A Look Ahead at Chicago Lit: July

by Kayleigh McNamara

It was an early, very warm morning in July, and it had rained during the night. The bare granite steamed, the moss and crevices were drenched with moisture, and all the colors everywhere had deepened.

― Tove Jansson, The Summer Book

July brings us into the thick gooey middle of summer. It’s the perfect time to read by the beach or hide away in the air conditioning of your local library. Read on to learn about some of the many literary events happening around the city in July. 

The Chicago Poetry Center presents their weekly outdoor reading and open mic series, Poetry at the Green. Timothy David Rey and Joy Young serve as the curators and hosts of the event. The Green at 320 sets the scene for this month’s featured poets Calvin Forbes, Katana Smith, and Shivani Gupta. Learn more here. 

Tuesday, July 7, the American Writers Museum has their 2026 Summer Writing Institute, co-presented by Teach Tank. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. educators will discuss their experiences and learn how to use the museum’s resources to inform their own curriculum. Tickets cost $80. Learn more and reserve your spot here. 

The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s Far South Side Literary Bus Tour is Saturday, July 11! We will meet at Third World Press at 10 a.m. and drive down to the East Side neighborhood seen in the stories of Tony Fitzpatrick and Hugo Martinez-Serro. We will see South Deering as depicted by Frank London Brown, Mt. Greenwood as depicted by John Powers, and many more literary landmarks that have influenced the work of our favorite authors. Registration is $75 which includes snacks and beverages offered on the bus. Reserve your space soon as there is a capacity of 55 people. We hope to see you there! 

Monday, July 13, Women & Children First is hosting their Banned Books Book Club. This month, there will be a discussion around The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, both as a work of literature and in terms of the efforts against it. Everyone is welcome to join. Learn more here. 

StoryStudio Chicago is offering their Summer 2026 Memoir and Essay Series. Join Megan Stielstra’s online class, Show and Tell in Your Writing on Thursday, July 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is $65. Reserve your space here and learn about the other courses in the series here. 

Big news for fans of romance: Shirlene Obuobi will be in conversation with Ali Hazelwood and Nikki Payne to discuss her new novel, Die For Me. Thursday, July 16, Call & Response Books is hosting the event at Wilson Abbey. Admission starts at $20. Be sure to grab your tickets as these are selling fast. 

Friday, July 17, head to Exile in Bookville at 7 p.m. for their horror book club, Let the Right Book In. This month they will be discussing the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Angel Down by Daniel Kraus. Admission is free but be sure to reserve your space here. 

Tuesday, July 21, Unabridged Books is hosting their Reading Is Resistance Book Club, dedicated to both new and classic texts with the intention of being informed and engaged with the world we live in. This month they will be discussing Care by Premilla Nadasen. Learn more on the Unabridged website and for further information, inquire here. 

The W.O.W. Lit Fest is back for the fifth year. Saturday, July 25, the Words of Wonder Literary Festival will be taking place at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s theme is Dear Chicago: A Love Letter to the City. The event is free to readers and writers of all ages. Reserve your spot here. 

Thursday, July 30, Pilsen Community Books is hosting Exhibit B: A Literary Variety Show. See featured writers Meghan Malachi, Adam al-Sirgany, Ignatius Valentine Aloysius, Lisa Low and Naeem Murr. Learn more here.