2026 Lit Crawl

Lit Crawl Austin returns on Saturday, November 14, from 7 to 10 PM, marking the 16th edition of the Texas Book Festival's after-Festival literary night. It's a mix of performances, games, trivia and storytelling spread across three downtown venues: Sip Haus (715 Red River Street), The Side Bar (602 E 7th St), and Cheer Up Charlies (900 Red River St). All the events are free and open to the public.

The program draws on Austin's own literary scene. There's Worded Funny, billed as the city's only literary humor show; Author Feud, the game that launched Novel Happenings and which has been called the most fun 60 minutes in book festival history; and Literary Death Match, which has now spread to 73 cities worldwide. Between the three, you've got a comedy show, a competitive game, and a literary battle, so you can pick your favorite and work your way through the night.

Since the events are spread across downtown, you'll be moving between the venues. A few things to keep in mind before you head out: you have to be 21 or over to enter Sip Haus and The Side Bar, and 18 or over for Cheer Up Charlies. The whole thing runs from 7 to 10 PM on Saturday, November 14, and it's free.