Bards Alley Bookshop and Caboose Brewing Co. in Vienna will join forces this weekend for Books ’n Brews, an inaugural boozy bookfair full of books, beer, and literary fun. The event is set for 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, at Caboose Tavern.
“I think we all remember when we were young, how exciting it was when the bookfair came to school,” and it was an experience that Bards Alley wanted to recreate for adults, says owner Jen Morrow.
For this event, the bookshop will set up tables with books and merchandise for sale at the brewery, including about 40 titles to browse. The books will be a mix of fiction and nonfiction bestsellers, staff recommendations, book club picks, and some food-and-beverage-focused selections. In addition to the books, there will be some additional merchandise like bookmarks and stickers.
Caboose will have happy hour specials: $1 off food, $2 off beer, and $3 off wine and cocktails. To keep with the bookish theme, the organizers came up with book and drink pairings — think a suspenseful murder-mystery novel to complement a dark stout or a light lager to go with a summertime romance novel.
“It’s just a chance for us to really make it fun. You know, bring together two things that people in the community love, which is Bards Alley Bookshop and Caboose Brewing,” Morrow says.
Morrow says she was inspired by other booksellers who have put on similar events in the past, including One More Page Books in Arlington, which has hosted bookfairs with Audacious Aleworks in Falls Church.
One of the shop’s 10 book clubs will also meet at Books ’n Brews, so visitors can get a sneak peek at what the discussions are like. Selections from upcoming book clubs will be for sale at the event for those who are inspired to join.
The event will take place in the indoor, upstairs portion of Caboose Tavern, located at 520 Mill St. NE, Vienna. The brewery is open that day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bookstore, just a few blocks away on Church Street, is open that day from 12 to 5 p.m.
This is just the beginning of the boozy bookfairs that are in store for Vienna. The next two events are scheduled for June 2 and September 8. The June event will focus on summer reading and Pride Month, and the September event will have a back-to-school theme.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine’s Things to Do newsletter.
