Sup litties!
April showers brought the momentum… and now May has us in full bloom.
We’re rolling into the busiest, most vibrant stretch of the season, and The Lit Wagon calendar is stacked. Think derby-day hangs, artisan markets, spring pop-ups, and a full-on Mother’s Day celebration, all sprinkled with good books, great drinks, and the kind of community that keeps this whole thing rolling.
April was awesome - filled with fun stops, new breweries & some favorites. Now May is here, and we’re leaning all the way in. More stops, more collabs, more chances to stumble onto your next favorite read while you’re out living your life. Whether you’re sipping something cold at a brewery, wandering a market, or treating mom (or yourself), we’ll be there with stacks worth digging through.
So consider this your official invite: come find us, hang for a bit, and let’s keep growing this book-loving community together.
Let’s make May a story in full bloom. 💐📖
The Lit Wagon x Hop Butcher for the World Derby Day
Saturday, May 2 | 1–5 PM | Hop Butcher for the World (Chicago)
Derby Day, but make it bookish. Big hats, cold beers, and stacks worth betting on.
We’re pulling up to Hop Butcher with festive reads, crowd favorites, and the kind of books you’ll want to brag about discovering first. Wear your Derby best (or just rock a fabulous hat) and get 10% off books. Best dressed wins a FREE book (winner’s choice — no special editions). Grab a pint, pick a book, and place your bets
📚 Saturday, May 2
⏰ 1–5 PM
📍 Hop Butcher for the World
Rosewood Artisan Market
Sunday, May 3 | 10–3 PM | Rosewood Farm & Market (Sugar Grove)
A slow Sunday moment, but make it a little magical. We’ll be at Rosewood Artisan Market with a curated mix of reads perfect for spring days, porch hangs, and “just one more chapter” afternoons. Expect local makers, fresh air, and good wandering energy.
📚 Sunday, May 3
⏰ 10–3 PM
📍 Rosewood Farm & Market
Saturday, May 9 | 1–5 PM | Demo Brewing (Chicago)
Spring Book Fair is back — and we’re leaning spooky again. Join us at Demo Brewing for an afternoon of books, brews, and horror author JR Blanes. Expect eerie reads, weird favorites, and stories that stick with you (in a good way… probably).
📚 Saturday, May 9
⏰ 1–5 PM
📍 Demo Brewing
Sunday, May 10 | 12:30–5 PM | Midwest Coast Brewing (West Town)
Mother’s Day, Lit Wagon style 💐
Start your morning with vinyasa yoga from 10:30-11:30 (tickets here), then settle into an afternoon of books by yours truly, flowers with Westtown Flower Girl, Barry Sweets, and Mooncusser oysters. Whether you’re celebrating mom, showing up for your people, or just treating yourself, this one’s for you.
📚 Sunday, May 10
⏰ 12:30–5 PM (Yoga 10:30–11:30 AM)
📍 Midwest Coast Brewing
Come celebrate mom & get her what she really wants (books). PLUS, we’ll have our popular book bouquets back!
Saturday, May 16 | 1–5 PM | Is/Was Brewing (Ravenswood)
Books, blooms, and a little something fresh. Stems & Stories at is/was is bringing together flowers, ceviche, and a curated stack of reads for your spring reset. It’s giving main character wandering through a market energy.
📚 Saturday, May 16
⏰ 1–5 PM
📍 Is/Was Brewing
Saturday, May 23 | 10–2 PM | Soul Good Coffee (Skokie)
We’re hosting a Books & Brews pop-up at Soul Good Coffee on May 23—where the coffee’s hot and the pages don’t stop. Come browse a curated selection of books made for slow sips, cozy corners, and getting a little lost in a good story. Stay awhile, find your next read, and turn your coffee run into a reading moment.
📚 Saturday, May 23
⏰ 10–2 PM
📍 Soul Good Coffee
Saturday, May 30 | 12–5 PM | Mikerphone Brewing (Elk Grove Village)
We’re closing out the month big. Summer on Tap is packed with 25+ local vendors, cold drinks, and plenty to explore, including a Lit Wagon stack you’ll want to dig into. It’s a full afternoon kind of vibe so come hang.
📚 Saturday, May 30
⏰ 12–5 PM
📍 Mikerphone Brewing
Sunday, May 31 | 1–3 PM | Sketchbook Brewing (Skokie)
Mahjong, but make it a Sunday ritual. We’re teaming up with Northshore Mahjong for an afternoon of tiles, brews, and books! Whether you’re a seasoned player or just mahj-curious, this is your sign to pull up a seat. We’ll have stacks to browse between rounds, plus that easy Sunday energy we all need more of.
📚 Sunday, May 31
⏰ 1–3 PM
📍 Sketchbook Brewing
Get tickets here.
Join us on Sunday, May 31, for the Skokie Farmer’s Market! This outdoor market is located at 5127 N. Oakton Street, Skokie. With over 80 vendors, the market is bigger, more vibrant, and more flavorful than ever before. From just-picked fruits and vegetables to irresistible baked goods, high-quality meats and poultry, artisanal cheeses, golden honey, and delicious ready-to-eat treats, accompanied by your favorite: BOOKS. Plus, free kids’ activities, free parking, live music:
8:00 am – 10:00 am – Single musicians playing flute, banjo
10:00 am – 12:00 pm - Bigger bands playing jazz, rock, country & more
Future Dates: We’ll be at the Summer Farmers Market on June 28, July 19, August 23, September 27, October 25.
