The New Hampshire Book Festival will take place on Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, bringing together more than 60 authors, poets, and illustrators for its third edition. Attendees can participate in ticketed keynotes on both days.
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The festival, which began in 2024, was founded by Emilie Christie Burack and Sarah McCraw Crow at Gibson's Bookstore, with the aim of fostering discussions about literature across the state. In its inaugural year, the event featured well-known authors such as Kate DiCamillo, the writer of *Because of Winn-Dixie*.
This year, Jodi Picoult, a Hanover resident, will discuss her new novel, *Hollow Bones*. Jeff Kinney, author of the popular *Diary of a Wimpy Kid* series, will headline both days, participating in the Children's Keynote on Friday morning and the closing Family Keynote on Saturday. Picoult's keynote on Friday at 7 p.m. is priced at $59 and includes a copy of *Hollow Bones*, while Kinney's keynote on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. costs $25 and comes with a copy of *Spooky Stories 2*. Kinney's Friday morning keynote has already sold out.
Festival programming will feature non-theme-driven panels that pair authors based on shared interests, including topics such as Writing Through Generations and Bold Hearts, Brave Voices, which emphasize cross-generational collaborations and diverse perspectives. Featured participants include Rebecca Rule and Adi Rule, as well as works by Brinda Charry and Kate Schoedinger.
In addition to keynotes, the festival will host poetry readings, panels, author signings, and a character costume parade on Saturday morning at Constantly Pizza. The event relies on the efforts of around 100 volunteers and plans to appoint a full-time executive director. Additionally, a Sunday of writing workshops is being discussed. Burack expressed a desire for the festival to become a cherished event in New Hampshire for generations to come.