3rd-annual indie bookstore passport event celebrates ‘integral’ role of independent shops

Paper Birch Books on April 24, 2026. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)

Some 16 Edmonton indie bookstores are participating in the third year of an event dedicated to getting readers out of their nooks and into stores across the city.

The Edmonton Indie Bookstore Extravaganza is a grassroots effort started by Audreys Books and Paper Birch Books.

On both Saturday and Sunday, Edmontonians can go to any of the participating independent stores to pick up a passport. Each shop will stamp the passport during your adventure.

Book lovers will also be entered to win prizes contributed by each indie.

“This day is really about the integral role that indie bookstores play in their communities,” said organizer and Paper Birch Books co-owner Céline Chuang. “When people support indie bookstores, they nourish an entire ecosystem. They support indie publishers and curated collections by booksellers who love to read.”

The Edmonton Transit Service is running a free Bookstore Bus on the north and south side loops every 30 minutes from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

A full list of participating bookstores can be found online.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall