American Festivals: Ohio - Wyoming

OHIO
Buckeye Book Fair
Location: Wooster
Date: November
Writers, illustrators and authors all show up here to talk with visitors and sign their books in this one day even that raises funds for literacy programs. Looks like fun!

OKLAHOMA
Red Dirt Book Festival
Location: Shawnee
Date: November
With nearly 50 free workshops, panel discussions and programs that explore the ways Oklahoma character is reflected in recent literature, this festival is a fantastic journey into the world of writers, writing and books. And it’s all free except for the lunches and special evening event. An excellent weekend for both readers and writers.

OREGON
Wordstock
Location: Portland
Date: November
Where else but the city that is home to the world’s largest independent used and new bookstore (hint: Powell’s) could a festival as great as this reside? With more than 100 booths, 200 authors, eight stages, workshops, readings, signings, music food, children’s events, a Wordstock for Writers, Wordstock for Teachers and more (and even more pre-festival events such as the Night of Literary Feasts), this fair promises and delivers a lot!

RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books and Authors
Location: Providence
Date: October
Lincoln School hosts this annual event where authors and illustrators talk about their craft and sign books, and bookmaking and other crafts booths make for a fun day.

SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina Book Festival  
Location: Columbia
Date: February
A full weekend event, this festival features a Book Club Morning Toast, Brunching With Authors, author panels and presentations, poetry readings and nearly 150 vendors.

SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Festival of Books
Location: Deadwood
Date: September
Receptions, book signings, a Literary Feast, a wide variety of panels and presentations, a Signature Event, late night ghost stories, a Gathering of Native Voices and more offered in the historic town of Deadwood make this a particularly special festival.

TENNESSEE
Southern Festival of Books
Location: Nashville
Date: October
A three-day literary festival that gathers together more than 200 authors covering every genre, offers panel discussions, readings and book signings, includes more than 50 book-related exhibitors, a cooking stage and two performance stages, and special children’s events with book characters.

TEXAS
Austin Jewish Community Book Fair
Location: Austin
Date: November
This festival features author lectures and discussions, catered events, the annual Book Lover’s Luncheon, and Kids Day at the J.

Latino Book & Family Festival
Location: Dallas/Ft. Worth
Date: July
Latino Book & Family Festival
Location: Houston
Date: September
Co-hosted by actor and activist Edward James Olmos, these are an incredible event that include books and authors (naturally) as well as vendors in career and education, crafts and travel, health, and home ownership. They have several stages, food courts, an art exhibition theatre, science, and a Writing Exhibition.

North Texas Book Festival
Location: Denton
Date: April
A Book Trails Dinner, authors, book signings and special children’s programs are what this small, but quality festival offers. It’s certainly worth checking out.

Plano Book Festival
Location: Plano
Date: March
Authors, panels, creative writing contest winners presenting their work, workshops, storytelling, children’s events, food concessions and entertainment fill the day at this festival.

Texas Book Festival
Location: Austin
Date: November
This festival is somewhat unusual in that it takes place at the state capitol. It features a lovely opening event, a First Editions Literary Gala, the Reading Rock Stars program and an opening ceremony along with the usual offerings of authors, panels, workshops, readings, signings, vendors and stage entertainment. Check the web site for details.

West Texas Book & Music Festival
Location: Abilene
Date: September
Featuring a Books & Books Luncheon, a Cookbook Gala and the Abilene Book Awards as well as author and writer panels and presentations, receptions, brown bag and Authors in Schools programs and more, this festival is a winner.

UTAH
St. George Book Festival
Location: St. George
Date: October
A relatively new festival, it is best to use the email address listed at this address to get more information. But they do promise panels, workshops, book sales and signings, scrapbooking, hands-on activities for children, a Rare Book Roadshow, and much more.

Utah Humanities Book Festival
Location: Salt Lake City
Date: October
This festival has events happening around the entire state rather than in one location. They also have some rather unusual events including the Utah Literary Awards, concerts, interviews, panels, readings, performances, book sales and signings, letterpress printing, bookmaking and papermaking, hands-on activities for children, rare book appraisals, a Day of the Dead Authors (sitting among the tombstones of their favorite dead children’s authors while reading), a Define-a-Thon and more.

