PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 13, 2023— Every year, the world celebrates Bloomsday on June 16, the day that James Joyce’s Ulysses is set in 1904. Nowhere celebrates quite like the Rosenbach, home of Joyce’s manuscript. Bloomsday is a day-long public reading held on Delancey Place with musical performances that bring the epic novel to life.
Joyce enthusiasts and novices alike can drop by any time to listen to the reading, enjoy free admission to the Rosenbach to view portions of the Ulysses manuscript, and relax in the beer garden with a special Bloomsday brew from our partners at Attic Brewing Company. Bloomsday is FREE and open to the public. Guests can drop by any time between 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 16, Full details at www.rosenbach.org/bloomsday.
“James Joyce’s Ulysses has been called the greatest modern novel, but it has also inspired scores of writers and readers since its publication in 1922, solidifying its place as one of the most influential novels of all time.” Says Kelsey Scouten Bates, the Rosenbach’s John C. Haas Director. Joyce’s manuscript has been a part of the Rosenbach’s collection since our founder Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach purchased it at auction in 1924.
The Bloomsday Festival and programs are made possible by our generous sponsors: Sláinte® Irish Whiskey, The Consulate General of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme, Lenore Steiner and Perry Lerner, James Conmy, Alix Gerz and George Matysik. Special thanks to the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Rosenbach’s formal partner.
Alongside the Bloomsday festival on June 16, the Rosenbach presents a series of special programs.
- June 4: Written in My Heart: James Joyce and Irish Authors | Behind The Bookcase Tour
- June 7: Liberté, Égalité, Bloomsday: A 1920s Parisian Soirée Toasting James Joyce and Sylvia Beach | A Young Friends Event
- June 8: Written in My Heart: James Joyce and Irish Authors | Behind The Bookcase Tour
- June 9: Left Bank: The Visionary Women Behind James Joyce and Ulysses Film Screening
- June 14: In Conversation With Dr. Clare Hutton on “Women and the Making of Ulysses” (virtual)
In the event of rain, the Bloomsday festival will be moved to Trinity Memorial Church at 22rd and Spruce Streets. To learn more about Bloomsday and to register, visit rosenbach.org/bloomsday.
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The Rosenbach creates unique experiences for broad audiences through programs inspired by its world-class holdings of literature and history. The Rosenbach is located in Center City Philadelphia and is open to the public with growing content available at all times on Rosenbach.org. The Rosenbach is affiliated with the Free Library of Philadelphia.