April 26 is Independent Bookstore Day, and in Hayward there is no better day to honor all readers, writers and poets. The 2025 Hayward Lit Hop starts with performances at Heritage Plaza, across from the Downtown Hayward Public Library, then transitions into a tour of Hayward’s favorite downtown venues where different local writers groups will take turns reading their original work. The day always concludes with an afterparty, and this year it will take place at Sun Gallery with music, food and drinks.
East Bay Symphonic Band will kick off the hop at 2pm with a musical performance, followed by readings from Hayward’s current and past poet laureates: current poet laureate Leticia Guzman, former laureate Bruce Roberts, and youth laureate Fern Biswas and Ellie Bleharski.
Bleharski shared how she found her connection to poetry during the pandemic. She says, “I found writing an amazing tool, especially during Covid when interactions with other people were limited, to explore my inner emotions and feelings. Additionally, sharing this writing with other people allowed me to find likeminded peers who shared the same struggles and thoughts as I did.”
She likes writing about East Asian and Pacific Islander traditions, and her childhood experiences. “At the opening ceremony, I plan to read a piece that I wrote about my Aunt Sally who lives in Hawaii. Her home full of clutter, dust and sundry items always inspired me as I tried to imagine how she could’ve possibly obtained such a diverse and strange collection.”
The “hopping” from different venues starts at 4pm, and there’s much to choose from in both location and topic. Local writers reading excerpts of their work include the AfroSurreal Writers Association, a bilingual Spanish/English reading, the Queer Writers, local Horror Writers’ and Mystery Writers’ Association chapters, Women Who Submit Lit, the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, the California Writers’ Club, Moreau Catholic High School and students from Cal State East Bay.
In between readings, attendees can get food and drinks at places like the Dirty Bird Lounge or the World Famous Turf Club, or support a local business on Independent Bookstore Day by shopping at Books on B.
Says Renee Rettig, owner of Books on B, “Events like Hayward’s Lit Hop are a great opportunity for us to showcase all that we do around the year: fostering community, celebrating the written word, and the freedom to read as we please. To have this event dovetail with our favorite holiday of the year, Independent Bookstore Day, amplifies our experience of creating a warm, welcoming space for those who crave connection and want to discover new, dare I say novel, ideas!”
To add to the fun, shoppers can search for a Libro.fm Golden Ticket hidden somewhere in the store, which is redeemable for 12 audiobooks.
The Lit Hop has the dual goals of supporting Hayward’s unique downtown scene and helping people with an interest in writing find local groups to develop their craft. It’s also a way for people to bond over some light literary fun—and maybe discover a new favorite author.
Hayward Lit Hop
Saturday, April 26
2pm – 8pm
Downtown Hayward
Map and schedule available at: haywardlithop.com
Note: Due to a scheduling conflict, Youth Poet Laureate Ellie Bleharski won’t be able to attend the opening. The other poet laureates will attend.
