What is LitHop?

  • LitHop is an annual pop-up literary arts festival based in Fresno, California, celebrating 10 years of literary discovery with our 2026 presentation. Our inaugural festival was in April 2016.

  • LitHop is driven by community, founded by Lee Herrick and Lisa Lee Herrick, to create opportunities for writers, readers, and fans of the literary arts.

  • LitHop values community, all voices, and open access: We do not charge any submission fees, and we do not collect any reading fees from participants.

  • All LitHop events are FREE and open to the public. No tickets, vouchers, or advance RSVPs required for entry.

  • All in-person events will take place in Fresno, CA, in the historic Tower District.

  • Event venues are all-ages, unless the venue is a business that serves alcohol: see Section 25665 of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control statute, which prohibits all minors, even those accompanied by adults such as a parent or legal guardian, from entering or remaining within a bar or at the bar in a restaurant that serves or pours alcohol. This is non-negotiable due to California state law.

  • The Tower District has coffee and tea shops, restaurants, and bars. Please support locally owned small businesses and our wonderful venues.

  • We hope you enjoy the day and go to as many readings as you can with friends, family, colleagues, and meet new friends!

How do I attend a LitHop reading?

  • Seating at LitHop events is first-come, first-served.

  • Free parking is widely available throughout Fresno’s Tower District, however, please make a note of any posted parking restrictions or metered parking before leaving your car. As a general rule, do not leave valuables or personal items visible in your car.

  • Please be considerate and courteous of those around you as you attend events during LitHop.

  • Each venue should observe access rights for those with disabilities. Please inquire with the venue in question if you have questions, or email LitHop.

  • Each reading starts on the hour and ends at 45 minutes after the hour, with four readers per event.

  • Readers are instructed to start on time, and end on time, so that everyone has approximately 15 minutes to travel from one venue to the next.

  • We do not currently have the capacity to support livestreamed or full recordings of any LitHop reading performances, although members of the media and the general public may record live performances throughout the day at any time.

  • Readings taking place at venues that serve alcohol: no readers or attendees under the age of 21 allowed entry, including infants. No exceptions. (See Section 25665 of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control statute described above.)

Who reads first during a LitHop event?

  • The order of readers will be determined by that event’s participating readers only. (LitHop staff and volunteers will not delegate reading order.)

  • Limit two reading proposals per reader. This prevents time conflicts and the potential for conflicting or double-booked reading events.

  • If you plan to submit a reading proposal, be sure to read the guidelines carefully. (See the bottom blue section for a snapshot of this year’s editorial calendar.)

How do I advertise or promote my LitHop reading(s)?

  • Each LitHop event is responsible for creating and promoting their own event. Duties will be discussed and assigned independently of LitHop staff.

  • The official LitHop logo must be used, as is, with no changes to the font, spacing, colors, or orientation of the original logo design. This includes AI-generated graphics created to promote each event by the reading’s organizer or participants.

  • Make sure you have the correct time, date, and venue listed for your event promotional art.

  • Avoid using images, photos, or art which you do not own the rights or proper permissions, e.g. copyright infringement.

  • LitHop is an all-ages community literary arts festival. Avoid using offensive or insensitive imagery in your advertising and promotions.

  • Suggested sizes and dimensions for online promotional graphic art:

    • Facebook Cover Photo: at least 851x315 pixels.

    • Square social media posts: at least 1080x1080 pixels.

    • Vertical social media posts (reels, stories): at least 1080x1920 pixels.

    • Email banners: at least 600x200 pixels.

  • Please use the hashtag #LitHop2026 in your posts across all social media platforms.

  • You may also tag us on Facebook and/or Instagram at @lithopfresno

  • Remember to include the location of your reading event, time, and the date: Saturday, October 3, 2026.

  • As a courtesy for all, only advertise your LitHop reading if it has been officially accepted and listed for the upcoming 2026 season festival.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Download the LitHop Logo Here

Timeline for Reading Proposals

Open Call for Reading Proposals: March 15-May 15, 2026

Deadline to submit reading proposals: May 15, 2026, by 11:59 PM PDT

Review Period: May 16-June 15, 2026

Acceptance Notifications (via email from lithopfresno@gmail.com) by: June 15, 2026

Event Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026

Can you recommend any local spots* for something to eat or sip during LitHop?

*This is 100% our non-scientific and individual opinion only as we get asked this question every season. The hardest part is keeping it down to four recommendations. We truly love Fresno and want you to explore and discover places here that you’ll love, too! (Lastly, LitHop is receiving exactly zero dollars and zero cents for our recommendations, a.k.a. not a sponsored post or ad.)

Bright yellow background with light skintone hand holding a waffle cone with two scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with colorful sprinkles. Neon aqua display font is edged in neon violet, and reads "Feeling Sweet."

  • Ampersand Ice Cream is a locally-owned business that specializes in small batch ice creams and sorbets featuring local produce and seasonal flavors like strawberry pizza, fig & hot honey, taro and marshmallow, and coconut caramel cashew.

    Located at 1940 N. Echo Avenue, at the southeast corner of Echo and Weldon Avenue, about a 15-minute walk north of the Tower District (0.9 mile).

    See what flavors are available at their Echo Avenue location here.

    Open daily from noon to 11:00 PM.

  • This small but mighty bakery at 1294 N. Wishon Avenue creates some of the most Instaworthy cupcakes, macarons, and special event cakes in the Central Valley. The owner and head pastry chef grew up in her parents' business, Jimmie's Bakery, and founded Frosted Cakery in 2008 after her mother retired from baking.

