NEWS

The Independent Bookstores of the Greater Charlotte Area are Delighted to Announce the Fifth Annual Greater Charlotte Book Crawl in April

DAVIDSON, NC — The independent bookstores of the greater Charlotte area announce the fifth annual Greater Charlotte Book Crawl taking place April 1-30, and Main Street Books is one of the participating destinations again this year.

As Charlotte and its surrounding cities have continued to grow, communities have seen the establishment of many new indie bookstores alongside the older much-loved staples that have been serving book lovers for many years. The annual Greater Charlotte Book Crawl was created to introduce these stores to the public and encourage local shopping.

Each year the crawl has grown to include more local authors, artists, and stores. All participating stores in 2026 are committed to bringing the book world together in our little corner of the Carolinas—and to show that community built around books can offer a brightness that shines out no matter how dark the world seems. The month-long book crawl and Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25, are highlights of the year for independent bookstores.

In 2026, the crawl includes 25 bookstores across Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Rowan, Union, and York counties.

Beginning April 1, bookstore lovers can start by visiting any participating bookstore to pick up a passport or print their own via the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl website: https://greatercharlottebookcrawl.com/. Then, during the entire month of April, they can collect a passport stamp when they visit each different bookstore – no purchase necessary – and earn prizes when they reach specific milestones:

Tier #1:

Visit seven (7) participating stores and claim a free audiobook from Libro.fm at the 7th store you visit.

Tier #2:

Visit fifteen (15) participating stores and collect a free bookish poster at the 15th store you visit.

Tier #3:

Visit all (25) participating stores and earn a free commemorative 2026 tote bag. Finishers will also have the opportunity to enter to win this year’s grand prize.

Grand Prize Drawing

Finishers of the book crawl may choose to enter themselves to win the Grand Prize. This Grand Prize winner will be selected at random from the entrants and receive one $20 gift card from each participating store for a total actual retail value of $500! The deadline to enter is April 30, 2026. Finishers may submit their passport through the QR code on the bottom of their passport or by uploading manually through the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl website: https://greatercharlottebookcrawl.com/

Note: Participants must be age 18+ to win. Adults may enter on behalf of their children.

Main Street Books is kicking off the Greater Charlotte Book on Wednesday, April l, when all visitors to our store can:

• Get a FREE souvenir passport (while supply lasts, April 1 only; after April 1 they will cost $5.99).
• Pick up their pre-ordered Main Street Books t-shirt. When worn to Main Street Books on Independent Bookstore Day on April 25, they’ll get 10% off all purchases.
• Post a selfie from the bookstore tagging @mainstreetbooksdavidson for a free MSB sticker.

Coinciding with the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl, many shops will be collecting books for area nonprofit Promising Pages, whose work aims to end book deserts in Charlotte. Collection bins will be at many of the locations, and Greater Charlotte Book Crawl participants are welcome to donate brand new or gently-used children’s books.

“Indies are kindred spirits and we are thrilled to participate in the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl again this year,” says Adah Fitzgerald, owner of Main Street Books in Davidson. “We love greeting book crawlers and offering them access to diverse books and products that build critical thinking, civic engagement, and empathy.”

For the full list of participating bookstores, more information about the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl, or a printable passport, please visit https://greatercharlottebookcrawl.com/.

ABOUT MAIN STREET BOOKS

Main Street Books has been a fixture on Davidson, NC’s Main Street since 1987, and our mission is to enrich and sustain the reading lives of local readers and writers with an inclusive, thoughtful literary collection, a creatively curated events calendar, and an engaged staff. The bookstore is open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Our website is mainstreebookdavidson.com.

ABOUT GREATER CHARLOTTE BOOK CRAWL

As Charlotte and its surrounding cities have continued to grow, communities have seen the establishment of many new indie bookstores alongside the older much-loved staples that have been serving book lovers for many years. The annual Greater Charlotte Book Crawl, launched in 2022, was created to introduce these stores to the public and encourage local shopping. Bookstore lovers can explore the Greater Charlotte area for the entire month of April during our region’s premier literary event featuring 25 independent bookstores offering unique experiences, exclusive promotions, and a chance to win a literary grand prize.

Website: https://greatercharlottebookcrawl.com/