Literary Events in the Washington, D.C. Area
Please note: while most events are free, many require an RSVP and some do charge. See links for details. If you have an event to add, or a correction, email us at Washington.Unbound@gmail.com.
Ongoing
Busboys & Poets hosts open mics weekly at various locations. For information, visit their website: https://www.busboysandpoets.com/poetry
Throughout April, the Folger Shakespeare Library will be featuring various events in celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday. For more information, visit their website: https://www.folger.edu/whats-on/
April 2026
4/1
Busboys and Poets 14th & V
6 pm
2021 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
A conversation with Ani Zonneveld, author of the memoir An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Making My Life Count as a Muslim Feminist. Join us to learn what happens when a Malaysian Muslim woman defies expectations and challenges patriarchy. Ani Zonneveld shares her journey from Kuala Lumpur to rural Illinois, confronting invisible lines drawn by religion, gender, and race-all in pursuit of truth and justice.
https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/th-evt-56036096/
Kramers
7 – 8 pm
1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
Amber Sparks and Ryan Habermeyer will be in discussion about their new books, both of which deal with the disturbing—or at least misunderstood—relationship between the living and the "living dead." While not horror per say, both books investigate death, spirits, and memory in unique, often humorous ways. Join us for a lively (pun intended) conversation books, art, life, death...you know, the little things.
https://www.kramers.com/events/4648520260401
4/2
Bol Co-op
6 – 8:30 pm
716 Monroe St NE Studio 11 Washington DC
Join us for an evening of film, conversation, and community centered on The Bengali, a documentary by filmmaker Kavery Kaul exploring the little-known history of early South Asian immigrants who formed families and communities within African American neighborhoods in New Orleans. Presented as part of the #UnderOurSun Impact Campaign, the evening invites reflection on connection, migration, and belonging.
https://withfriends.co/event/27751335/the_bengali#
The Writer’s Center
7 pm
Online
Poet Lore and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Cortney Lamar Charleston to discuss his new collection, It’s Important I Remember. Cortney is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry journal.
https://writer.org/event/cortney-lamar-charleston/
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Yann Martel discusses his new novel Son of Nobody. From the author of the international bestseller Life of Pi, a brilliant retelling of the Trojan War from the perspective of two commoners: an ancient soldier and a modern scholar.
https://politics-prose.com/yann-martel-040226
One More Page Bookstore
7 – 8 pm
2200 N. Westmoreland Street, Arlington, VA 22213-1044
Join author David Swinson as he discusses his newest release: FROM THE DUST, in conversation with local author Christina Kovac. FROM THE DUST is a soulful, rural Noir story about belief: the extremities to which it pushes a community, the fear it instills in the hearts of adherents and doubters alike, and need for it nevertheless.
https://onemorepagebooks.com/event/2026-04-02/celebrate-dust-author-david-swinson
4/3
Busboys and Poets at 450K
6 pm
450 K St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001
Anne Whiteside reads from her new book, Moon in Splinters, which has been described as “The stirring true story of a World War II French resister in The Moon in Splinters is exemplary in its immediacy – the young hero was the author’s uncle – and in its authenticity—the author has spoken to every available eye-witness and has consulted every relevant document” by Robert O. Paxton, Columbia University Professor Emeritus.
https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/th-evt-56930817/
4/3
Sankofa Video Books & Café
6:30 – 8:30 pm
2714 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Join us for a screening of The Pendleton 2: They Stood Up, a powerful documentary about two men who fought to prove their innocence after a wrongful conviction. The screening will be followed by a conversation with filmmaker Too Black and Evan Wright.
https://www.sankofa.com/events/film-screening-the-pendelton-2-they-stood-up
4/4
The Writer’s Center
1:30 – 3:30
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
The Writer’s Center welcomes Poets Claudia Gary and Roderick Deacey for a reading and discussion of their new collections, Time and Other Solvents, and Birds Flew In, respectively.
https://writer.org/event/gary-deacey/
4/6
The Writer’s Center
7 – 8:30
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers Holly Karapetkova and Steven Leyva. The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon/
Lost City Books
7 – pm
2467 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-2003
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein discusses her new book, The Edge of Space-Time, in conversation with Camonghne Felix. A fresh, charming, socially conscious tour of the mysteries of space-time, from the award-winning author of The Disordered Cosmos.
