Nearly 1,500 bookstores across the U.S., the most ever, will participate in the 12th annual Independent Bookstore Day, which takes place Saturday, April 26. The stores will celebrate with a variety of creative, welcoming events, merchandise, food & drink, merriment, and more, all reenforcing connections between the stores and their communities.

As American Booksellers Association CEO Allison Hill puts it, “Independent Bookstore Day is one of my favorite days of the year. The collaboration between independent bookstores, the spirit of community with their customers, the support for small businesses, the celebration of books and authors and illustrators–these are the things I love about our industry year round but it’s nice to have a day to celebrate all that the indies represent in the world.”

Courtney Wallace, ABA’s marketing manager and Independent Bookstore Day program director, added, “Independent bookstores continue to elevate their creativity and community engagement, making this twelfth year of Independent Bookstore Day our biggest celebration yet. With many stores expanding their festivities beyond a single day, it’s clear that indie bookstores are vital hubs that bring people together and shape the heart of their communities.”

A map that shows participating bookstores and includes information about bookstore passport programs will appear soon on IndieBound.org.