Louisiana Book Festival set for November: What to know

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Book Festival lets book lovers from across the state meet their favorite authors, shop from vendors and celebrate literature.

The festival will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at several locations in downtown Baton Rouge. Officials said over 20,000 attendees are welcomed each year, and over 160 authors are confirmed for the festival.

“The great tradition of the Louisiana Book Festival continues this fall with a remarkable lineup of major writers and programs, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for readers of all ages. We look forward to welcoming everyone to this fantastic annual celebration that is uniquely Louisiana and among our nation’s best,” Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said.

This year’s Louisiana Writer Award honoree is poet and longtime educator Julie Kane. She has written six poetry books. She moved to Louisiana to earn a Ph.D. from LSU after being the first woman to hold the George Bennett Fellowship in Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.

“It’s the greatest honor of my life to get an award that has gone to Ernest Gaines, Yusef Komunyakaa, James Lee Burke, Shirley Ann Grau, and so many of the writers I have always looked up to,” Kane said. “Next year will make 50 years that I’ve lived here. I’ve always wondered if I could be considered a real Louisiana writer having not grown up here. It means so much to me since I love Louisiana and this is my home.”

Authors aren’t the only ones being celebrated at the festival. The State Library of Louisiana will be recognized in a ceremony for its 100th year.

“From its humble beginnings in 1925, the State Library has thrived, laying the foundation for the success of public libraries throughout Louisiana,” State Librarian Meg Placke said. “Today, a modern library is much more than a place to find a good book or conduct research. It is the heart of a healthy community and plays an essential role in education, innovation, and democracy. We’re excited to highlight the role of the State Library and share our centennial celebration with the attendees of this year’s festival.”

Official artwork unveiled

Natchitoches native and award-winning artist Matt Dawson created the official festival artwork for 2025. Inspiration for the art came easily. He said he wanted to use city sketch scenes from his accordion sketchbook.

“Recently I’ve been filling accordion sketchbooks with continuous city scenes,” Dawson said. “These scenes are quirky, yet gritty at the same time. I thought it would be perfect if I stacked the streets one on another. I wanted to incorporate buildings from across the state, and between the buildings add books that are either set in Louisiana or were written by Louisianans, adding them to the street as if they were part of the landscape. The bottom of the piece is set in the morning, and the day progresses as your eyes move up, culminating in a celebration in New Orleans at night.”

The artwork will be featured on a commemorative poster and other materials.

What to expect at the festival

People can hear from writers, participate in writing workshops and find areas for children and teens. A full schedule of programs and events hasn’t been released as of July 2.

Here are some activities you can expect at the Louisiana Book Festival.

Hundreds of authors will be in Baton Rouge for the one-day festival. Several authors will be featured at the festival, including:

• Wally Lamb, author of “The River is Waiting”
• Robert Mann, author of “You Are My Sunshine: Jimmy Davis and the Biography of a Song”
• John Cole, author of “America’s Greatest Library: An Illustrated History of the Library of Congress”

A live cooking demonstration will be given by Marcelle Bienvenu, the author of “Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux?”

“The Louisiana Book Festival always has something for everyone,” said Louisiana Book Festival Acting Executive Director Robert Wilson. “Whether you’re into nonfiction, mysteries, sci-fi, biographies, poetry, or just want to experience the state’s biggest celebration of books and the wonderful people who write and enjoy them, you’ll love this event.”

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