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Books, books, books – that’s what the first weekend of October is shaping up to be all about. For the first time ever, Singapore’s independent bookshops are opening their doors at the same time for a weekend of programming, browsing, and discovering, plus loads of activities to join.
What is Singapore Indie Bookshop Day (SGIBD) and when is it?
Singapore is getting its very first Singapore Indie Bookshop Day this October. From October 2 to 4, 2026, 20 independent bookshops across the island will come together for a weekend of bookish programmes and activities.
The main celebration falls on Saturday, October 3, but bookshops are hosting programmes throughout that weekend. Expect everything from live sketching and puppet shows to zine discussions, book swaps and PowerPoint parties.
What's the SGIBD Passport and stamp rally?
Start by picking up a free SGIBD Bookshop Passport from any participating bookshop. It's limited to one passport per person while stocks last and is designed to help you plot your bookshop crawl while documenting the places, books and discoveries you encounter along the way.
Then comes the fun bit: collect stamps from the participating bookshops you visit. Rack up at least 10 stamps from 10 different bookshops, and you can enter SGIBD's lucky draw for a chance to win $100 in book vouchers, plus a gift book box curated by booksellers.
Registration for the lucky draw opens on October 3, and entries close on November 15, 2026. The passport isn't just for the festival weekend either – you can continue collecting stamps at participating bookshops until the end of 2026. Just note that stamps collected after the SGIBD weekend won't count towards the lucky draw.
SGIBD’s three bookshop trails – highlights and what to expect
Trail 1: Bras Basah and Kampong Gelam
SGIBD has specifically identified Bras Basah & Kampong Gelam as one of three precincts suited to a bookshop crawl, thanks to its concentration of bookshops and cultural spaces.
Basheer Graphic Books
When: October 3, 2026
What: Apart from having a solid collection of art and design titles, Basheer Graphic Books will be hosting Singapore-based illustrator David Tsnen where he will be doing a live sketching session, giving visitors a chance to watch the author and illustrator draw in real time.
Free entry.
Wardah Books
When: October 2, 2026
What: At Wardah Books, books meet batik at a special “Batik Librarian” counter, where textile expert Hafiz Rashid explores the stories woven into both pages and patterns. Bring along a piece of batik and he’ll unpack its motifs and symbolism before recommending a book that connects with its story. Bringing a book instead? He’ll flip the formula, pairing it with a batik textile whose patterns and meanings complement what you’ve brought along.
Free entry.
When: October 4, 2026
What: At Wardah Books, poet Madi offers 30-minute “poetry consultations”, turning your memories, feelings or prompts into a custom typewritten poem to take home. $15 per poem.
Elsewhere, founders Ibrahim Tahir of Wardah Books and Tomi Wibisono of Yogyakarta’s Buku Akik compare notes on their respective bookshop festivals and the enduring role of physical bookshops, in a bilingual conversation moderated by Yulianna Frederika of Lepak Conversations.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Nurul Anwar Bookstore
When: October 3, 2026
What: Bring your troubles to the typewriter. Founder of S.U.R. Madi takes on the role of a poetic “doctor”, turning your stories and feelings into a personalised Malay poem, inspired by Sapardi Djoko Damono’s Dukamu Abadi and the idea that sorrow can be the starting point for something new.
Sessions run from 1pm to 6pm on October 3, with each private 30-minute consultation costing $15 and including a hand-typed poem to take home.
When: October 4, 2026
What: Explore the many forms of the keris warangka (sheath) across the Nusantara with Nur Pusaka SG, including key terms such as pamor, dhapur and warangan. You can also stamp a pre-cut bookmark with your chosen warangka design for $2.
The session runs from 12pm to 6pm and is led by Nidhar, founder of Nur Pusaka SG and a Javanese keris collector and enthusiast.
Trail 2: Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar
Next up, head west towards Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar, where the bookshops range from tiny picture-book havens to longstanding literary institutions. SGIBD's official crawl precinct is Chinatown, with the surrounding Tanjong Pagar area making for a natural extension of the route.
Eliko Picture Books & things
Blink and you might miss this tiny Chinatown reading room, which specialises in vintage and rare picture books from around the world.
When: October 3, 2026
What: Fairy tales get a new setting as Singapore illustrators and children turn Threshold illustrations into stories and an improvised puppet show. The performance will be projected onto a Chinatown Complex shop shutter, with the illustrators’ works also displayed along the market corridor.
It’s free with registration. Register here.
When: October 4, 2026
What: Picture book author and illustrator Josef Lee takes over with his Eco Seeds Story Prompt cards, created specially for Indie Bookshop Day. After reading from his Eco book series, he’ll get children to use the cards to dream up and build an eco-themed story of their own.
The session is free with registration and limited to six places. Register here.
