ABOUT BABF
A cultural celebration and a critical gathering space.
We’re a world-class literary extravaganza taking place each year in Downtown Berkeley. Over the years we’ve showcased more than 1,500 speakers — activists, authors, and audiences uniting around today’s most urgent issues.
Three cornerstone programs
Bay Area Book Festival
We’re a world-class literary extravaganza taking place each year over two days in Downtown Berkeley. All our programming—250-300 authors on 15 stages—is accessible and mostly totally free. Over the years, we’ve showcased more than 1,500 speakers who come from the Bay Area, the state of California, the nation, and world.
Since our founding, we’ve thrilled more than 125,000 book-lovers of all ages. But the magic of BABF isn’t confined to a weekend.
The Merritt Dialogues
The quarterly Merritt Dialogues, launched in Uptown Oakland in 2025, invites us into generative conversation—where two thinkers, whose viewpoints may align or diverge, engage in dialogue that engenders critical thinking and deepens understanding of complex issues. Our aim is not to sway but to illuminate, cultivating nuance and richer perspective. Rather than trickle up or down, insights move in and out, sending reverberations through our myceliadic communities, weaving empathy and complexity into our collective consciousness.
affinity lit collectives
In June 2025, we officially launched Bay Area Book Festival’s three affinity lit collectives: Women Lit, LGBTQIA+ Lit, and Mixed Race Lit. Whether you are a writer, reader, or just a lover of all things literature, these collectives are free and open to join with donations encouraged.
In alignment with the Bay Area Book Festival’s mission to change the narrative by platforming historically marginalized voices, these three Affinity Lit Collectives center connection, creative community, and the power of underrepresented stories.
What we stand for
- Uplift and honor the full spectrum of literary voices, with care for those historically excluded.
- Encourage reading, creative expression, and critical thinking across all ages and backgrounds.
- Build authentic relationships </b among communities — resilience and collective action.
- Stand for social justice by centering urgent conversations and nurturing emerging leaders.
OUR VISION & MISSION STATEMENT
Vision Statement
A thriving, inclusive literary ecosystem where every voice in the Bay Area and beyond is empowered to shape, challenge, and celebrate our collective story—fostering dialogue, justice, and joy through the transformative power of books and community.
Mission Statement
The Bay Area Book Festival unites readers, writers, and changemakers through three cornerstone programs—the flagship Bay Area Book Festival, the Merritt Dialogues, and the Affinity Lit Collectives.
Our mission is to:
- uplift and honor the full spectrum of literary voices, with care for those historically excluded or marginalized.
- encourage reading, creative expression, and critical thinking across all ages and backgrounds.
- build authentic relationships among communities, supporting understanding, resilience, and collective action.
- stand for social justice and equity by centering urgent conversations and nurturing emerging leaders in literature.
