Come for the authors – stay for the fun!

Celebrating a Community of Book Lovers

Saturday

JULY 11, 2026
10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday

JULY 12, 2026
10 a.m.-5 p.m.

MAIN LIBRARY | 96 S. Grant Ave.
Topiary Park

Get Involved
See the Lineup

IT’S THIS weekend!

FREE TWO-DAY BOOK FEST IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS

Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12

The Columbus Book Festival features a fabulous lineup 200+ national and Columbus-based authors, panel discussions, author talks, book signings and more! Check out the Festival Marketplace with dozens of bookish retailers, community exhibitors, an entertainment lineup, local food court and the popular Indie Author Alley pavilion and Friends of the Library Big Book Sale tent.

As always, this event is free fun for the entire family!

Get Headliner Tickets

Marketplace Exhibitors

Thousands of book lovers joined us for our third Columbus Book Festival on July 12-13, 2025. The literary love shown to our authors, retailers, creative writers, exhibitors, entertainers and book sellers was simply amazing.

We’ll see you next year! Watch here for dates to be announced.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND!

2026 Festival Program
Featured Author Schedule
Indie Author Alley
Marketplace Map
Entertainment Lineup
Stay in Touch

SCAM ALERT:

SCAM ALERT: We are aware of a scam inviting authors to take part in the Columbus Book Festival. All author and vendor applications are CLOSED for the 2026 Columbus Book Festival. 

Reminder: Official communications are ONLY sent by @ColumbusBookFestival, @ColumbusLibrary, or an email address ending in @columbuslibrary.org. 

Learn more

The Columbus Book Festival is in the heart of the city’s downtown Discovery District.

The two-day event featuring 200+ national and local authors, dozens of exhibitors, an entertainment lineup and more will showcase Columbus Metropolitan Library’s historic Main Library, the adjacent Kaufman Plaza and Topiary Park.

Author lineup will be announced in mid-April.

Get Involved
Stay in Touch
Festival Marketplace Map - PDF
Featured Author Schedule - PDF

FREE TWO-DAY BOOK FEST IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS

Watch this space for any schedule changes or updates to what’s happening this weekend.

SCHEDULE UPDATES

Featured Authors Not Attending

  • Miriam Gershow
  • Taylor Keen
  • Kaira Rouda

Indie Author Exhibitor Not Attending

  • Michelle Leigh Miller
  • Eliot Parker
Author Victoria Christopher Murray attending virtually

Victoria Christopher Murray Schedule Update

Sunday, July 13 at 10:30 a.m.
Victoria Christopher Murray
Virtual Video Call

Due to weather-related flight delays, Victoria Christopher Murray is unable to join the festival in person for her Headliner Talk. Instead, she will present virtually in the Auditorium. Ticketed attendees will still enter the Auditorium first.  Standby lines for entry still apply. 

Book sales will take place in the Auditorium as scheduled. But there will be no book signing after the session ends.

 

Matt Dinniman Schedule Update

10 a.m.
Library opens. Line for Matt Dinniman signing begins on the 3rd floor. Festival staff will direct the line. 
 
10:30-11:30 a.m.
  • Panel: Choose Your Own Adventure
  • Author Stage 2 (outdoor)
  • First-come, first served beginning no earlier than 9 a.m.
 
11:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 
Matt Dinniman signing on the 3rd floor. One book per person. 
 
3 p.m.
Matt Dinniman will not participate in the Author Speed Matching session. 
 
Matt Dinniman’s Sunday book signing will be open to all: first come, first served. The line for Matt’s signing will form on the third floor when the library opens at 10 a.m. Matt will begin signing after finishing the 10:30-11:30 a.m. outdoor panel session and will sign until 3:30 p.m. One book per person.
 
Attendees of the Choose Your Own Adventure panel with Matt, Rebecca Thorne and Nicole Collier may join the signing line after the panel ends. Panel attendees will not have priority for this signing, (e.g., signing tokens for entry, etc.)
 
Instead of joining the Author Speed Matching session at 3 p.m., Matt will continue signing for fans. 
Festival Marketplace Map - PDF
Featured Author Schedule - PDF

Parking & Transportation Information

TRANSPORTATION

  • Getting to the Columbus Book Festival is a breeze with COTA! Hop on Line 10 or 11 for a direct ride to the Main Library.
  • Not near a COTA stop? No problem! You can drive to a Park and Ride location, leave your car in the lot and let COTA do the driving downtown.
  • Sit back, relax and enjoy a good book while you ride! Enjoy free Wi-Fi, e-books, audiobooks and more with COTA’s Read and Ride program.

PARKING  (Public Parking Map)

  • Main Library’s 5-level attached parking garage has free event parking.
  • Multiple surface lots surrounding Topiary Park will be free during the festival thanks to Discovery District businesses. Look for Free Book Festival Parking signs.
  • There are many paid surface lots, parking garages and metered street parking options downtown.
Stay in Touch

Meet National & Local Authors

Featured Authors

Indie Author Alley

Indie Author Alley

Exhibitors

Marketplace Exhibitors

Entertainment

Coming Soon

Food Court

Food Court

VOLUNTEER

Volunteer

Stay in touch!

Sign up for author announcements and information about how to participate as an exhibitor or festival volunteer.

presented by

Friends of the Library Logo
Battelle Logo

Hosted by

Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation Logo
Columbus Metropolitan Library Logo

Sponsors