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New Yorkers who consider “just one more chapter” a perfectly valid excuse for ignoring their bedtime will want to clear their calendars this weekend. The Brooklyn Book Festival is returning to Downtown Brooklyn with hundreds of authors, more than 250 publishers and enough readings, signings and literary conversations to overwhelm even the most ambitious "to-read" list.
The city’s largest free literary festival kicks off its main weekend with Children’s Day on Saturday, September 26, from 10am to 4pm at Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza. Families can drop in for readings, workshops, performances, art projects and book signings with dozens of children’s and middle-grade authors and illustrators.
This year’s kid-friendly lineup includes R.J. Palacio, author of the bestselling novel Wonder; Bess Kalb, whose picture books follow the charmingly shaggy Buffalo Fluffalo; poet and educator Mahogany L. Browne; Emmy-nominated writer Jorge Aguirre; and bestselling author Adam Gidwitz.
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The flagship Festival Day and Literary Marketplace take over Borough Hall and the surrounding neighborhood on Sunday, September 27, from 10am to 6pm. Approximately 300 authors are expected to appear across eight indoor and outdoor stages, while more than 250 independent and major publishers fill the marketplace with books to browse and buy.
The author roster includes Marlon James, Joyce Carol Oates, Namwali Serpell and Douglas Stuart, along with Pulitzer Prize winners Colson Whitehead, Tracy K. Smith, Quiara Alegría Hudes and Cristina Rivera Garza. Investigative journalist Julia Angwin is also scheduled to appear, alongside scores of emerging writers and other award-winning names.
Sunday’s programming will span Brooklyn Borough Hall, Brooklyn Law School, the Center for Brooklyn History, St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, Columbus Park, and Korean War Veterans Plaza. In other words, wear comfortable shoes—and perhaps bring a tote bag sturdy enough to accommodate your lack of restraint around new books.
The celebration extends well beyond the main festival grounds. Bookend events are running through Monday, September 28, at venues across all five boroughs, adding even more readings, discussions, parties and performances to the calendar.
All of the festival’s principal weekend programming is free, making this one of the rare occasions when leaving with an armful of books is likely to be your only financial damage.