    Frosted Cakery's motto is "Dreams in Buttercream," and we can assure you that there's real butter in everything.

    View this week's photo gallery to find what's fresh from the oven here.

    Saturday hours: 10 AM - 5 PM

  • Panaderia Natalie is the heart of Fresno's historic Tower District. This longtime neighborhood staple located at 935 E. Olive Avenue bakes incredibly flaky puff pastry orejas, a.k.a. palmiers, and giant Danishes that double as jam hammocks. The wall-to-wall displays of classic Mexican bakery staples like conchas, quesitos, and pasteles de elote will amaze you.

    Panaderia Natalie also serves savory meat buns with plenty of cabbage and chopped onions, as well as sanely-priced cups of no-frills coffee.

    Minimum purchase required for cashless payment. Inquire within.

    Open daily from 5 AM.

    Closes at 6 PM on Saturdays.

Background of a black bowl of seafood Tom Yum soup, with a whole baby octopus visible, with herbs on a wood-paneled surface. Neon yellow display font reads "Feeling Spicy."

  • The first Oscar awards were handed out in 1929. The first car radio was invented. Herbert Hoover became U.S. President, and then something happened with Wall Street that kicked off a whole era that gave us some of the bravest social critiques, narrative rebellions, political satires, and outright excoriations of capitalism without guardrails.

    And in 1929, Piemonte's opened at 616 E. Olive Avenue in Fresno, California, serving up homemade sausage, meatballs, and Italian sauce--recipes that have fed way too many generations of immigrants and migrants and new residents--from The Great Depression through The Great Recession.

    Each sandwich is a winner. If you ask for extra peppers, they're not shy about it. (Gluten-free bread options available for an extra charge.) See the full menu here.

    Weekday hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Open Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

    Closed Sundays.

  • Look, recommending a favorite Mexican restaurant in a place like Fresno can start an argument: everyone has their allegiance to one specific dish or a specialty like birria or tlayudas or even secret "off the menu" items ... but, in the Tower District, you can't go wrong at El Patio.

    Whether you say El Patio like "patio furniture" or Tapatío is up to you. Grab a seat indoors or outside at 552 E. Olive Avenue and order something ice cold from the cantina. The menu is colorful, just like the outdoor dining patio.

    Psst--you might want to make a reservation here.

    Saturday: open 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

  • India's Oven has three locations in Fresno, and they do not hold back from the spices. You know what you're getting into, so just go ahead and order that mango lassi now.

    The Tower District location at 1153 N. Fulton Avenue is a great spot for people watching along Olive Avenue, and the kitchen pumps out the dishes from 11 AM to 10:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday, and on Sundays. On Fridays and Saturdays, India’s Oven is open until 2:00 AM for your midnight tikka masala cravings! (Closed Mondays.)

    Vegetarians rejoice: this is your flavor town in the Tower. Carnivores: the lamb and goat here are *chef's kiss.* Check out the full menu.

    We may have to fight you for a table.

  • If you don’t mind walking up a few blocks north of the Tower District, past Fresno High School, you’ll find ample seating and a lively happy hour crowd at MOTO located just around the corner from Ampersand Ice Cream at 1916 N. Echo Avenue.

    Their sandwiches are about the size and thickness of John Cena’s forearms, the salads and appetizers satisfy, and you won’t want to share the rustic flatbread pizzas.

    MOTO carries a small but very well curated wine, beer, and hard cider list. They also serve nonalcoholic beverages, too. See their full menu here.

    Saturday Hours: 10:30 AM - 9:00 PM. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Stemless wine glass with mint mojito, crushed ice, and a red cocktail straw sits on a bar countertop with a warm-red blurred background of a cocktail bar. White display lettering reads "Feeling Social."

  • It's too bad that Latin isn't taught in most schools anymore, because we always have to Google what triple-V means.

    This is a local favorite meeting place for important birthdays, social club meetings, and post-conference afterparties when you want to enjoy a personal milestone, a semi-private oasis, or make a big business deal.

    The food is consistently stylish, the drinks are a hair on the strong side, and the fairy lights in the back patio are downright romantic. Get a feel for their vibe at their website.

    Veni Vidi Vici is located at 1116 N. Fulton Street at Olive Avenue. Look for the door with the artistic Delia Deetz-style metal sculpture handle. You'll know it when you see it.

    Saturday hours: 5:30 PM - 2:00 AM

  • Howling Wolf joined the Tower District in 2021 and has proven itself to be a unique contender with its craft cocktails, friendly bartenders, and unapologetic quirkiness.

    Drinks aside, the whole place is a conversation piece: the decor itself is a pastiche of Art Deco, Smithsonian Museum, and estate sale enthusiast with no self-control. Live music often featured on the stage. They don't mind if you BYOD: The Howling Wolf serves unique, only-in-Fresno drinks and no food. (Not sure if the bartenders still wear matching red jackets, but if you start getting The Gold Room vibes, lean into it.)

    The Howling Wolf is located at 920 E. Olive Avenue. Check out their Instagram for live show updates and drink specials.

    Saturday hours: 3:00 PM - 1:00 AM

  • When you’re feeling like something dark and moody and intimate, with strong cocktails, step into Lucy’s Lounge on 733 E. Olive Avenue for a completely different vibe.

    Lucy’s Lounge is a dedicated cocktail bar lounge provides an upscale ambiance without the pretention. Expect comfortable booth seats for larger groups, lively seats at the bar, and more intimate cocktail tables around the main stage where live blues & jazz acts play nightly.

    Saturday hours: Noon - 1:30 AM.