If you're a writer seeking connection, what better place to go than a book festival? Not only are these places where you as an author can get in touch with readers. It is also a great place to find fellow writing friends. Check out one of these big book festivals this year!
We've included a few from each region so no matter where you live you can find a major festival nearby.
West Coast
Bay Area Book Festival – May
The Bay Area is teeming with readers, writers, creators, and thinkers. We have harnessed the power of this community to create one of the premier literary festivals in the world. The Festival is a two-day event complete with literary sessions presenting top authors from this region, the nation, and the world, along with an outdoor fair with hundreds of literary exhibitors. We also offer events for kids and writing contests. We transform vibrant Downtown Berkeley into a literary utopia where readers of all ages and interests can find kindred spirits.
The Festival kicked off in 2015 with the mission to create a free, inclusive, world-class literary event in the Bay Area. Since then, the Festival has welcomed more than 800 authors and is approaching 100,000 attendees.
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books – April
Since 1996, The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books has become aworld-renowned experience gathering writers, poets, artists, filmmakers, musicians and emerging storytellers like no other. Today over 150,000 people attend, making it the largest festival of its kind in the United States. Join us this year as we celebrate our literary culture and the Los Angeles Times’ passion for story.
East Coast
Boston Book Festival - October
The Boston Book Festival celebrates the power of words to stimulate, agitate, unite, delight, and inspire by holding year-round events culminating in an annual, free Festival that promotes a culture of reading and ideas and enhances the vibrancy of our city.
Brooklyn Book Festival - September
The Brooklyn Book Festival celebrates reading, authors, discussion and published literature through free and low-cost programs that bring readers together with local, national and international authors, publishers and booksellers. As New York City’s largest free literary festival, BKBF presents programs that are hip, smart, diverse and inclusive which include its annual city-wide Bookend Events, BKBF Children’s Day and flagship Festival Day when more than 300 authors participate. The festival presents challenging, engaging and thoughtful programming in the areas of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, graphic novels, youth and children literature.
National Book Festival – August
The Library of Congress National Book Festival is an annual literary event that brings together best-selling authors and thousands of book fans for author talks, panel discussions, book signings and other activities. Over its long history, the National Book Festival has become one of the pre-eminent literary events in the United States.
The festival was created by Laura Bush and then-Librarian of Congress James H. Billington at the suggestion of Mrs. Bush, who had created the Texas Book Festival. The first National Book Festival was Sept. 8, 2001. Mrs. Bush served as honorary chair of the festival through 2008.
The festival is funded by private donors and corporate sponsors who share the Library’s commitment to reading and literacy. Since 2010, National Book Festival Board Co-Chairman David M. Rubenstein has been the festival’s lead benefactor.
South
Decatur Book Festival – August
The AJC Decatur Book Festival is the largest independent book festival in the country and one of the five largest overall. Since its launch, more than 1,000 world-class authors and hundreds of thousands of festival-goers have crowded the historic downtown Decatur square to enjoy book signings, author readings, panel discussions, an interactive children's area, live music, parades, cooking demonstrations, poetry slams, writing workshops, and more.
Louisiana Book Festival – November
Whether you're young or old, enjoy puzzling over a good mystery, have a thirst for history, can't get enough of poetry or love to cook up some great Louisiana dishes, our national award-winning event has something for every book lover.
The Louisiana Book Festival is your chance to meet exceptional writers while enjoying book-related activities and presentations.
Savannah Book Festival – February
The 12th Annual Savannah Book Festival will continue to celebrate nationally-recognized and local authors through their contributions to literacy, ideas, and imagination. Festival Saturday is a free and open to the public event that features solo author presentations in seven venues around Telfair, Chippewa and Wright Squares in historic downtown Savannah. Our headlining authors events, featuring some of the biggest names in the book world, are ticketed at a nominal fee.
Midwest
Books by the Banks – October
The mission of Books by the Banks is to entertain and enrich the lives of people in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. The organization works throughout the year to present and promote authors, while celebrating the joy of literacy and lifelong learning through reading and writing.
Wisconsin Book Festival – October
The Wisconsin Book Festival is Wisconsin's premier literary event. Every Fall we draw a local and regional audience of 12,000-15,000 people for four days of author events. Our year-round series of events has drawn more than 20,000 people to an additional 100 events over the past five years. Madison's proximity to Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Iowa City makes it the perfect stop on any tour through the Midwest. As the State Capitol and home to the University of Wisconsin, Madison boasts an engaged and active literary community who have shown a dedication to supporting great author programming.
