IlluminAsia | BookCon Fair and Disco
Schedule
Sat May 23 2026 at 12:00 pm to 09:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
National Museum of Asian Art | Washington, DC
About this Event
Registration in advance recommended but not required. Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first come, first served basis.
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander authors and stories with the book fair of your dreams! All day long, browse books curated by the Asian American Book Club. Enjoy live discussions, signings, and workshops with authors in all kinds of genres, from cookbooks and comics to Asian American history.
Then stick around for an afterhours disco dance party with DJ MAIYA! Come dressed as your favorite literary character (masks not allowed). Snacks and drinks available for purchase.
Bring the kids early for our children's book fair in the morning.
Children's Book Fair
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
East Building, Gallery 27
Book Fair
1:30–5:30 p.m.
East Building, Gallery 27 and the Museum Store
12–5 p.m.
West Building Courtyard
Author Panel Discussions and Signings
12:30–5:00 p.m.
West Building, Meyer Auditorium and South Corridor
The Future of Asian America
1 p.m.
- Neil Ruiz, Head of New Research Initiatives at Pew Research Center
- Helen Zia, activist, journalist, and award-winning nonfiction author
Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality
2:30 p.m.
- Molly Irani, cofounder of Chai Pani and author of Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality
- Meherwan Irani, founder, chef, and CEO of Chai Pani and author of upcoming The No. 1 Best Indian Cookbook In The World!
Sixty Years Later: Asian American Writers Breaking the Model Minority Myth
4 p.m.
- Lyn Liao Butler, author of Red Thread of Fate and The Fourth Daughter
- A.H. Kim, author of Relative Strangers and A Good Family
- Patricia Park, author of What's Eating Jackie Oh? and Imposter Syndrome & Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim
Disco Dance Party
6–9 p.m.
West Building Plaza
Food available for purchase from AmLux Cafe and drinks from our Moongate Cafe pop-up!
The IlluminAsia BookCon is in partnership with the Asian American Book Club.
Bank of America is the Founding Sponsor of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art “IlluminAsia” Arts and Culture Festival.
Where is it happening?
National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
