The Night of the Bookstores is a newly launched project in Brazil that seeks to create a movement around literary activities coinciding with Book Day, celebrated on April 23. This year, the day falls on a Thursday, and the project encourages bookstores to extend their operating hours beyond 6 PM, offering exceptional nighttime programming that resembles a modest literary cultural festival. The initiative is not intended to run late into the night but aims to make literature more accessible during evening hours.

Inspired by successful models from Madrid and Buenos Aires, the Night of the Bookstores plans to organize simultaneous free events, including book launches, author meet-and-greets, poetry nights, and live performances. The goal is to encourage readers to explore new literary venues or revisit their favorite bookstores during these newly offered hours. This initiative seeks to expand public engagement with literature and culture, particularly among those who might not otherwise visit bookstores.

The project was developed by the same group responsible for the Mapa das Livrarias de Rua de São Paulo, a successful initiative that has helped promote bookstores as cultural and tourist attractions. With this new initiative, the organizers plan to broaden their reach beyond São Paulo city and state, inviting bookstores from across the country to participate and foster a greater appreciation for literature within the Brazilian community.