VIRGINIA
Book ‘Em: Buy a Book and Stop a Crook
Location: Waynesboro
Date: October
A unique idea for a book festival, but one that works extremely well! Its purpose is to raise funds for organizations dedicated to increasing literacy rates, decreasing crime rates, helping police solve crimes, and raising public awareness of the link between high illiteracy rates and high crime rates. The Waynesboro Police Department is the primary host for this fair which features dozens of authors in many genres who talk about writing, the publishing industry and other topics of interests and entertainment for children.

Fall for the Book Festival
Location: Fairfax
Date: September
This week-long event includes lectures, talks, receptions, readings, a used book sale, music, children’s entertainment, all of which revolve around writing, reading, books, current events and more.

Lex Allen Literary Festival
Location: Roanoke
Date: March
Readings and a poetry panel along with the awarding of poetry and fiction prizes to students highlight this literary day of interest.

Malice Domestic
Location: Arlington
Date: April
This is a three-day convention that brings together the readers and writers of the “traditional” mystery—those which contain no explicit sex or excessive violence, and usually feature an amateur detective, a confined setting and characters who know one another. In addition to author panels, presentations and signings, they have two auctions (one live, one silent) with proceeds going to a local charity,

Virginia Festival of the Book
Location: Charlottesville
Date: March
Five days of literary events offers more than 300 authors and 200 events including special luncheons, a breakfast, an authors’ reception, author readings and presentations, panels and workshops, a Storyfest and Kids’ Book Swap and more.

WASHINGTON D.C. / DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Multicultural Children’s Book Festival
Location: Washington, D.C.
Date: November
An afternoon event of readings by authors, illustrators and guest celebrities, book signings, and other interactive performances and events.

National Book Festival
Location: Washington, D.C.
Date: September
More than 70 authors, illustrators and poets will fill seven pavilions— Children; Teens & Children; Fiction & Fantasy; Mysteries & Thrillers; History & Biography; Home & Family; and Poetry—during this day that celebrates literacy and reading. Attendees will also have the opportunity to have books signed, meet storybook characters, enjoy interactive family-centered activities and, unique to this festival, offer a variety of ways for people around the country to participate in it via the Internet.

WASHINGTON
Get Lit!
Location: Spokane and Cheney
Date: April
Running more than a week, Get Lit! offers Milk Crate Readings, poetry slams, lectures, Writers in the Schools Day, and on the primary weekend, author panels and readings, book signings, writing workshops and panels and much more.

Rainbow Bookfest
Location: Seattle
Date: April
This festival celebrates multiculturalism and authors of color who represent “the history, culture, conflicts and dynamic nature of America.” (No schedule information was available at time of writing.)

WEST VIRGINIA
Ohio River Festival of Books
Location: Huntington
Date: March
This festival includes panel discussions, plenty of exhibitors, children’s entertainment and a special author luncheon.

West Virginia Book Festival
Location: Charleston
Date: October
Authors, publishers, book vendors, the Festival Marketplace, a special section just for children, a used book sale, Meet the Author events, workshops and panel discussions highlight this book festival.

WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Book Festival
Location: Madison
Date: October
From Wednesday noon to Sunday evening, this festival presents a wide variety of events—lectures, talks, readings, book sale, exhibit openings, author presentations, book awards, a Food and Wine Reception and more.

WYOMING
Wyoming Book Festival
Location: Cheyenne
Date: September
Focusing (though not exclusively) on Wyoming writers this festival offers panels on writing and publishing, author panels and book signings, book-related movies, book giveaways, exhibits, talks and lectures and plenty of “big tents” on the state capitol grounds for “nature and outdoors, history, fiction, non-fiction, home and garden, true crime, mystery, road trips and Wyoming and the West.” There is also cowboy poetry, music, dance and a festival bookstore.