https://lostcitybookstore.com/event/2026-04-06/edge-space-time-chanda-prescod-weinstein
4/7
People’s Book
6 pm
7014-A Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912
Rhae Lynn Barnes discusses Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment. With Darkology, Princeton historian Rhae Lynn Barnes meticulously unravels the complex, subterranean, and all-too-often expunged history of “Darkology”—the insidious study, commodification, and dehumanization of Black life, through which performers caricatured the enslaved and formerly enslaved for their supposed subservience and happy demeanor.
https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/darkology/
The Alexander Grass Humanities Institute and East City Book Shop
6 – 7:30
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
Humanities on the Hill: Anna Celenza with Chris Richards. Anna Celenza is a professor at Johns Hopkins University, where she holds a joint appointment in The Writing Seminars and the Musicology Department at Peabody Conservatory. Chris Richards is a pop music critic for the Washington Post.A copy of her upcoming book, "On the Record: Music that Changed America," will be available for purchase at the event.
https://www.eastcitybookshop.com/events/4924920260407
East City Bookshop
7 – 8 pm (Hybrid: in person with limited seating and Zoom options)
645 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Unit 100, Occupied Washington, DC,20003
East City Bookshop welcomes Kate Clayborn to discuss her next novel, The Paris Match, in conversation with Nikki Payne. A woman tests the limits of her so-called amicable divorce when she flies to Paris for the destination wedding of her former sister-in-law, only to butt heads with the deliciously gruff best man, in a poignant and romantic novel from Kate Clayborn.
https://www.eastcitybookshop.com/events/4642620260407
Kramers
6 –7 pm
1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
In conjunction with Shout Mouse Press, Kramers presents the DMV Youth Poetry Reading! This reading features six young poets from the DMV area, including Sosena Audain, Youth Poet Laureate of Montgomery County. In addition, we will feature several authors from Shout Mouse Press, who will be on hand to sign their books. Join us to hear some young folks keeping alive the tradition and artistry of poetry!
https://www.kramers.com/events/4522120260407
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Andrew Graham-Dixon discusses his new biography, Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found. This revelatory biography persuasively addresses the two great unresolved questions about Vermeer: why did he paint his pictures, and what do they mean?
https://politics-prose.com/andrew-graham-dixon-040726
Politics and Prose at Union Market
1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Frank Thorp V discusses After the Riot, in conversation with Pete Williams. This event is co-sponsored by the White House News Photographers Association. The hardcover book is 120 pages of the large format photography work done as a part of the two award-winning pieces documenting the aftermath of the January 6th, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. The photos and portraits (some of which have never been published before) are paired with the first person accounts of the people who spoke and sat for portraits for the pieces.
https://politics-prose.com/frank-thorp-v-040726
4/8
Politics and Prose at The Wharf
610 Water St SW, Washington DC, DC 20024
Connor Martin discusses THE SILVER FISH, in conversation with I.S. Berry. In this thrilling espionage fiction debut, an American journalist in Ghana is pulled into a dangerous struggle for control of the world’s fiber optic cables.
https://politics-prose.com/connor-martin040826
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Nicholas Lemann discusses his new nonfiction book, Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries, in conversation with Franklin Foer.
Compulsive, shattering, if not fundamentally disruptive,Returning emerges as one of the most important and searingly honest family sagas of our time.
https://politics-prose.com/nicholas-lemann-040826
4/9
Hill Center and East City Bookshop
7 – 9 pm ($12)
Hill Center DC,921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington,DC20003
The Life of a Poet. Featuring Brian Gilmore, author of No More Worlds to Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington, DC in Conversation with Poet/Editor Kyle Dargan. A history of Black poets in Washington, DC, reveals how they have reflected and transformed American cultural discourse The discussion will feature poet Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Folger Poetry Manager and eminent DC Poet, Karl Carter.
Lost City Books
7 – 8 pm
2467 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-2003
Brigitte Dale discusses her new novel The Good Daughters, in conversation with Rebecca Brenner Graham. A moving and vivid story of three suffragettes in London and the battle for equality that tests the strength of their will and the bonds of their friendship.
https://lostcitybookstore.com/event/2026-04-09/good-daughters-brigitte-dale
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Amin Ahmad discusses his new novel A KILLER IN THE FAMILY, in conversation with Angie Kim. An intoxicating drama set in the world of New York City’s elite, A Killer in the Family explores the underside of the American dream and asks, what happens when you marry into a family that keeps secrets?
https://politics-prose.com/amin-ahmad4926
Politics and Prose at Union Market
7 pm
1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Jennifer Mandula discusses her new novel The Geomagician, in conversation with Camila Domonoske. When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.
