New York City’s largest free literary festival, the Brooklyn Book Festival, is upon us! From now until Oct. 2, attend a mix of in-person and virtual events in Brooklyn and across the city focusing on today’s literary landscape.
Earlier this summer, the Brooklyn Book Festival announced author Hilton Als as the recipient of this year’s Best of Brooklyn “BoBi” Award, and revealed the art for the 2023 Festival poster, designed by Brooklyn-based artist and children's book author Oliver Jeffers. The festival started Sept. 24.
“The Brooklyn Book Festival strengthens the literary world and embodies the spirit of our Borough by honoring authors with a range of perspectives and backgrounds," Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said in a press release.
"I am particularly thrilled that this year’s BoBi recipient, Hilton Als, is an author raised in Brownsville. The Brooklyn Book Festival is the city’s festival. Everyone is welcome!”
Bookend Events will take place from now until Oct. 2 in all five boroughs of the city. This year will feature a mix of in-person, virtual and hybrid events.
Authors participating in Bookends Events include best-selling author of "These Violent Delights" Chloe Gong; author of the popular ecological thriller Southern Reach Trilogy Jeff VanderMeer; and Guggenheim Fellow and author of "Red at the Bone" Jacqueline Woodson.
Children’s Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Brooklyn Commons in Downtown Brooklyn, packed with in-person events and activities specifically for young readers. With multiple stages, families can enjoy a full day of readings, workshops, performances, book signings and art projects with favorite authors and illustrators.
Children’s Day authors and illustrators include the first U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jon Scieszka; Nebula Award winner P. Djèlí Clark; and Maurice Sendak Fellow, Elisha Cooper.
Lastly, attend the beloved flagship Festival Day on Sunday, Oct. 1, in the parks and plazas surrounding Downtown Brooklyn’s Borough Hall. The Festival Day’s many stages overflow with conversation, as diverse authors of fiction, poetry, non-fiction, comics, graphic novels and young adult literature come together to converse, read and sign books throughout the day.
Authors attending Festival Day include Best of Brooklyn award winner Hilton Als; "Bad Feminist" author and essayist Roxane Gay; and Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winning author Colson Whitehead.
In addition to in-person events and conversations, both Children’s Day and Festival Day will include a vibrant Literary Marketplace, featuring hundreds of independent publishers and literary organizations.
Complete event details are available at brooklynbookfestival.org.
