literary calendar
Find book festivals by state
See which book festivals we could verify in each state, plus the state library or arts council when a statewide festival is not on an official page. Dates and venues appear only when the organizer published them.
The Library of Congress hosts the National Book Festival, a free public event with authors and reading programs.
Library of CongressState libraries publish author events and reading programs even in years when a separate book festival is not held.
Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAn official festival site is the source for whether this year's event is on, paused, or replaced by smaller programs.
Library of CongressState guide
Book festivals by state
Free tool
Start here
Free checklist
Festival Visit Checklist
What to confirm on the organizer's site before you travel to a book festival.
- This year's dates and location
- Free entry versus a ticket
- Author events that need a separate reservation
Free. We email you the download link, plus an occasional plain-English guide. Unsubscribe any time. We never sell your email. Privacy
Why it matters
A name on a poster is not a current date
Festivals move, pause, and change producers. The useful public record is the organizer's own page, not a recycled list.
Where a state library runs the festival, that government page is the source. Where a nonprofit runs it, we link the nonprofit and any government partner we could verify.
Use this site to find the right organizer, then use their page for the calendar.
Guides
Plain answers, sourced
How to use a state book festival guide
How to read a state-by-state book festival guide, what “none verified” means, and how to confirm dates on official sites.
Read →What a book festival typically includes
What official book festival sites usually describe, from author talks and signings to markets, school visits, and family activities.
Read →The National Book Festival
What the Library of Congress says about the National Book Festival and how state Centers for the Book take part.
Read →Finding author events at the state library
How state libraries and Centers for the Book publish readings, awards, and festivals, and what they do not list.
Read →Literary festivals versus book fairs
How a literary festival differs from a book fair or author-table sale, using official festival pages as examples.
Read →Planning a book festival visit with kids
How official festival pages describe family activities, school programs, and what to check before you bring children.
Read →Featured partners