Book Bar
When: October 3, 2026
What: Fancy knowing what the President reads? Book Bar will display President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s personal book recommendations from October 3 to November 3. The owners will also be around on October 3 from 10am to 5pm to chat about the picks and answer your bookish questions. That same day, catch Stranger Than Fiction: A Creative Nonfiction Reading, featuring writers including Mok Zining, Theophilus Kwek, Akanksha Raja, Samantha Chia and Nabilah Said. Expect readings and a glimpse into the latest work and ideas from this eclectic bunch.
Littered with Books
Housed in a historic shophouse, Littered with Books stocks a mix of local and international fiction, non-fiction and children's books.
When: October 3, 2026
What: Come hungry for words – expect an afternoon of readings inspired by food, with writers serving up literary takes on cuisine that may be as unexpected as they are tempting.
Trail 3: Joo Chiat and East Coast
The third SGIBD-curated crawl takes you through Katong/Joo Chiat, a neighbourhood where bookshops can easily be combined with cafés, food stops and plenty of wandering.
City Book Room
When: October 3, 2026
What: Beyond The Hijab and Shuxia share their experiences with zine-making and self-publishing, while later that evening, writers Lin Yijun and Phoon Jing Ying discuss their debut books and Creative Writing journeys in the UK. Both sessions are free with registration, with the latter moderated by Wong Koi Tet.
Woods in the Books
When: October 2 and 3, 2026
What: Head down to Easties Book & Craft Market, where you’ll get to indulge in homegrown books, crafts and plenty of treats from neighbouring Chin Mee Chin Confectionery.
Also on October 3 at 5pm, the market also hosts the relaunch of Alfian Sa’at’s The Invisible Manuscript, a collection of poems and provocative texts exploring desire, memory, identity and belonging.
The market is free to enter, while the book relaunch is free with registration.
When: October 4, 2026
What: Author Kasan Goh joins moderator Goh Eck Kheng for What’s Fact, What’s Fiction?, discussing his semi-autobiographical novel Billy, Seetoh & Co and the real-life experiences behind it. The session runs from 5pm to 7pm and is free with registration.
Over at Woods in the Books New Bahru, poet Joshua Ip leads Over Your Head Poetry on October 2, an interactive workshop using overhead projectors, markers and transparencies as playful “AI” poetry tools, from 6pm to 8pm, with free registration and a recommended $5 donation to Sing Lit Station.
Dakota Dreams (Bonus)
Technically, Dakota Dreams isn’t on the East Coast/Joo Chiat route, but it’s close enough to warrant a detour – especially with this much going on. This community-run, pre-loved bookstore is spotlighting Singapore comics, self-publishing, and independent voices, while Wormhole is also bringing its online bookshop offline for a weekend pop-up.
When: October 3 and 4, 2026
What: Dakota Dreams will host Wormhole’s pop-up, bringing books, merch, literary games and a live bookmark-drawing challenge by illustrators Doodnll and hafi. There’s also plenty happening across October 3 and 4, from a comics session with Joshua Chiang and a discussion on SQ21: Singapore Queer Families in the 21st Century to two PowerPoint parties: Bookworm Edition on October 3, covering everything from queer horror to The Lord of the Rings and AI, and Behind The Book on October 4, featuring eight literary-world speakers including International Booker Prize-winning translator Deepa Bhasthi, a bookseller, editor, literary prize judge and librarian.
Tickets are required and can be purchased here.
What else is happening during SGIBD?
The three crawls are only one way to tackle the weekend. Across the 20 participating bookshops, there's a whole roster of programmes to dip into, including a blind book swap at Epigram Books, a PowerPoint party at Wormhole, portrait drawing at Bommoi and more. Most programmes are free, although some require registration and/or payment.
So if none of the crawl routes appeal, you can simply pick the individual events that sound most up your alley and build your own itinerary.
Is there a bus trail?
Yes. SGIBD has prepared two guided bookshop bus tours, each visiting five bookshops before dropping passengers at another bookshop cluster.
The Great World route visits Woods in the Books at New Bahru, Books Ahoy!, Epigram Books, Sea Breeze Books and Natventure before ending at Singapore Book Town in Bras Basah Complex. On the other hand, the Tai Seng route visits Closetful of Books, City Book Room, Woods in the Books at East Coast, Dakota Dreams and Wormhole before ending at Grassroots Book Room in Chinatown.
Unfortunately, both bus tours are sold out.
What should I know before going?
Wear comfortable shoes and bring water and an umbrella. A bookshop crawl still involves actual crawling, and Singapore's heat can get brutal.
Don't try to conquer everything. SGIBD itself encourages visitors to take their time, browse properly and leave room for serendipity. You can even build in some reading or journaling time at a café or park along your route.
And obviously, bring a tote bag.
Do I need to register before going?
No. You don’t need to register before heading out to the bookshops or taking part in most of the SGIBD programmes. Most events are free and don’t require registration, although some individual programmes may require advance reservations or payment which you can find out here.
If you’re doing the SGIBD Passport stamp rally, you only need to register from October 3 to November 15, 2026 to enter the lucky draw after collecting at least 10 stamps from 10 different bookshops.
The full programme and participating bookshop list are available on the official SGIBD website here.
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