Saturday, August 1, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at its longtime location on Claremont Avenue in Berkeley, CA.

The sprawling establishment, which specializes in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery books—as well as comics through its next-door sister store, Escapist Comics—first opened its doors in 1976, resiliently weathering challenges including the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, COVID-19 lockdowns, and numerous periods of economic “malaise and recession” over the decades.

Dark Carnival’s events and book signings have previously attracted esteemed authors such as Ray Bradbury, Anne Rice, Douglas Adams, and Clive Barker, and the store continues to benefit from the support of a devoted community of patrons, fans, and local writers including Michael Chabon, Charlie Jane Anders, and Maggie Tokuda-Hall.

Owner Jack Rems, who has sat behind the desk at Dark Carnival “since dinosaurs and old Cadillacs roamed the earth,” prides himself on the store’s discerningly curated “recommended reads” shelf and expanded online booklists: “I like to feel I’m leading readers to something better than they would end up with if I wasn’t here to offer them guidance,” he said.

For more information on Dark Carnival and its upcoming anniversary celebration, visit its website.