The American Writers Museum

# Get Lit: Summer Book Fair

Your classic book fair, reimagined for a night out. Find your next favorite read at this pop-up fair with drinks and after-hours access.
Sip, shop, and explore the American Writers Museum’s galleries while enjoying a lively atmosphere featuring music, themed drinks, and interactive activities. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect beach read, building your to-be-read stack, or just looking for a unique night out, make Get Lit: Summer Book Fair part of your story!
Featured vendors and non-profit partners to be announced! Submit your business or organization to general@americanwritersmuseum.org to be considered.
Get Lit is your way to enjoy evenings in the Loop. Meet friends and fellow book nerds for an early evening treat. Each month, the AWM serves drinks, games, special experiences, and fun activities to get you lit! Funds raised at this event go towards the AWM’s Write In Youth Education Program, which serves middle and high school students from under-resourced schools. See our other upcoming GET LIT events here.

This is 21+ event. Attendees must show a valid photo ID at the door to enter.

Join us for a professional development session co-presented by Teach Tank. This professional development session will include brand-new creative writing exercises designed to spark stimulating conversations with a focus on making new connections and learning from one another.
If you have attended any of our previous writing institutes, this workshop is an entirely new session that will ignite your passion for writing and get you excited to get in front of the classroom again. Just like remixing a song, we want to help shake up your curriculum for a fresh way to connect with students.
You’ll learn how to better integrate the museum’s many online resources, remixing them within your own writing curriculum. In fact, you’re encouraged to bring your curriculum with you to swap ideas with your peers and make notes on how to refresh it!
This is a day for educators to feel seen, heard, and valued. What challenges are you facing as an educator in 2026? Chances are good you’re not alone. Is AI the enemy, or is it not enough classroom time to devote to writing instruction? We’ll talk about ways to integrate writing instruction in your classroom and share ideas to strengthen everyone’s curriculum and instruction.
Illinois Teachers will earn 4 CPDUs.
The event is free but registration through Eventbrite is required.
For any questions, reach out to the AWM Education Team at education@americanwritersmuseum.org.

Get ready to turn the page on your next great read at The Great Big Book Swap at the American Writers Museum!
Join your fellow book lovers and refresh your bookshelf at the Great Big Book Swap! Bring in your gently used books and leave with some new-to-you books! Books can be of any genre and at any reading level. The
Books for donation can be dropped off at the museum's front desk during open hours beginning Thursday, September 17. Any books remaining after the swap will be donated to our nonprofit partners across the city.
Come swap, explore, and discover your next chapter at the Great Big Book Swap!

The Great Big Book Swap is part of the American Writers Museum's monthly free day progamming. Enjoy free admission to the American Writers Museum on the third Sunday of each month from 10:00 am 5:00 pm! Free admission grants you access to all our exhibits, including our special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture. Advanced registration recommended but not required.
Interested in sponsoring a free day? Click here to explore how you or your company can help everyone enjoy the American Writers Museum. Free Day sponsors enjoy many benefits, including name recognition throughout the museum and on marketing materials, a private meeting area for your use, discounts on future museum rentals, and more!

Author Talk: "Migrant Heart" by Reyna Grande (In-person)
Join us for an illuminating conversation at the AWM with writers Reyna Grande and Erika L. Sánchez. The two bestselling authors sit down to discuss Grande’s new book Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, an ambitious memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. Books will be available for purchase and Grande will sign them following the program.
This is an in person program at the American Writers Museum. This program will also be livestreamed, and you can register for the link to the online broadcast here.