Charity of the Month: NAMI
This month, we’re proud to support NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), an organization dedicated to mental health education, advocacy, and support for individuals and families.
Books have always been a place of comfort, escape, and understanding—and we believe access to mental health resources should be just as accessible. A portion of our May sales will go toward supporting NAMI’s work in building better, more compassionate communities.
Whether you’re picking up something light, something healing, or something that helps you feel a little less alone, your support this month goes further.
Read well, take care, and look out for each other. 💛
Next on Tap:
Come browse in the sunshine, romanticize your life a little, and leave with something you can’t stop thinking about.
🗓 Date: Saturday June 27, 2026
⏰ Time: 12-4PM
📍 Location: Sketchbook Brewing - Skokie
June 27 - Shops on Tap Summer Market
We know it’s not quite June yet, but this one’s too good not to share early.
We’re teaming up with Sketchbook Brewing for Shops on Tap: a full-on summer market moment featuring local makers, food trucks, cold beers, and plenty of Lit Wagon reads to browse between it all. It’s giving peak summer energy — wandering, sipping, discovering something you didn’t plan to find.
Mark your calendars now, because this is the kind of Saturday you build your whole day around.
SAVE THE DATE: AUGUST 20-23, 2026 | HARBOR COUNTRY, MICHIGAN
The Lit Wagon is going coastal. Imagine if you could disappear for a few days into a place designed entirely for beauty, stillness, and inspiration.
Welcome to Sawyer Country Estate. Tucked away on nearly 2.5 private acres, this expansive 7-bedroom retreat offers a rare sense of seclusion just minutes from Lake Michigan’s shoreline and the quiet charm of Southwest Michigan’s wineries. It is a setting that feels both elevated and effortless, where every detail invites you to slow down and settle in.
Over the course of three nights, the estate becomes your private sanctuary. Mornings unfold gently with coffee and quiet reading in sunlit spaces. Afternoons drift between the expansive 25’ x 45’ pool, open-air lounging, and curated excursions through nearby vineyards. Time stretches here unhurried, intentional.
This escape is conceived as an intimate, welcoming retreat for women and all who feel aligned with that experience. A private in-home bookstore invites quiet discovery, while a guided yoga session offers a moment of renewal. An evening with a private chef is both refined and indulgent, complemented by a thoughtfully curated brewery/bookstore tour that reflects the region's character. A bespoke welcome gift awaits, setting the tone from the moment you arrive.
Inside, more than 5,000 square feet of refined living space balances grandeur with comfort—designed for intimate conversation, creative reflection, and quiet luxury. Every room offers a place to gather or retreat, depending on what the moment calls for.
For three nights, the outside world softens. Your only obligation is to enjoy, to reconnect, and to savor the rare luxury of uninterrupted time. Reserve your spot here.
Good Joy, Bad Joy - Mikki Brammer
May’s Most Anticipated Fiction Book Release
From the bestselling author of The Collected Regrets of Clover comes a vibrant, heartfelt novel about friendship over the decades, self-discovery, and what it means to have a life well-lived.
Break the rules. Find your joy.
Key Details:
Title: Good Joy, Bad Joy
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis: When Joy learns her best friend Hazel doesn’t have much time left, she decides it’s finally time to stop playing it safe. What starts as small acts of rebellion quickly snowballs into something bigger, funnier, and a little messier than expected.
Good Joy, Bad Joy is equal parts heart and hijinks, a story about friendship, second chances, and what it means to really live while you can.
Perfect if you’re in the mood for something warm, a little wild, and quietly life-affirming.
What I’m adding to my TBR this month:
This Story May Save Your Life - Tiffany Crum
They’ve built a podcast empire on surviving the unimaginable—but this time, the story hits too close to home. When one half of a beloved podcast duo disappears without a trace, the only clue is a hidden draft of a memoir that suggests there’s way more beneath the surface than fans ever knew. As suspicion turns toward Benny, the search for the truth becomes a race against time—and perception.
✨ Why it belongs on your TBR: Twisty, fast-paced, and full of “wait…what?” moments, this one is perfect if you want a can’t-put-it-down read that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Best Offer Wins
Unhinged (in the best way). House hunting… but make it a full descent. After 11 failed bidding wars, Margo Miyake is done playing nice. When her dream home finally appears, she’s determined to get it—before it even hits the market. What starts as a little “harmless” boundary-crossing quickly spirals into something way more obsessive (and way more entertaining).
✨ Why it belongs on your TBR: Best Offer Wins is sharp, dark, and wildly funny—a satirical look at ambition, desperation, and just how far someone will go for the life they think they’re supposed to have. You’ll cringe, you’ll laugh, and somehow… you’ll still be rooting for her.
Stop by & see us at our events this month and don’t forget to pick up a book bouquet for mom!