Interested in hosting a book launch, author talk, or other kind of book event? Please fill out THIS FORM and our Programs Coordinator will be in touch with you within 5 business days. While we cannot accommodate every request made, we try our best to consider each and every request. If we agree to sponsor your event, all room fees are waived. 

Busboys and Poets Books offers most events for free to the public, unless otherwise requested. We are proud to offer both in person and virtual livestreams as options for events depending on room availability and author preference. For every bookstore sponsored event, we guarantee the facilitation of book sales before and during the event (both in person and virtually). We do not currently offer authors/speakers honorariums for events. 

If you’d like to reach out directly to our Programs Coordinator, you can email bookevents@busboysandpoets.com or call (202) 599-0398 during regular business hours (M-F, 9 AM to 5 PM EST). 

If you’d like to book one of our spaces for a private event, please submit an event inquiry here

Author Next Door

Author Next Door is back! Busboys and Poets Books will be hosting a series of events highlighting local authors from across the DMV. The series will rotate around Busboys and Poets locations, featuring up to four writers from each community curated around a selected genre or topic. Talks will include authors reading and discussing their work, as well as an extended Q&A and book signing after the conversation. Each author’s book will be available for purchase at the event.

Current schedule for 2026:

Sunday, April 19: Takoma (form open: Jan 5 - Feb 28)

Sunday, June 28: Hyattsville (form open: Mar 1 - Apr 30)

Sunday, September 13: Anacostia (form open: July 1 - Aug 15)

Sunday, November 15: Shirlington (form open: Sept 1 - Oct 15)

We are looking for authors who are passionate about life in the DMV and excited to get to know their neighbors. Learn more and submit your application HERE.

Off-site Events

Interested in having Busboys and Poets Books vend at your event? We can bring our bookstore to you!

Partnering with us means we'll order books and provide 1-2 members of our bookstore staff to sell them at your event (DMV area only). This is a free service, though we may request an additional fee in advance if your event requires efforts that go beyond our standard capabilities. 

Fill out THIS FORM to give us a better understanding of your needs and expectations. We will reach back out once we've determined whether or not we can add your event to our schedule. 

Please note that we require book ordering information at least 3 weeks before the event.