Uwishunu.com

On June 16 every year, millions of James Joyce aficionados around the globe flock to hear readings of their favorite Joyce work, Ulysses, which chronicles a day in the life of a Dublin man, Leopold Bloom. And Bloomsday is a major deal in Philadelphia. After all, the city’s Rosenbach Museum houses a copy of Joyce’s original manuscript of the novel, which was widely banned in its day and continues to flummox college literature majors with its highly stylized form and language. This is not beach reading, folks.

But Joyce fans are like Deadheads (fans of The Grateful Dead, not Joyce’s short story, The Dead): They love this book, possibly enough to camp out to get the best seat at the readings.

That said, there’s something for everyone in the city’s celebration of the literary landmark. You don’t even have to know how to read to go on a pub crawl. But to help you get up to speed, Fergie’s Pub at 1214 Sansom Street (owner Fergus Carey is a perennial reader at Bloomsday) is sponsoring a Bloomsday 101 at 6 PM before sending you off for a pint at their bar or the following fine establishments with Bloomsday specials:

Irish Pub
123 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 925-3311
$2.00 pints of Miller, Miller Lite, Bud, Bud Lite
$2.50 mixed well drinks

Nodding Head
1516 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 569-9525
www.noddinghead.com
Reasonably priced and great fries!

McGlinchey’s
259 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 735-1259
20 oz. mugs of Rolling Rock for $2.35

Bone up on another Joyce classic, his short story, The Dead, from the book, Dubliners, on Wednesday evening at the Union League, 140 South Broad Street. Barrister Brendan Kilty, who owns and has restored 15 Usher’s Island in Dublin–the setting for the story–will discuss the 1987 John Huston film, “The Dead,” starring his daughter, Angelica, which will be screened following cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 PM. Cost is $40. RSVP to Katelyn at 215-546-9422 or email her at katelyn@expertevents.com.

Union League
140 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
www.unionleague.org

Kilty will also appear at a free screening of the film at 2 PM Friday, June 15, at The City Institute Library at 1905 Locust Street on Rittenhouse Square. No cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at this one.

The City Institute Library
1905 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

On the day itself (Saturday, June 16), readers from all walks of life, including local TV personalities, politicians, and at least one publican, will read selections from “Ulysses” at the Rosenbach Museum and Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place, starting at noon and going on into the evening. Rain location is First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut Street. For more information, call 215-732-1600, email info@rosenbach.org, or visit the website at www.rosenbach.org. The Rosenbach will also be exhibiting selections from the original “Ulysses” manuscript; the museum will open at 12 PM.

You’ll be “tirsty” after all of this, so head over to McGillin’s Old Ale House at 1310 Drury Street where they’ll be having live music by Baby Brother and the High Five and offering a free beer to anyone carrying a book by Joyce with them. There will be no pop quizzes.

Rosenbach Museum and Library
2010 Delancey Pl, Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.rosenbach.org