National Book Festival 2026

A major literary event held annually in Washington, D.C., featuring prominent authors and publishers with broad public and industry participation.

National Book Festival 2026

The Library of Congress's 26th annual National Book Festival takes place Saturday 22 August 2026, 9am–8pm, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

The National Book Festival is the country's flagship public celebration of books and reading: a single, free, day-long festival where dozens of prominent authors across fiction, history, poetry and children's literature give talks, join panels and sign books. It is a public event rather than a trade fair — no tickets required, doors at 8:30am.

For publishers and authors it is one of the highest-profile reader-facing stages in the country; for attendees, the practical advice is to plan around the schedule of the authors you most want to see, since popular sessions fill early.