Brooklyn will host an annual book marathon: 34 stores are hosting a quest with gifts and prizes.

New York City is filled with small, independent businesses that shape the city's atmosphere. From cozy cafes to family-owned shops with a history, every day offers the opportunity to support those who pour their heart and soul into their work. Secret nyc tells about an unusual book marathon.

For those who want to combine a walk around the city with a love for books, the annual Brooklyn Book Crawl will once again take place in Brooklyn.

From April 18 to 25, 34 book The store will take part in a city event dedicated to Independent Bookstore Day, celebrated this year on April 25.

The format is reminiscent of a walk, a quest, and an exploration of Brooklyn neighborhoods all at once.

Participants need to obtain a special “passport” at any of the stores and begin the route.

How it works

The marathon is a free-route route. Participants visit bookstores and collect passport stamps. The stores are divided into five zones based on Brooklyn's boroughs. Completing one zone earns a coupon for a 25% discount at stores in that zone. Completing multiple zones earns multiple rewards.

If you visit all 34 stores, you can win the grand prize.

Brooklyn's book districts

One of the highlights of the event is the opportunity to discover the city's various book spaces.

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In the Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick neighborhoods, you'll find Cafe con Libros, Mil Mundos Books, and The Word Is Change. Books Are Magic, Greenlight Bookstore, and Liz's Book Bar are located in Downtown Brooklyn and along the waterfront. In Greenpoint and Williamsburg, you can visit WORD, Quimby's Bookstore NYC, and The Twisted Spine. Community Bookstore, Terrace Books, and Love & Legends Books are located in in the Park Slope and Prospect Heights areas. The southern areas offer lesser-known but interesting places like Lofty Pigeon Books and Taylor & Co. Books.

Completion of the event

The marathon will conclude with the Brooklyn Bookstore Crawl Afterparty. It will take place on April 25 from 17:00 PM to 20:00 PM at The Center for Fiction.

Guests will be able to bring their "passports," mingle with other book lovers, and enter a prize drawing.

The more stores you visit, the greater your chances of winning.

Part of a global event

The Brooklyn book marathon is part of the Global Book Crawl initiative. This international event brings together readers, writers, and independent bookstores in cities around the world.

Even visiting one store makes the participant part of a larger cultural initiative.

The Brooklyn Book Crawl is more than just a series of bookstore visits. It's an opportunity to support local businesses, discover new places, and experience the city through books.

More details can be seen here.