Bookshop Day Events
There’s a whole host of activities on October 14, 2023 as the annual celebration of bookshops big and small takes place in the UK and Ireland…
Bookshop Day (October 14) is an ideal opportunity to support your local bookshop and to celebrate these treasured businesses on our high street.
The theme for this year is “Bookshops bringing people together”, highlighting the key role of bookshops as community hubs.
Book-lovers are encouraged to go to their local bookshop, or support them online if they can’t visit in person, with booksellers on hand to share personalised book recommendations. It’s the perfect opportunity to start your Christmas shopping early, or to treat yourself to your next special read!
Bookshop Events
With events taking place up and down the country, why not join in the fun? All events are on October 14, unless otherwise stated.
North of England
- Cogito Books (Hexham, Northumberland) are inviting their children’s book group members to become booksellers for a day, working the till, unpacking book deliveries, chatting to customers about recommendations and serving delicious Bookshop Day cake.
- Featherbed Books (Tyne and Wear) will hold a joke-telling session where children tell jokes led by Martin Ellis from Zymrgy Publishing, who compiled The Little Book of Jokes for Kids of All Ages. This will take place from 12pm-1pm.
- House of Books & Friends (Manchester) will hold a one-day in-store residency for local authors on Bookshop Day. They will be working in the bookshop throughout the day, showing what they do and how they write. Members of the public can ask questions and the authors will be signing stock. Andy Spinoza, author of Manchester unspun (publishing in early November) will be in the bookshop from 1pm-3pm.
- The West Kirby Bookshop (Wirral) are partnering with one of their favourite independent publishers, Daunt Books, for Bookshop Day and will be offering ‘three for the price of two’ on all Daunt Books Publishing titles, giveaways, competitions and refreshments, and a store-wide 10% discount on all other books. This will take place from 10am-6pm.
Harriet Muncaster
South of England
- Next Page Books (Hitchin) are going to hold an event with author Harriet Muncaster from 9.30am-12.30pm, taking place at the British Schools Museum, which is a 5-minute walk from Next Page Books.
- Battersea Bookshop (Battersea Power Station, London) will celebrate its one-year anniversary on Bookshop Day, and the day will also be the Power Station’s one-year anniversary – so there will be many celebrations!
- The Book Nook (Hove) will host a fun-filled Evil Emperor Penguin event with Laura Ellen Anderson at 2pm.
- Bow Books (Royston) are inviting children aged 4-8 to the official launch of Detective Buster Cuffs – Catching the Treat Snatcher. A reading session will take place with a retired policeman Jon and a signing with the author Liana Somerset. Gifts will be given to each child that attends and children must be accompanied by a parent. The event, from 11am-12pm, is free but please book by contacting the bookshop. Tel: 01763 793 279; email: enquiries@bow-books.co.uk.
- Blueprint Coffee & Books (Whitstable, Kent) is giving 10% off all children’s books on Bookshop Day between 9am-4pm.
- Children’s Bookshop (Muswell Hill, London) will hold an event to meet internationally bestselling children’s writer AF Steadman on Bookshop Day at 3pm. AF Steadman is the author of the blockbuster Skandar franchise, the epic series about bloodthirsty unicorns, elemental magic and sky battles. She will be available to sign and dedicate her books, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Skandar and the Phantom Rider.
- The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge, Devon) will host a children’s storytelling with Fiona Barker who will read Fox’s Favourite Autumn. Taking place at 11am, it’s free to join.
- Pickled Pepper Books (Crouch End, London) will be celebrating Bookshop Day with The Tiger Who Came to Tea story time and craft parties run by one of their wonderful storytellers. The story times will take place at 10am, 11am and 3pm.
- Red Lion Books (Colchester, Essex) will be hosting a night of Murdle which consists of a £25 two-course supper and an introduction to the game Murdle. This will take place on the eve of Bookshop Day, Friday October 13 at 7pm.
Billy Sloan
Scotland
- The Book Nook (Stewarton) will host two events on Bookshop Day. The first is with Jordan Cramond who has acted in several popular movies and is appearing in the forthcoming film adaptation of inspirational novel White Bird, alongside Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. Jordan will read excerpts from the book and talk to the children about his acting career at 2.30pm. The second event is at 6pm with Scottish music journalist and broadcaster Billy Sloan, who will be sharing stories from his new book One Love, One Life: Stories from the Stars, in a fun evening with music and refreshments.
- The Celtic House (Isle of Islay) will host an event with locally-based author and documentary maker Les Wilson who will present his new book Orwell’s Island: George, Jura and 1984. This will take place on at 5pm and is a free event, no booking required.
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, commented,
“We’re delighted to see lots of wonderful events already confirmed to take place on Bookshop Day.
Celebrating all high street bookshops, from indies to chains, the day is a brilliant opportunity for customers to meet and chat to their local booksellers, discover the next book they’ll fall in love with, and take part in dozens of author events and celebrations.
“We want bookshops to continue to bring people together throughout the year, every year, and book lovers to show their support to these national treasures of our high street.”
Spotlight on Manchester
Danielle Rhoda and Maisy Summer
This Bookshop Day will spotlight Manchester and its wonderful bookshops. Local artists Danielle Rhoda and Maisy Summer will work with Jack Arts on two murals with sites on Shudehill and Church Street in the city centre.
Collect Your Limited-Edition Bag
Illustrator Poonam Mistry is this year’s designer of the Books Are My Bag Limited-Edition Bag, which will be available exclusively in bookshops from Bookshop Day onwards, while stocks last.
For More Info
Details of Bookshop Day events taking place across the country can be found on the Books Are My Bag Facebook events page. Look out for the latest developments on social @booksaremybag and #BookshopDay.
For exclusive fiction pick up My Weekly every week, or pop into our fiction section online for book reviews, author interviews and more!
Allison Hay
I joined the "My Weekly" team thirteen years ago and, more recently, "The People's Friend". I love the variety of topics we cover both online and in the magazines. I manage the digital content for the brands, sharing features and information on the website, social media and in our digital newsletters.
