Boston Book Festival

The Boston Book Festival (BBF) returns to Copley Square for its 18th year this fall with its signature free Festival day Oct. 17, from 10am to 6pm, uniting the literary community around the transformative joy of reading and the vibrant exchange of ideas. BBF’s outdoor fair (open rain or shine) showcases 60+ exhibitors, from award-winning small presses and literary arts nonprofits to a colorful kids’ zone and buzzing coffee tent. More than 200 authors take part in 80+ sessions at Boston Public Library, Old South Church, Goethe-Institut, Church of the Covenant and Trinity Church, among other venues. Furniture retailer Room&Board will host the popular after-hours “Poems & Pints” gathering with the nonprofit Mass Poetry.

The Festival kicks off with a ticketed event on October 16: #1 The New York Times bestselling author Michael Lewis in conversation with Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks about his new book Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State. The free Festival opens October 17 with a spirited kids’ costume parade (and special surprise guests), setting the stage for a day of lively conversations and presentations, animated read-alouds, and bountiful book-focused activities for every age.