https://politics-prose.com/jennifer-mandula-040926
Solid State Books
7 – 8 pm
600 H Street Northeast Washington, DC, 20002
Join us for an exciting night with author Dr. Evelyn Carter as she discusses her nonfiction book Was that Racist? in conversation with Shane Lloyd. Was That Racist? is a re-education, call to action, and practical guide, full of research-backed strategies including how to: cultivate a growth mindset about bias, unlearn colorblindness and practice color consciousness, talk to kids about race and racism - and bring others along for the journey.
https://www.solidstatebooksdc.com/events/2025/4/9carter
Wonderland Books
8 pm
7920B Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Author Casey Scieszka will discuss her debut novel, The Fountain, a deeply moving tale about eternity and morality that explores what gives life meaning and how our understandings of our histories shape - and cage - us. In conversation with Axios D.C. reporter Mimi Montgomery.
https://www.wonderlandbooks.com/events/4643620260409
One More Page Bookstore
6:30 – 8:30 pm
2200 N. Westmoreland Street, Arlington, VA 22213-1044
Local Poet Salon. Celebrate National Poetry Month at OMP with an evening full of readings and mingling with local poets! Each poet will do a short reading, followed by time to mingle and book signings. Featuring Sojourner “Hughes” Davidson, Debora Ewing, Rev. Laura Martin, Sunayna Pal, and Ashley M. Stephenson.
https://onemorepagebooks.com/event/2026-04-09/local-poet-salon
George Mason University Authors Series
7:30 pm
GMU Fenwick Library Main Reading Room, 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030
Jeannie Vanasco discusses her most recent book A Silent Treatment. Her other memoirs include Things We Didn’t Talk About When I Was a Girl and The Glass Eye, which Poets & Writers called one of the five best literary nonfiction debuts of 2017. A special tradition at Mason's MFA program, the Visiting Writers series brings some of the most interesting and innovative creative writers and teachers to Northern Virginia every semester. In partnership with Scrawl Books.
https://www.scrawlbooks.com/events/4481420260409
4/10
The Writer’s Center
6:30 – 8 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
Novelist and former instructor Amin Ahmad discusses writing with an eye on the market, writing in genre, how agents work and different pathways to publication. Amin will be joined in conversation with Susan Coll as they discuss how these considerations led to their most recent publications, A Killer in the Family and The Literati, respectively.
https://writer.org/event/amin-ahmad/
East City Bookshop
6 – 7:30
645 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Unit 100, Occupied Washington, DC, 20003
East City Bookshop celebrates Ten Years of Bookselling with a special cocktail party! Don your cocktail hour best and join us to socialize and celebrate with your fellow book lovers! We'll have food, drinks, giveaways and some exclusive ECB merch previews. You're the reason we can celebrate ten years, and we are so grateful for each and every customer and author who has been a part of our last decade of books and community! Note: Your $20 ticket will go to the cost of catering and hosting this event. Cocktail attire is encouraged.
https://www.eastcitybookshop.com/events/4924420260410
4/11
The Writer’s Center
2 – 3:30 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
Melanie McCabe reads from her latest collection of poems, All The Signs Were There. Melanie is in conversation with poet Jennifer Keith
https://writer.org/event/melanie-mccabe-poetry/
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
3 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW , Washington, DC 20008
Nora Lange discusses her new story collection DAY CARE in conversation with Tope Folarin. From award-winning author Nora Lange comes a ransacking of the house of motherhood and matrimony.
https://politics-prose.com/nora-lange041126
One More Page Bookshop
3 – 4 pm
Westlee Apartments Party Room (Next Door to OMP), 200 North Westmoreland Street, Arlington, VA 22213
Celebrate the re-birth ofSMOKE AND SCAR with its traditional publishing release and Gretchen's ACTUAL birthday! Gretchen will be in conversation with author Brittney Arena. Join us to hear their discussion of SMOKE AND SCAR, and enjoy some tasty treats before the authors sign books! This is a ticketed event, and each ticket includes a copy of SMOKE AND SCAR in either paperback or hardcover.
