ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Independent Bookstore Day is a national celebration of all things local booksellers. Every year, the last weekend of April sees the party take place at small bookshops all over the country.

Independent Bookstore Day 2025 will be held this year on Saturday, April 26. There are five local shops celebrating the event in the Asheville area, including:

  • Cuentos y Café BIPOC Bookstore, a local bookstore pop-up highlighting work by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors
  • Malaprop’s Bookstore, 55 Haywood St., a staple brick-and-mortar bookstore in downtown Asheville featuring national bestsellers and regional authors
  • Sassafras on Sutton, 108 Sutton Ave., a Black Mountain Sassafras location sporting books, games, house goods and a full espresso café
  • Sassafras on Main, 196 N Main St., a Waynesville book and toy store located right on the Waynesville main drag
  • Highland Books, 36 W Main St., a Brevard bookstore serving the local community for 50 years

Each shop will celebrate the event in their own special way, highlighting the unique nature of each independent bookstore.

Sassafras on Main, for instance, will feature sales, a bookmark maker station and writable posters where readers are invited to recommend their favorite books.

Meanwhile, their Black Mountain sister shop, Sassafras on Sutton, will have a meet-and-greet opportunity with “Some Like It Scot” author Pepper Basham.

“It’s a Scottish romance,” teased Kathleen Madden, general manager of Sassafras on Sutton. “She’ll be signing and doing a meet-and-greet.”

Sassafras on Sutton will also feature a “royal reader” themed photo-op and several Independent Bookstore Day drinks at their in-store café.

“We’ve got a Literary Latte, a True Crime Cappuccino, Charlie and the Hot Chocolate Factory, The Very Thirsty Caterpillar, Hop on Pop, which is a soda drink, and then a Mystery Mocha,” listed Madden.

Cuentos y Café will be set up with their special array of books from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Indie Books & Art Market at Cooperative Coffee, 210 Haywood Road.

Malaprop’s will have their own author signings, including Lauren Paige Conrad, author of picture book “This is a Window,” and Jorge Redmond, author of picture book “Black Boy, Black Boy,” from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Amy Willoughby-Burle, author of historical romance “Even if Nothing Else Is Certain,” from 1 to 3 p.m.

Other fun to be had at Malaprop’s includes candy, balloons, a DIY bookmark station, giveaways and exclusive Independent Bookstore Day items, like IBD Blackwing pencils and a tote bag.

There is a tall stack of exciting perks at Highland Books, which will extend their Independent Bookstore Day festivities to Sunday, April 27 with extended hours all weekend.

Highland will offer several discounts, including 20% off all hardcovers, expanded 50% off shelves and a free ARC or mildly damaged book with every book purchase. They will also offer two sweepstakes: The first is a store-wide scavenger hunt for a “golden ticket” to Libro.FM, guaranteeing the finder 12 free audiobooks. The other is a drawing where contestants guess how many books there are at Highland. The winner will be announced Monday and receive a $100 gift card to the store.

For more information about Independent Bookstore Day and to see a map of participating stores all over the country, visit www.indiebound.org/independent-bookstore-day.