Bay Area Book Festival – Bay Area Book Festival

13th Annual Festival | June 4–6, 2027 | DOWNTOWN BERKELEY

2027: Reconstruction

For the 2027 festival, we will once again gather writers, poets, historians, journalists, artists, organizers, scholars, and readers who are experimenting with new architectures of care and accountability, rethinking our relationships to land, water, and more-than-human worlds, and reshaping how we work, make art, and live alongside one another.

Across forms and genres, from speculative fiction to history, from memoir to comics and hybrid work, we will look closely at the refusal to restore what was, and the effort to build differently.

Explore the 2026 festival

Download & view the full schedule here

MAY 29–31, 2026

Writing the Future.

As the Bay Area Book Festival (BABF) enters its 12th year, it stands as both a cultural celebration and a critical gathering space where activists, authors, and audiences can unite around today’s most urgent issues and uplift marginalized voices.

We present first-rate live conversations with top authors on a wide variety of compelling topics that matter to audiences you care about. Activation during our events and through our lively outdoor fair (also free to the public) directly connects your company or organization with engaged book lovers eager to learn about new products and services—both literary-related and general-consumer!

Explore the 2026 festival pages

the speakers

Phoebe Robinson

Alexis Pauline Gumbs

Annalee Newitz

Isis Asare

Renee Swindle

Susana M. Morris

Max Delsohn

Julian Brave Noisecat

Greg Sarris

Elaine Hsieh Chou

Emily St. James

Kyla Zhao

Sophia Benoit

San Francisco Chronicle | March 29, 2026

Bay Area Book Festival returns with Boots Riley, Rebecca Solnit – San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Today | March 29, 2026

Bay Area Book Festival returns with expanded programming

KQED | April 24, 2026

Bay Area Book Lovers: We Have Highly Literary Date (or Friend Hang) Ideas for Your Weekend

"It was delightful. The participants were full of energy and eager to engage with the material we offered."

"I think the Bay Area Book Festival is wonderful. It's great to see interest reviving in post-pandemic time."

"For one of the first times in my life as a writer, I felt like a VIP. I felt well attended to, nourished, and celebrated. This was my first ever book festival and I bet it is probably one of the best out there. "

"I really appreciated your inclusion of and investment in indie authors ... I'm very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the BABF!"

"I was deeply grateful that I was invited to engage with my beloved Bay Area community as a Palestinian American writer in this current cultural moment."

"I have done other festivals and events and this was BY FAR one of the best. An excellently organized event filled with wonderful people."

"BABF offered a compelling strong blend of voices and gathering of authors and readers."

"...standout moment was connecting with fellow authors, moderators and panelists backstage; those candid, behind-the-scenes exchanges were both inspiring and energizing. Overall, it was an unforgettable blend of connection, creativity, and shared passion for books."

PAST SPONSORS

Interested in Sponsoring 2027? Find out more

Narratives shape how we see the world. From immigration to climate action and economic justice, the stories we tell define our shared possibilities—or what we imagine to be unchangeable.

In these times, literature is a powerful force. It challenges norms, sparks dialogue, and fosters civil disagreement as we work toward a nation that lives up to its ideals. The Bay Area Book Festival (BABF) is a critical gathering space where authors, activists, and audiences confront today’s urgent issues and uplift marginalized voices, centering Black, brown, Indigenous, and queer writers.