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
5 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Michael Edison Hayden discusses his new nonfiction book, Strange People on the Hill: How Extremism Tore Apart a Small American Town, in conversation with Jared Holt. A gripping story that reveals what happened to a small American town when an influential white nationalist group relocated its headquarters there, illustrating how radical changes in American politics impact our psyches and divide our communities.
https://politics-prose.com/michael-edison-hayden-041126
Politics and Prose at Union Market
6 pm
1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Marion Winik discusses her memoir, FIRST COMES LOVE, in conversation with Susan Coll. The 30th Anniversary Edition of this classic memoir includes a new introduction by the author. A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by the longtime All Things Considered commentator charts the trajectory of a marriage so impossible that it became inevitable.
https://politics-prose.com/marion-winik41126
4/12
The Writer’s Center and Inner Loop
4 – 6 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers! The Writer’s Center andThe Inner Loop invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle.
https://writer.org/event/search-party-apr-26/
Books 'n Brews: A Boozy Book Fair (Bard’s Alley Bookstore)
3 – 6 pm
Caboose Tavern, 520 Mill St NE, Vienna, VA
Join us for one of two boozy book fairs in 2026 in collaboration with Vienna's own Caboose Tavern. Relive your Scholastic book fair days of old at Books 'n Brews where we provide a space for you to shop new and unique titles, staff picks, and more selected just for this pop-up!
https://www.bardsalley.com/eventsba.html
4/13
Lost City Books
7 – 8 pm
2467 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-2003
Kanako Nishi and Allison Markin Powell discuss Sakura. This novel, written by Nishi, has now been translated into English by Powell. Available in English at last, the international bestseller from one of Japan's most acclaimed authors, a touching tale of a broken family contending with the pain of the past to live in the present, helped by the unforgettable dog who becomes their lifeline. The event will be moderated by Abigail Friedman.
https://lostcitybookstore.com/event/2026-04-13/sakura-kanako-nishi
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue NW
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Noam Scheiber discusses his nonfiction book, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class, in conversation with Franklin Foer. The story of a disillusioned generation that set out to reclaim its dignity and take on corporate America. In recent years, young college grads have faced an alarming reality: crushing debt, unemployment, and jobs below their qualifications.
https://politics-prose.com/noam-scheiber-041326
One More Page (ticketed offsite event)
7 – 8:30 pm
4100 Vacation Ln, Arlington, VA 22207
Evelyn Clarke (V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke) is coming to Arlington, VA to celebrate the release of THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF!This event is co-sponsored by theFriends of the Arlington Public Library. Schwab and Clarke will be in conversation with author Susan Coll (THE LITERATI, REAL LIFE AND OTHER FICTIONS). Event tickets (which include a signed copy of THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF) are required.
https://onemorepagebooks.com/event/ve-schwab-and-cat-clarke
4/14
Bards Alley Bookshop
6 – 7 pm
110 Church Street Northwest, Vienna, VA 22180
Local debut author Emily O'Malley Liu as she discusses her upcoming romantic fantasy novella Wine for Roses. This is a lushly written world featuring a queer, slow-burn romance and complex characters fighting to overcome a curse that has perforated an historic, Victorian residence and its occupants.
East City Bookshop
7 – 8 pm (Hybrid: in-person with limited seating and Zoom)
645 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Unit 100, Occupied Washington, DC,20003
Corey Ann Haydu discusses her book, Mothers and Other Strangers, in conversation with Laura Hankin. Two estranged childhood best friends reunite as expectant mothers, after a mysterious falling-out between their own mothers keeps them apart for years. Perfect for readers of Claire Lombardo and J. Courtney Sullivan.
https://www.eastcitybookshop.com/events/4721720260414
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue ‘
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Kat Rosenfield will discuss her new novel How to Survive in the Woods, in conversation with Ben Dreyfuss. Wild meets The Wife Between Us in this page-turning thriller, set in Maine's Hundred Mile Wilderness—the treacherous final stretch of the storied Appalachian Trail—an addictive tale of passion, betrayal, control, and what it means to survive.
https://politics-prose.com/kat-rosenfield-041426
People’s Book
7 pm
7014-A Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912
Martin Dickinson discusses his novel I Am That Road. According toDaniela Hernádez Rodríguez, “Dickinson’s road is an assembly of lines, of geometries and definitive materials in search of eternity, built to withstand time — prefabricated lines stretched across the plane, awaiting a wanderer.”
https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/that-road/
Wonderland Books
7 – 8 pm
7920B Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Jennifer Shoop, author and founder of the literary lifestyle blog Magpie, will discuss her new book of essays,Small Wonders: A Field Guide to Life's Quiet Joys, a visual volume of prose and poetry that showcases the beauty found in the often-overlooked, mundane details all around us. In conversation with Jacqueline Bond, co-founder and CEO of Bond & Grace.
