The Lit Wagon x SOB Book Fair
Saturday, April 4 | 1–6 PM | Solemn Oath Brewery Still Life (Chicago)
Join us at Solemn Oath Still Life for a Lit Wagon x SOB Spring Book Fair featuring horror author JR Blanes — and let’s lean all the way into the eerie.
We’re bringing chilling reads, unsettling favorites, and stories that linger long after last call. Pair that with cold pours and moody spring light, and you’ve got the perfect Saturday.
📚 Saturday, April 4
⏰ 1–6 PM
📍 Solemn Oath Brewery – Still Life
2919 W Armitage Ave, Chicago
Come for the beer. Stay for the nightmares.
Shop Small Soiree Spring Makers Market
Saturday, April 18 | 12-5PM | Une Annee Brewery x Hubbards Cave (Niles)
Spring reading season starts here.
The Lit Wagon is rolling into Une Année Brewery x Hubbard’s Cave for the Shop Small Soirée: Spring Makers Market — and I’m bringing a fresh stack worthy of your new-season TBR.
Think: buzzy new releases, indie press gems, backlist favorites, and the kind of books that pair perfectly with a slow Saturday afternoon. Whether you’re craving something immersive, romantic, unsettling, or transportive, I’ll have something waiting for you.
We’ll be joined by 25 incredible local makers, plus great food and an excellent tap list — so you can browse, sip, and build your spring reading stack all in one place.
🗓 Saturday, April 18
⏰ 12–5 PM
📍 Une Année Brewery x Hubbard’s Cave | Niles
✨ Free entry | Family friendly
Come ready to shop small, discover something new, and leave with your next favorite read. 🌼📚
Saturday, April 25 | 12:30-6PM | Burning Bush Brewery (Chicago)
The Lit Wagon is rolling into one of the best bookish days of the year — and you’re invited 📚✨
Independent Bookstore Day is Saturday, April 25, and Chicagoland is going BIG with 80+ bookstores participating in the annual Bookstore Crawl.
The idea is simple: spend the day hopping from store to store, discovering new favorites, and supporting indie booksellers across the city (and yes… there are rewards involved 👀)
The challenge:
→ Visit 10 stores = get 10% off all year at participating shops
→ Visit 15 stores = get 15% off all year
Not sure where to start? That’s where the trolleys come in.
🩷 The Lit Wagon is on the Pink Route 🩷
We’ll be part of the Trolley East route, a half-day, no-stress way to kick off your crawl:
📍 Start + end: Passages Wine & Books
📖 Stops include: Sandmeyer’s, Uncharted Books, The Book Cellar, The Lit Wagon, + more
⏰ 9:30 AM – ~2 PM
You’ll hit 5 bookstores (30 minutes each), then head out on your own to finish your crawl strong.
Tickets include:
• A curated trolley ride to 5 indie bookstores
• Bookish hosts (authors + local lit folks!)
• Indie Bookstore Day swag (including the exclusive pin)
• A built-in community of fellow book lovers for the day
🚚 Find The Lit Wagon IRL
If you’re hopping on the trolley, you’ll catch us as an official stop.
If you’re crawling on your own, come find us at:
📍 Burning Bush Brewery
⏰ 12:30–6 PM
We’ll have:
• Curated books for all kinds of readers
• Blind Date with a Book picks
• A raffle for a Lit Wagon tote + bookish goodies
• Free bookmarks (while they last)
Skokie’s Winter Market on Main
Join us on Sundays, April 12th & 26th for the Winter Market on Main! This indoor/outdoor market is located at 4051 Main Street, Skokie, and in front of Soul Good Coffee at 4022 Main St., Skokie, and will run twice a month on Sundays from January through April from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. rain or shine!
Back by popular demand - SMORES! Starting at 10:00 am, enjoy a s’more by the fire pit. While supplies last.
Street parking is available. The Skokie Farmers' Market is B.Y.O.B - bring your own BAG! Reduce your carbon footprint. Reduce the use of plastic.
Charity of the Month: Daughters for Earth
This month, we’re proud to support Daughters for Earth, a global movement dedicated to funding and uplifting women-led efforts to protect and restore the Earth.
Daughters for Earth believes that women are powerful changemakers in climate solutions — and they work to channel resources directly to women on the frontlines of environmental action. From land conservation and regenerative agriculture to climate justice and community resilience, their work supports practical, community-rooted solutions with lasting impact.
A portion of April sales from The Lit Wagon will go toward supporting this mission — because caring for stories and caring for our planet feel beautifully connected.
Books build empathy. Action builds change.
Next on Tap:
What I’m adding to my TBR this month:
Good Joy, Bad Joy - Mikki Brammer
Okay, I absolutely loved Mikki Brammer’s debut, The Collected Regrets of Clover - literally recommend it to everyone. Good Joy, Bad Joy is a heartwarming novel about an elderly woman named Joy who, after her best friend is diagnosed with a terminal illness, decides to break her lifelong rules and embrace "bad joy" through petty crimes, exploring themes of friendship, second chances, and the importance of living a full life. Described as a charming and funny story about self-discovery and the courage to become who you were always meant to be.
✨ Why it belongs on your TBR: Good Joy, Bad Joy is a book that everyone should read. With a colorful cast of characters and the joy of watching Joy come of age into her nineties, this book is a deeply life-affirming and entertaining experience full of hijinks, tender insights, and a reminder that it’s never too late to redefine your life.
Theo of Golden - Allen Levi
Theo (86) arrives in Golden, Georgia, and begins a methodical, intentional quest to return portraits to their "rightful owners," often initiating deeply personal, quiet moments of connection. The novel explores the transformative power of being "seen," the redemptive value of art, the impact of intentional kindness, and the process of grieving. Theo is wealthy, warm, and guarded, deflecting questions about his past while focusing on the lives of those around him. His actions bring together a variety of townspeople, including a troubled homeless woman named Ellen, a bookstore owner, and a local artist.
✨ Why it belongs on your TBR: Composed of 62 short chapters and an epilogue, the story serves as a gentle exploration of human nature and community.
Here’s to spring finally making a consistent debut. Don’t miss Indie Bookstore Day!