One of the most unusual yet intriguing Adelaide Fringe events that I've had the pleasure of going to involved a banned book club launch at the refurbished Prospect Library at Payinthi. Located in the heart of Prospect Road, this beautiful establishment is home to several books that have achieved an intriguing status of being banned, burned and blacklisted around the world.

With notable titles including The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (to name a few), Prospect Library hopes to inspire people to delve into this world and appreciate banned literary works that are bursting with knowledge and are waiting to be re-discovered.

Setting up the event in their hub, Prospect Library carefully displayed an array of banned books - one per aisle - that was showcased with insightful little blurbs explaining the reason for their 'banned' status. While the event ran for only an hour, I'm sure all bibliophiles would agree that they could easily spend a couple of hours navigating through this treasured selection of books and find a story that will open their minds in new and exciting ways.

So what better way to celebrate these literal forbidden fruits than with a refreshing drink of (aptly named) Gilbert Street gin distillery Prohibition Liquor Co?! Upon entry to the event, the first 25 patrons were treated to chilled cans of G & T. Following that, patrons were encouraged to check out a rustic-looking pop up bar that was glistening in the sunset glow, where summer-friendly drinks and cocktails were being concocted with their signature Gin drops.

Complementing the relaxed and social vibe of the event, award-winning folk pop singer-songwriter Naomi Keyte and her band serenaded patrons with acoustic tunes with lyrics that combined "intelligent pop" with "timeless folk". While the patrons explored the library areas (outdoors and indoors), the band was able to captivate their crowd of book lovers (and Gin / wine lovers) to gather and busk in the warm and inviting ambience of their music and create a COVID-safe social event.

Banned Book Club Launch with Prohibition Liquor Co may have finished for their Adelaide Fringe season, but the Prospect Library has several copies of various banned books ready for loans and borrowing. To borrow these books, it is free to sign up as a member of the Prospect Library, with further details on their website. People are also encouraged to start up their own book club, in a bid to steamroll the conversations around books such as those that were exhibited at this event and better understand why these literary works deserve to be read, analysed, and appreciated for the knowledge they impart.