https://www.wonderlandbooks.com/events/4755820260414
4/15
The Writer’s Center
5:30 – 7:30 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-apr26/
Politics and Prose at Connecticut Avenue
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Nicholas Enrich discusses Into the Wood Chopper: A Whistleblower's Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID. In conversation with Atul Gawande. A Civil servant discovers his breaking point when the Trump Administration’s cruelty and indifference threaten to violate the oath he swore to uphold.
https://politics-prose.com/nicolas-enrich41526
Busboys and Poets 14th and V
6 pm
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
My Deepest Desire is the final work of Tamiki Hara, published posthumously after his tragic suicide in 1951. This powerful book of prose poetry and art is a short yet grippingly moving meditation on the desire to live a different, fuller life, free from pain, isolation, and the intrusively haunting experience of tragedy, it is a demonstration of how dreams, memories, and traumatic despair intertwine inside a person’s psyche. Talk and book signing by Sandy Walker, the book’s artist.
4/16
Lost City Books
6 – 7 pm
2467 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-2003
Christian John Wikane discussesA Night at the Disco in conversation with Johnny H. Butler III. A Night at the Disco is a celebration of groundbreaking dance music from 1970-79, with an unprecedented collection of photographs of more than 100 artists. DJ John Murph will also be present to play music before and after the book event itself.
https://lostcitybookstore.com/event/2026-04-16/night-disco-christian-john-wikane
Arlington Public Library
6-7:pm
Columbia Pike Branch
816 South Walter Reed Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22204
Washington Unbound poetry editor Gregory Luce leads a generative poetry workshop followed by an open reading. Open to experienced and beginning poets alike.
https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/15673062?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Busboys and Poets 14th and V
6 pm
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
My Deepest Desire is the final work of Tamiki Hara, published posthumously after his tragic suicide in 1951. This powerful book of prose poetry and art is a short yet grippingly moving meditation on the desire to live a different, fuller life, free from pain, isolation, and the intrusively haunting experience of tragedy, it is a demonstration of how dreams, memories, and traumatic despair intertwine inside a person’s psyche. Talk and book signing by Sandy Walker, artist.
https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/th-evt-57938651/
Politics and Prose Connecticut Ave.
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Book talk and signing. A Killer in the Family explores the underside of the American dream and asks, what happens when you marry into a family that keeps secrets? Author Amin Ahmad in conversation with Angie Kim.
https://politics-prose.com/amin-ahmad4926
Politics and Prose at Union Market
7 pm
324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Editor Rabih Alameddine discusses The Penguin Book of the International Short Story in conversation with Paxima Mojavezi.
https://politics-prose.com/rabih-alameddine-and-john-freeman
4/17
Politics and Prose Connecticut Ave.
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Author Nancy Lemann discusses and signs her novel The Oyster Diaries, in conversation with Terence Monmaney.
https://politics-prose.com/nancy-lemann-041726
4/18
Barrelhouse
9am-6pm
American University, Washington D.C.
Conversations and Connections is a one-day writer's conference that brings together writers, editors, and publishers in a friendly, supportive environment. Washington Unbound’s poetry editor Gregory Luce will be participating in Speed Dating With Editors, 10-minute sessions providing feedback on your work.
https://www.barrelhousemag.com/conference
The Writer’s Center
2 – 3pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
The Writer’s Center welcomes Poet Elizabeth Hazen and Poet Rose Solari for a reading of their newest collections, The Sky Will Hold and The Last Girl, respectively.
https://writer.org/event/elizabeth-hazen/
4/19
Old Town Books at Hotel AKA Alexandria
1:30 – 3:30 pm ($33.85)
Hotel AKA Alexandria, 625 First Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a good book, themed cocktails, and live music at our Silent Reading Party. Enjoy a calm spring afternoon of reading and creativity. Hotel AKA Alexandria and Old Town Books invite you to a relaxing gathering for book lovers.
https://www.oldtownbooks.com/events/4917620260419
The Writer’s Center
2 – 3 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Megan Howell to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her debut short story collection, Softie at The Writer’s Center! Megan is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-megan-howell/
Politics and Prose Connecticut Ave.
5 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Novelist and Director of The Writer’s Canter Zach Powers discusses and signs his novel The Migraine Diaries, in conversation with Hannah Grieco.
https://politics-prose.com/zach-powers
4/21
Kramers
6 – 8 pm
When Objects Tell a Story: Fiction Writing Workshop. Join us for this generative fiction writing workshop! Expect to get some new material and, if you're game, share it with others for gentle, helpful critiques.
https://www.kramers.com/events/4898720260421
Politics and Prose Connecticut Ave.
