Norwich Bookshop Crawl

The Norwich Bookshop Crawl kicks off at The Forum on Saturday 24 October, from 1pm to 4pm. It's a guided tour of the city's best bookshops, run by Bookshop Crawl UK in partnership with the Norwich Book Festival, which it forms part of. The whole afternoon is built around chatting about books, swapping recommendations and getting a look at how Norwich's bookshops actually work from the inside.

That inside look is one of the better bits: you'll get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and recommendations from the booksellers themselves, rather than just browsing the shelves. Between the shops, there's plenty of time to talk books and trade titles with the other people on the tour, so it's as much about the company as the shops. The city bills itself as the City of Stories, and this is one of those days that actually leans into it.

It's aimed at adults, with age guidance of 18+, and it's designed to be a relaxed, low-pressure way to meet other readers. If you're usually the type to hide in the stacks and avoid the small talk, this is a good way to break that habit without it feeling forced. You'll spend the afternoon moving from one shop to the next, with the guide handling the route and the booksellers providing the context.

It all starts at The Forum, Millennium Plain, NR2 1TF, on Saturday 24 October, from 1pm to 4pm. Tickets are £15.