Brooklyn Book Festival Celebrates 20 Years: What to Know for 2025
The Brooklyn Book FestivalNew York City’s largest free literary eventis returning for its 20th anniversary. This yearthe festival runs from September 14 to 222025.
The multi-day celebration gathers hundreds of local and international writers for a series of readingspanelsand a large book market. Events are designed for adults and young readerscovering genres from fiction and poetry to graphic novels.
Key Dates for Your Calendar
While events span nine daysthere are a few main dates to mark down.
- Virtual Festival Day: SundaySeptember 14 (1 p.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Children’s Day: SaturdaySeptember 20 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
- Main Festival Day: SundaySeptember 21 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Bookend Events: September 14 – 22
Who Is Appearing at the Festival?
This year’s festival will feature conversations with many well-regarded authors. The lineup includes:
- Joyce Carol Oates
- Alison Bechdel
- Sigrid Nunez
- Nnedi Okorafor
- Việt Thanh Nguyễn
- Marlon James
Many other award-winning and emerging authors are also scheduled to appear throughout the festival.
What to Do at the Festival
The main Festival Day on September 21 is the centerpiece of the event. Multiple stages around Downtown Brooklyn’s Borough Hall will host author talksreadingsand book signings all day long.
Attendees can also browse the Literary Marketplace. It is the largest book market in the Northeastwith more than 250 publishers and literary organizations present. This is a great setting to find new books and support independent publishers.
And that’s not all! The festival ensures everyone can join in on the fun with dedicated days for different audiences.
- Virtual Festival Day: Can’t make it in person? No problem! Kick off the festivities from the comfort of your home on SundaySeptember 14.
- Children’s Day: Bring the little ones on SaturdaySeptember 20for a day packed with family-friendly literary funauthor readingsand activities designed to inspire the next generation of readers.
- Bookends: The celebration isn’t confined to Downtown Brooklyn. From September 14 to 22“Bookend” events will be popping up in venues all across the five boroughsbringing literary magic to neighborhoods everywhere.
The Schedule at a Glance
Mark your calendars! Here’s a quick rundown of the key dates:
- Virtual Festival Day: SundaySeptember 142025
- Bookend Events: SundaySeptember 14 – MondaySeptember 222025
- Children’s Day: SaturdaySeptember 202025
- Festival Day & Literary Marketplace: SundaySeptember 212025
What’s Included?
One of the best parts about the Brooklyn Book Festival is that admission is completely free! All the talkspanelsand general access to the festival grounds won’t cost you a dime. Of courseyou’ll definitely want to bring some cash or a card to buy some new books directly from publishers and get them signed by the authors themselves!
Sowhether you’re a die-hard literature fan or just looking for a unique New York experiencethe Brooklyn Book Festival is the place to be this September. Come celebrate 20 years of storiesauthorsand community!
Event Details
- Dates: September 14 – 222025
- Location: The main events are held at Brooklyn Borough Hall and surrounding venues in Downtown Brooklyn. “Bookend” events take place in various locations across all five boroughs of NYC.
- Admission/Tickets: Free
- Key Dates & Times:
- Virtual Festival Day: September 14 (1:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
- Children’s Day: September 20 (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
- Festival Day & Literary Marketplace: September 21 (10:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
- Website: brooklynbookfestival.org
Please note: All informationincluding authors and schedulesis subject to change at the organizer’s discretion. We highly recommend visiting the official Brooklyn Book Festival website for the most current details and a full schedule of events.
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