7 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Indian American author Manil Suri discusses and signs his memoir A Room in Bombay in conversation with Rabih Alameddine.
https://politics-prose.com/manil-suri-042126
Cleveland Park Library and East City Bookshop
Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Author Wil Haygood Discussing his new book The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home. (This is part of an ongoing series “Tuesday Talks” which features some of the Cleveland Park neighborhood’s most fascinating people, taking place most months at the Cleveland Park Library.)
https://www.eastcitybookshop.com/events/4993920260421
Inner Loop at Shaw’s Tavern
7 pm
Shaw's Tavern, 520 Florida Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20001
Come celebrate The Inner Loop's 12th anniversary by joining us for our April Reading featuring Dan Vera alongside nine other local readers in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction! Our mission is to create an inclusive writing community in DC, so we encourage you to grab some food, a drink, and meet other literature lovers.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-inner-loops-april-reading-tickets-1982330368495?aff=oddtdtcreator
Folger Shakespeare Library
7 pm
201 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003
Free screening of the 2019 Shakespeare’s Globe production of Richard II. Adjoa Andoh MBE conceived, co-directed, and played the lead in the UK’s first all women-of-color production of this Shakespeare play. The production offers, as Andoh has explained, a study in who each character is as a human being. Registration required.
https://www.folger.edu/whats-on/screening-shakespeares-globe-richard-ii-adjoa-andoh/
4/22
Folger Shakespeare Library
8 – 9 pm
Virtual
As You Like It: Finding Joy, Freedom, and Voice. A Folger Education Professional Development for Teachers. Teachers will leave with adaptable strategies for helping students discover joy and agency in Shakespeare’s language, while building confidence, collaboration, and interpretive independence in their classrooms. Free but registration required.
https://www.folger.edu/whats-on/as-you-like-it-finding-joy-freedom-and-voice/
Sankofa
8 pm
2714 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Join us for a special screening of CHOCOLATE: A Motion-Poetry Homage to Black D.C., followed by a conversation with filmmaker Eliamani Ismail. An evening of powerful storytelling and reflection you won’t want to miss.
https://www.sankofa.com/events/film-screening-chocolate-a-motion-poetry-homage-to-black-d-c
Solid State Books
7 – 8 pm
600 H Street Northeast Washington, DC, 20002
Join us for an exciting night with author Abigail Savitch-Lew as she discusses her novel, Livonia Chow Mein, with Dr. Jaimee A. Swift. About the book: In the vein of Happiness Falls and Family Lore, a gripping story of family history and political upheaval centered around a Chinese family-owned restaurant in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and its impact on the neighborhood’s Jewish and Black residents over the course of a century.
https://www.solidstatebooksdc.com/events/2025/4/22mein
4/23
Wonderland Books
7 – 8 pm
7920B Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Join us for a discussion and book signing to celebrate the launch of Chandrani Ghosh's debut novel, Heartlines: A Love Triangle, about an Indian American political journalist who appears to be living the ultimate American dream in Washington DC, until a chance encounter upends her orderly world.
https://www.wonderlandbooks.com/events/4859720260423
Alan Cheuse International Writers Center
7 – 9 pm
Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax, VA 22030
2026 Cheuse Lecture Series. Award-winning Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, critic, playwright and poet Colm Tóibín is GMU's featured author for their 2026 Cheuse Lecture. Focusing on several of his most recent publications, including The News From Dublin: Stories and The Magician, Tóibín will be in discussion with German-born author, journalist, and literary critic Malte Herwig.
https://cheusecenter.gmu.edu/events/17712
George Mason University Authors Series
7:30 pm
GMU Fenwick Library Main Reading Room, 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030
Soham Patel discusses their work, including all one in the end/water and ever really hear it and to afar from afar .A special tradition at Mason's MFA program, the Visiting Writers series brings some of the most interesting and innovative creative writers and teachers to Northern Virginia every semester. In partnership with Scrawl Books.
https://www.scrawlbooks.com/events/4481620260423
The Writer’s Center
7 – 8 pm
Online
Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry journal. and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Alan Chazaro to discuss his latest collection, These Spaceships Weren’t Built For Us. Alanis in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Manager of The Writer’s Center.
