Bookshop Day – 7th October
Bookshop Day will return on Saturday 7th October, with bookshops across the country hosting authors in residence, special events, signings, parties, and beyond.

One Million Supporters 
To mark the millionth Books Are My Bag tote bag to be worn by a BAMB supporter, Books Are My Bag is launching a competition on Bookshop Day. Offering book lovers the chance to win a one-in-a-million special edition bag full of spectacular prizes, more details to be released in the coming weeks.

Date in a Bookshop
Partnering with world-leading relationship experts, eHarmony, Books Are My Bag is encouraging book lovers to go on a date in a bookshop this Bookshop Day. Recommendations for bookshop destinations for the perfect date will highlight the UK’s incredibly diverse range of bookshops.

Orla Kiely and Axel Scheffler Limited Edition Tote Bags 
Limited edition tote bags created by iconic fashion designer Orla Kiely, and bestselling children’s book illustrator, Axel Scheffler, will go on sale exclusively in bookshops from Bookshop Day, allowing bookshop lovers to show their support for the campaign by wearing one of the bags.

Welsh and Irish-language bags will also be available in Wales and Ireland respectively, while an additional limited-edition Irish children’s bag will feature one of Ireland’s best-loved children’s book characters: Pigín.

Flagship Events
Orla Kiely will be offering a unique window into her creative process to commemorate the re-issue of her design bible, Pattern, and to mark her design for this year’s Books Are My Bag tote bag. Taking place at Foyles Charring Cross Road, tickets are available here.The full Bookshop Day events line-up will be unveiled in the coming weeks. 

 Books Are My Bag Readers Awards
The Books Are My Bag Readers Awards – the only book award curated by bookshops – will unveil its Shortlist on Bookshop Day, with the winners to be announced on 21st November. 

#MyBookshop
The hashtag #MyBookshop will allow book lovers to champion their local bookshops and engage in conversations about their favourite bookshop moments, share photos of their book hauls, and shine a light on our wonderful booksellers. BAMB activity will also be promoted via #BookshopDay, following on from last year’s success and making it a prominent day in the social media calendar. 
 
Saturday Sanctuary – 25th November
Books Are My Bag is launching a new ‘Saturday Sanctuary’ on 25th November. Replacing Civilised Saturday, Saturday Sanctuary will celebrate bookshops as a place of calm and respite from our hectic daily lives, and will take place the day after Black Friday. Customers will be able to enjoy exclusive offers on books, herbal teas, meditation, cosy reading corners – and much more.

Super Thursday and Big-Name Author Releases
October will be a major month for bookshops, with Super Thursday taking place on 5 October. 505 new hardbacks will be released on Super Thursday, with another 260 hardbacks out on 19 October – as reported by The Bookseller. Big name authors joining the race to be Christmas number one in October include: David Walliams, Philip Pullman, Mary Berry, Richard Branson, Tom Fletcher, Alan Hollinghurst, Nadiya Hussain, Ben Fogle, Dawn French, Richard Ayoade, and Martin Amis.

Celebrity BAMBassadors
Books Are My Bag is supported by a huge number of high profile figures including Margaret Attwood, Nadiya Hussain, Ben Fogle, Howard Jacobson, James Patterson, Claire Balding, Jamie Oliver, Michael Palin, Caitlin Moran, Grayson Perry, Lily Cole and Tracey Emin.

Now in its fifth year, the Books Are My Bag campaign highlights and celebrates the vital role of high street and campus bookshops. Over the last four years, nearly a million people have worn a Books Are My Bag canvas bag in support of the campaign. 

More details on Books Are My Bag 2017 will be unveiled in the coming weeks; keep an eye on www.booksaremybag.com for updates.