If you missed out on Seattle’s annual Indie Bookstore Day Passport Challenge, here’s another chance to browse some local bookstores and possibly win a prize. The first-ever Ballard Book Crawl is happening May 22–24, bringing together five indie bookstores for three days packed with deals, events, and prizes.
The way it works is simple. Pick up a passport, visit each participating shop over the three-day crawl, and collect stamps along the way. Anyone who completes the passport will be entered to win prizes, including the grand prize of a $150 gift card bundle to the participating bookstores. Additional prizes include tickets to the Ballard Cocktail Trail, tote bags, and commemorative bookmarks for those who complete the full crawl.
The crawl features a mix of longtime neighborhood favorites and newer shops: Ballard Books, The Ink Drinker, Secret Garden, Swoon City, and Twice Sold Tales are all participating.
Each store is planning its own weekend specials and events. Ballard Books is hosting a 20% off sale accompanied by live music. The Ink Drinker is serving a themed cocktail, debuting new merch, and hosting a free reading by a Portland novelist on Saturday night. Secret Garden plans to hand out free advance reader copies with qualifying purchases while supplies last. At Swoon City, shoppers can bedazzle their books for free with a new purchase. Lastly, Twice Sold Tales will be offering a discount on banned books (and of course, the resident cats will be available to greet you as always).
Most of the crawl is centered along NW Market Street, making it easy to turn the event into a full afternoon of bookstore hopping, coffee breaks, and neighborhood exploring.
To help you plan out your book crawl, here’s the addresses and hours for the participating bookstores:
- Ballard Books (5416 20th Ave NW): Wednesday-Saturday noon to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Secret Garden (2214 NW Market St): Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Swoon City (1716 NW Market St): Wednesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The Ink Drinker (2050 NW Market St): Friday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Twice Sold Tales (1708 NW Market St): Wednesday-Sunday noon to 7 p.m.