https://writer.org/event/alan-chazaro/
7 – 8 pm
2467 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Join us in celebrating EXEMPLARY HUMANS by Juliana Leite, and translated from Portuguese by Zoe Perry, both of whom will be in attendance! The event will be moderated by Alex Brostoff. About the book: Ever since the unnamed threat took over, 100-year-old Nat lia has been stuck inside her Rio de Janeiro apartment, alone. Well, not entirely alone…
https://lostcitybookstore.com/event/2026-04-23/exemplary-humans-juliana-leite
4/24
People’s Book
6 – 7 pm
7014-A Westmoreland Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Christopher Kondrich in conversation with Taylor Johnson about his new book of poetry, Tread Upon, which explores the social, political, religious, and economic drivers behind the chronic devaluation of the living world.
https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/tread-upon/
Sankofa
6:30 – 8:30 pm
2714 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Join us for a powerful conversation about the true cost of violence on Black life in America with Pulitzer-prize winning authond journalist Trymaine Lee on A Thousand Ways to Die, a deeply personal exploration of the generational impact of guns on the Black experience in America.
Alan Cheuse International Writers Center
6:30pm
Goethe-Institut, 1377 R St NW Suite 300, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20009
Movie screening followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Malte Herwig, and reception.About the Film: The Girl with the Golden Hair. A Lost Photo and the Long Shadow of the Holocaust will premier in Washington in this joint venture between Cheuse, Goethe-Insitut and Mason Exhibitions.
https://cheusecenter.gmu.edu/events/17713
4/25
Bard’s Alley
All day
110 Church St NW, Vienna, VA 22180
Celebrate Indie Bookstore Day at Bards Alley, or pop in on your journey to several stores! In addition to simply celebrating indies around the world, Bards Alley will have a smattering of events and activities throughout the day. Includes 1 pm book signing with local fantasy romance author Emily O’Malley Liu (Wine for Roses) and book discussion with horror authors Vincent Tirado and Andrew Joseph White about Tirado’s new release, You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom.
https://www.bardsalley.com/eventsba.html
East City Bookshop
10 am – 7 pm
Join East City Bookshop in celebrating Independent Bookstore Day and our 10th birthday! There will be flash sales, multiple drawings for a curated tote of advanced reader copies, a free surprise book with purchases over $50, a search for Libro.fm’s Golden Ticket to receive a year of free audiobooks, and exclusive Indie Bookstore Day merchandise.
https://www.eastcitybookshop.com/events/4977420260425
Kramers
8 am – 10 pm
We have so much going on for Independent Bookstore Day! We'll have a hunt for the Golden Ticket, Blind Date with a Book, and we're participating in the Independent Bookstore Crawl!
https://www.kramers.com/events/5072820260425
One More Page Bookstore
11 am – 4 pm
2200 N. Westmoreland Street, Arlington, VA 22213
Celebrate independent bookstores nationwide as we say a big thank you to customers and friends of the store who support us year-round. Activities include Libro.fm Golden Ticket, OMP Silver Ticket Scavenger Hunt, free book table, and participation in the third annual NoVA+ Indie Bookstore Crawl.
https://onemorepagebooks.com/event/2026-04-25/get-ready-fun-indie-bookstore-day-2026
Lost City Books
All day
2467 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Independent Bookstore Day. Come celebrate indies with us! Print yourself the map for the DC Bookstore Crawl and see how many stores you can visit over the course of the day. If our shop is your sixth stop on your tour, we’ll reward your hard work and dedication with a special gift! Plus, share a post about your crawl using #dcbookcrawl for a chance to win a $50 gift card to the bookstore of your choice.
https://lostcitybookstore.com/event/independent-bookstore-day-2026
Old Town Books
9 am – 7 pm
130 S. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Join us in celebrating Independent Bookstore Day, which also kicks off the NOVA+ Bookstore Crawl. We will be celebrating all day long with a full schedule of activities for all ages. Frog and Toad will be stopping by for a special meet and greet, join us for an evening audiobook walk, spin our prize wheel with every purchase, search for Libro.fm's Golden Ticket for a year's worth of audiobooks, and more!
https://www.oldtownbooks.com/events/4624820260425
Solid State Books: H Street and 14th Street Stores
10 am – 9 pm
600 H Street Northeast Washington,DC, 20002&1809 14th Street Northwest Washington, DC, 20009
Independent Bookstore Day! Happening @ H St. store:Libro.fm golden ticket; spin the Wheel; Buy a book, get a blind date with a book. Happening @ 14th St store: Libro.fm golden ticket: Buy a book, get a blind date with a book. Both locations are participating in the Indie Bookstore Crawl.
https://www.solidstatebooksdc.com/new-events/2026/independent-bookstore-day-wdn8e
The Writer’s Center
2 – 3 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Richard Smithfor a reading from his new collection, Beyond Where Words Can Go. This reading will be followed by a Q&A and signing.
