Best bookstore café in Jacksonville, FL | Happy Medium Books Café

BookTalk with Elizabeth Vartkessian
2026-04-15 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us at the cafe in conversation with Elizabeth Vrtkessian, author or The Deserving: What the Lives of the Condemned Reveal About the American Justice System.
Elizabeth Vartkessian is a mitigation specialist who works with prisoners on death row as part of their defense team, interviewing them as well as their families and communities to provide a broader context for their crimes (of which they are most often guilty). Detailing cases from her 20-year career, The Deserving takes us inside Vartkessian’s head as she learns to listen and build trust and empathy with her clients, some of whom have never been treated with either.
Pick up your copy today at Happy Medium Books Café.

Wine Date with a Book
2026-04-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Cork Thyme @ All Spiced up Avondale, 3543 St Johns Ave, Jacksonville, FL, 32205
Join us at Cork Thyme at All Spiced Up in Avondale to discuss Till Death Do Us Part by L. E. Flynn.
As always, Book Club Books are 20% off at Happy Medium Books Café.

Happy Medium Book Club
2026-04-15 10:30 - 12:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us at the café as we discuss What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad.
As always, books are 20% off at Happy Medium Books Café.

Mystery/Thrilling Book Club
2026-04-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us at the café to discuss Heartwood by Amity Gaige.
As always, book club books are 20% off at Happy Medium Books Café.

Mahjong Meet Ups
2026-04-13 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-06 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-30 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-23 15:00 - 17:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
If you KNOW how to play Mahjong and are wanting to meet up and play, this is for you!
Join our group and get our Group Me notifications about upcoming Meet Ups.
Contact the store to get on our list!
All skills welcome.
Game and 2025 cards are provided.

Learn to Play Mahjong
2026-04-13 10:30 - 12:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
This is a 2 day, 2 hour class. Participants will get the 2026 American Mahjong Card.

Second Sunday with Fred Dale
2026-04-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us at the cafe for Second Sunday with Authors and Poets, featuring Fred Dale.

Yarning
2026-04-09 17:00 - 19:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join other Yarners at the cafe with your knitting or crochet project.
Bring a friend or make new ones.
All are welcome!

Happy Little Melodies
2026-04-09 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-04-02 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-26 10:00 - 10:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us for music, movement, and memory-making with your little one in this cozy, welcoming space!
Reserve your spot before they’re gone: www.musictherapynow.net/happylittlemelodies

Silent Book Club of JAX
2026-04-08 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join other Book Lovers for an hour of silent reading.
7-7:30 grab a drink and chat a bit
7:30-8:30 Silent Reading

Closed for Easter
2026-04-05 | FL

Learn to Play Mahjong Night Class Day 2
2026-04-01 18:00 - 20:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Must have attended Day 1 class on Monday, March 30th to attend.

A Seat at our Table BookTalk Series
2026-03-31 19:00 - 20:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
We are excited to announce next month’s book ‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller for our next “A Seat at Our Table’ Book Club.
Circe was chosen because March is Woman’s History Month and Circe is a feminist, mythic retelling of the life of the misunderstood sorceress from Homer’s Odyssey.
Pick up your book today at Happy Medium Books Cafe for 20% off and join us March 31st!

Learn to Play Mahjong Night Classes
2026-03-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
This is a 2 day class for Mahjong Beginners.
$75 covers the 2 – 2 hour classes on Monday, March 30th and Wednesday, April 1st
Includes the 2025 National Mahjong Card.

Watercolor on Yupo: Light, Movement & Urban Atmosphere with Teresa Cook
2026-03-29 14:00 - 16:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Watercolor on Yupo: Light, Movement & Urban Atmosphere
with Teresa Cook
Explore the expressive possibilities of watercolor on Yupo, a synthetic, non-absorbent surface that transforms the way pigment moves, lifts, and layers. In this 2-hour workshop, artist Teresa Cook will guide students through foundational techniques unique to Yupo, including floating washes, controlled lifting, texture creation, and layering for depth.
Participants will begin with guided experimentation to understand how watercolor behaves differently on this surface before developing a finished urban-inspired composition focused on light, value, and atmosphere. Teresa will demonstrate how to use contrast and simplified architectural forms to create dimension and visual impact — emphasizing both control and creative surrender.
This workshop is designed for both beginners and intermediate artists. Beginners will build confidence through shape and value, while more experienced painters can explore perspective, glazing, and atmospheric depth.
Students will leave with:
• A stronger understanding of watercolor on Yupo
• Techniques for correcting and lifting pigment
• A completed painting focused on light and structure
• Greater confidence in expressive mark-making
All supplies provided unless otherwise noted.

JE Sutton, Jr Pop Up Author Event
2026-03-28 11:00 - 14:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States

Yarning
2026-03-26 17:00 - 19:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Whether you knit or crochet, come out and meet up with fellow ‘Yarners’ at Happy Medium.
All levels welcome!

Mahjong for Newbies
2026-03-26 11:00 - 13:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
This is open Mahjong play with a teacher present to help answer questions and guide instruction.
Excellent for people who have taken Learn to Play Mahjong Day 1 and 2 or just need a refresher.
Must Bring your 2025 American Mahjong Card

SCI FI BINGO
2026-03-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Calling all Sci fi Fans!
This night is for you. Join us for Bingo and your chance at winning for great SciFi Books for prizes.
$8 Ticket will hold your space!

Not Your Mother's Book Club
2026-03-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us at the cafe as we discuss For Human Use by Sarah G Pierce.
As always, Book Club Books are 20% off at Happy Medium Books Cafe.

BookTalk with Heather B. Quick
2026-03-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
For Woman’s History Month we have another amazing woman joining us at Happy Medium.
Heather B. Quick is a Jacksonville-based attorney, entrepreneur, and author, as well as the founder and CEO of Florida Women’s Law Group. Her newest book, Unbreakable Divorce: The Guide Every Woman Needs to Reclaim Her Life, is designed to support and empower women navigating divorce and major life transitions.
RSVP Today!

Sarah Clarke Stuart Book Launch & Art Show
2026-03-22 14:00 - 16:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States

Books & Music with Jenny Robinson Clark & Travis Clark
2026-03-21 11:00 - 14:00 | Happy Medium Books Cafe, 2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL, 32205, United States
Join us for a heart-centered family gathering at Happy Medium Books Cafe as we celebrate the debut of “Are You Here?” by author and mom Jenny Robinson Clark.
Created as a gentle way to help children understand grief, love, and connection, “Are You Here?” opens the door for meaningful conversations in a way that feels comforting, imaginative, and age-appropriate. Inspired by the passing of her own mother, Jenny wrote this book to help families talk about big feelings with more openness, faith, and reassurance.
This special Saturday event will include:
– Signed books on site
– Coloring sheets by the illustrator for kids
– Time to connect with other families
– Live acoustic music in the café
Jenny’s husband, Travis Clark (frontman of We The Kings), will perform an intimate acoustic set, including an original companion song written for the book.
Whether you’re navigating conversations about loss or simply looking for a meaningful way to spend a Saturday morning together, this event is designed to create space for connection, comfort, and community.
Bring your little ones, grab a coffee, and join us for a beautiful morning of stories, music, and togetherness.

Park After Dark
2026-03-19 18:00 - 21:00 | FL
