FAQs

Questions about the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl? Chances are you’ll find the answer below

What is the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl?

The Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl is a nine-day event that celebrates Indie Bookstores in and around the Pittsburgh region. The goal of this event is to encourage local book lovers to support and explore the independent bookstores that exist in their neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.

To participate in the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl is easy - simply pick a day (or more than one day) and make a list of stores you’d like to visit. (Click HERE for a list of participating stores.) Pick up a passport book - they’re free at all participating locations while supplies last - and receive a stamp for every store you stop at between July 18-26th. If you hit enough stores during our Crawl event you will be entered to win some amazing prizes through our raffle drawing.

This Crawl is designed for you to go-at-your-own-pace. Whether you have one day to spend with us or plan to visit locations on every day of the event, the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl is here for you. Make plans for a solo trip, a trip with your book club, a family exploration through the city, and more! It doesn’t matter how you plan to get to stores, what matters is that you get out and discover some of the amazing indie bookstores in and around the greater Pittsburgh region.

Where will the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl take place?

The Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl takes place in and around the Pittsburgh area. The crawl will happen at 30 locations in SW Pennsylvania, spanning six counties and representing a wide array of indie bookstores in the area. For a full list of this year’s participating stores, click HERE.

When will the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl take place?

The 2026 Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl will take place in and around the Pittsburgh area from July 18 through July 26, 2026

How can I participate in the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl?

During the dates of the crawl stop at any participating stores and pick up a Passport Book. You can get your passport book stamped at any location you visit during the event. Collect enough stamps in your book and you can be entered to win some fun prizes.

How much does it cost to participate in the Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl?

The Passport Book is free (while supplies last). We encourage you to support the indie bookstores you visit with a purchase as well as a Passport stamp - stock up on some great new books for the summer or vacation while you shop the Book Crawl.

Why do I need a passport book?

Passport books contain information on each participating location in them, so they’re a great resource if you want to plan a big trip to a lot of indie bookstores in the area (highly recommended). Passport Books must also be stamped at each location to show that you visited that store. Once you have enough stamps in your passport book, you can be entered to win a prize from the Book Crawl. A stamped passport book is the only way to be entered to win a prize from the Book Crawl.

Is this a family-friendly event?

The Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl is a family friendly event. We encourage families to participate in the crawl together throughout the duration of the event.