Indiana book lovers, get ready for the most exciting weekend of the year, the Indy Indie Book Crawl 2026.
This weekend, book lovers don’t need to come up with excuses to visit their favorite local bookstores, adding new books to their ever-growing bookshelves (and TBR pile).
Now in its third year, hungry readers with a voracious literary appetite can visit more than three dozen of central Indiana’s coziest bookstores, score a cool bookmark and possibly win a prize or two.
Last year’s book crawl saw scores of Hoosiers out and about supporting independent booksellers. Here’s what to know about this year’s event.
What is the Indy Indie Book Crawl?
The Indy Indie Book Crawl is a four-day event that encourages readers to support local, independent and community bookstores across central Indiana by getting a special bookmark stamped at participating locations, in which this year there are 37.
When is the 2026 Indy Indie Book Crawl?
This year’s book crawl happens Thursday, March 19, through Sunday, March 22, 2026. It’s not just a book crawl though, it’s also a game in which you can win prizes.
How many bookstores are participating in the 2026 book crawl?
This year a total of 37 locations and seven literary organizations are participating in the book crawl.
Organizers have provided an online map of independent bookstores you can use to navigate from one location to the next.
What bookstores are participating in the 2026 Indy Indie Book Crawl? What are their hours Thursday – Sunday?
The bookstores to visit during this year’s Indy Indie Book Crawl include the following locations (note: their hours vary so plan your crawl according):
The following participating booksellers will be hosting pop-ups at one central location, The Stutz, this year. The Stutz is located at 1060 N Capital Ave. The hours are 12-6 p.m. Thursday – Sunday.
Here’s what book crawl participants can win
Not only can bibliophiles sample a rich buffet of Indiana’s independent bookstores, they get a chance to win the best prize of all — books, and the opportunity to get even more books just for participating.
Organizers announced three lucky grand prize winners drawn at random will each receive a bundle of bookstore gift cards, store merch and books.
In 2025, they introduced four more prizes that would be awarded to someone selected at random who participated in “Book Crawl BINGO,” but for 2026 there are now 12 different prizes:
For a chance to win, you’ll need a free 2026 Indy Indie Bookmark.
Why do I need a special bookmark for the Indy Indie Book Crawl?
The bookmarks act as proof you’ve been to each bookstore. Organizers for the event likened them to “crawl passports,” which you get stamped at each participating location. Plus, it’s just really fun. And who doesn’t need more bookmarks in their life?
What happens if a bookstore runs out of bookmarks?
Don’t panic if the independent bookstore you visit has run out of bookmarks — there are more than 30 other stores where you can snag one. Book crawl organizers recommend saving additional proof of your visit with a photo or by keeping the receipt should you make a purchase.
Do you have to buy books at each store to get your bookmark stamped?
Nope, the Indy Indie Book Crawl doesn’t require you to make any purchases. You could visit each location and get your bookmark stamped then walk out. But where’s the fun in that?
How to participate in the Indianapolis book crawl
If you plan on joining the Indy Indie Book Crawl (IIBC), here’s what organizers said participants need to do:
For more information about how to register for the event, visit Indy Indie Book Crawl on its official Instagram page.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
Katie Wiseman covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@indystar.com. Follow her on Bluesky, Twitter and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy Indie Book Crawl is back. See the map of participating stores
Reporting by Katie Wiseman and John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
