BUFFALO, N.Y. — More than a dozen Western New York bookstores are teaming up again in honor of Independent Bookstore Day, coming up on April 27.
Book lovers are encouraged to visit all 12 sites on the Independent Bookstore Day map and receive a stamp on their Buffalo Bookstore Passport.
One lucky winner who completes the challenge will receive a $25 gift card to each participating store.
"That ends up being $300 in gift cards to bookstores, so 12 bookstores, $25 each, so you can think of it as one free book every month. So we're giving you books for a year," said Meg Howe, owner of Alice Ever After Books on Parkside Avenue.
Most of the stores are located in the City of Buffalo, but you can visit stores outside the city for bonus entries.
"We also have some bookstores participating outside of the city, so these are bookstores that aren't in the city and aren't in a tight community like this with a bunch of bookstores around them. If you get a stamp from one of them, you will get a bonus entry into the passport as well," Howe said.
This is the eleventh national celebration of Independent Bookstore Day.
"It's a day to celebrate and honor those small stores in our communities who are not just selling books. You're not just getting a book and it shows up at your door," Howe said. "You'll have people who will give you individual recommendations."
For more information about the Buffalo Bookstore Passport and Independent Bookstore Day, click here.