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SAN DIEGO — Everyone has heard of a bar crawl, but San Diego has another kind of “crawl” happening next month: a bookstore crawl.

The annual San Diego Book Crawl is back in April, which is a multi-day event that brings together over a dozen local, independent bookstores across the county – from Coronado and Barrio Logan to Del Mar.

Hosted by Library Foundation San Diego, this will be the sixth year of the crawl. In 2020, the event shifted to an online format due to the pandemic. A couple of stores were able to open up again in 2021 for some of the Book Crawl in-person, before returning in its entirety last year.

The book crawl spans three days, from April 29 to May 1, coinciding with Independent bookstore day – a one-day national party on the last Saturday in April that takes place at indie bookstores across the country.

Those looking to participate in the crawl will receive a “passport” at the first bookstore visited, which is used to collect stamps – given out with at least $10 spent at each store – that can be put towards prizes like stickers, tote bags and mugs.

This year, 13 bookstores across the county are participating in this year’s Book Crawl, including: Bay Books, Bluestocking Books, DIESEL, Joyride Bookshop, La Playa Books, Libélula Books & Co., The Library Shop, Meet Cute Bookshop, Mysterious Galaxy, The Book Catapult, UC San Diego Bookstore, Verbatim Books and Warwick’s.

Meet Cute Bookshop, a romance-centric bookstore in North Park that opened just last year, is the latest addition to the mix of bookstores participating in the annual book crawl next month.

“We’re thrilled to be joining the San Diego Book Crawl crew this year,” owner Becca Title said in a release. “What a gift to open a little bookshop in such a book-loving town!”

Lizz Huerta, San Diego native, is an ambassador for this year’s event, with her young adult novel, The Lost Dreamer, being picked as the first official selection of the Book Crawl.

“San Diego indie bookstores hold a special place in my life,” Huerta said in a release. “Indie booksellers have not only championed my Romance Bookshop debut novel… but they have provided me with the best book recommendations in a variety of genres. I’ve spent countless hours in conversations with booksellers and know they are some of the most brilliant and hilarious people around.”