https://writer.org/event/richard-smith/
Alan Cheuse International Writers Center
2 – 5 pm
Mt Zion - Female Union Band Society Cemetery, and Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown
An afternoon exploring place and history, featuring Polish writer and activist Grzegorz Kwiatkowski, alongside Mt Zion - Female Union Band Society Cemetery’s Director Lisa Fager, Oak Hill Cemetery’s Archivist and Collections Manager Laura Thoms, Director of GW’s Creative Writing program Lisa Page, poet Martheaus Perkins, and writer and Cheuse Director Leeya Mehta, with guided tours connecting literature, history, and place. As we visit these cemeteries we also acknowledge that many of us will never be found, never be buried, never be known perhaps; so how do we create the idea of home and last rites, how do we continue to form community across the world even when there is no closure? How do we carry history, and bring the lessons home?
https://cheusecenter.gmu.edu/events/18088
Crooked Steeple Literary Festival
2 – 5 pm
225 E. Broad St., Falls Church, VA
Join us at Falls Church Presbyterian for their Crooked Steeple Festival, this time hosting Georgia author Jeffrey Dale Lofton to discuss the award-winning Red Clay Suzie, a coming-of-age story following a gay, disabled man living in the Deep South.
https://www.fallschurchpresby.org/crookedsteeple/
Politics and Prose Connecticut Ave.
5 pm
5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
In The Soldier’s House, Helen Benedict tells the story of an Iraq War veteran who saves the lives of his assassinated Iraqi interpreter’s widow and child by bringing them to his home in upstate New York. he discusses her novel with Mary Kay Zuravleff.
https://politics-prose.com/helen-benedict-042526
Politics and Prose at Union Market
5 pm
324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
M Lin discusses and sign her short story collection The Memory Museum in conversation with Shannon Sanders.
https://politics-prose.com/m-lin-042526
4/26
The Writer’s Center
2 – 3 pm
4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer Pauline Steinhorn for a reading from her new publication, Dreaming of the River.
https://writer.org/event/pauline-steinhorn/4/29
Reston Used Book Shop
5:30 pm
1623 Washington Plz North, Reston, VA 20190
Reston Reading April edition. Sunu Chandy, Eric Goldstein, Marlena Chertock and an open mic!
Loyalty Bookstores
7 – 8 pm
Petworth Neighborhood (Main Location), 4203 9th St NW,Washington, DC 20011
Stephanie Stalvey discusses Everything in Color, in conversation with Sarah McCammon. Interrogating her own upbringing in an evangelical community, Stephanie Stalvey weaves a story of faith, alienation, romance and acceptance, in this beautifully painted graphic memoir.
https://loyaltybookstores.com/incolor
4/29
People’s Book
6 – 7 pm
7014-A Westmoreland Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Andy Beta discusses his book, Cosmic Music: The Life, Art, and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane, the first full-length biography of Alice Coltrane, the jazz musician and spiritual leader whose forward-thinking music was overshadowed by her more famous husband, even as she brilliantly laid the groundwork for the new age, ambient, and electronic music that would follow.
https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cosmic-music/
4/30
Old Town Books
7 – 8 pm ($6.24, includes $5 in-store credit)
130 S. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Join us on Thursday, April 30, at 7 pm for a special author panel focused on the craft of writing a good mystery! Jennifer Murphy (THE GHOST WOMEN), Jenny Adams (A DEADLY ENDEAVOR) and Lacey Dunham (THE BELLES) will join us in the bookstore to share a behind-the-scenes look at their processes, how they develop compelling stories no matter the time period, and to answer audience questions.
https://www.oldtownbooks.com/events/4624520260430
The Writer’s Center
7 – 8 pm
Online
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by our own Zach Powers to discuss his new novel, The Migraine Diaries. Zach is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of Poet Lore.
https://writer.org/event/zach-powers/
Politics and Prose at Union Market
7 pm
1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Poets Richie Hoffman—The Bronze Arms—and Robin Becker—Midsummer Count read from their work and sign books.
https://politics-prose.com/richie-hofmann-robin-becker
Wonderland Books
7 – 8 pm
7920B Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
We are thrilled to welcome award-winning mystery authors Tracy Clark (Edge: A Detective Harriet Foster Thriller), Delia Pitts (Death of an Ex), and Cheryl Head (Bury Me When I'm Dead), members of the Crime Writers of Color collective, for an engaging conversation about their novels, the PI genre, and writing female PIs.