2026 Bay Area Book Festival in Downtown Berkeley (May 30-31)
Downtown Berkeley | Downtown Berkeley, CA
Free / Learn More
2026 Bay Area Book Festival in Downtown Berkeley (May 30-31)
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!
- Saturday, May 30: Writers’ Workshops, Democracy Dialogues, Four Evening Headliners
- Sunday, May 31: Bookworm Block Party, Eight Stages, Four Evening Headliners
Bay Area Book Festival 2026
Saturday & Sunday, May 30-May 31, 2026
Various Venues in Downtown Berkeley
FREE – Daytime festival is free and open to the public (headliner evening events are $21.99)Schedule | Speakers | Exhibitors | FAQ
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Writers’ Workshops
Saturday, May 30, 2026, 11:00 am — 5:00 pm
Brower Center
2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
Aspiring and practicing writers, join us at any (or all) of the free fifteen wonderful writing workshops to write and learn about writing (in) community. This is booked quickly so RSVP as soon as you can RSVP through the schedule.
Democracy Dialogues
Saturday, May 30, 2026, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street,Berkeley
Join us for a series of captivating conversations that help tackle the question, “What do we do?” in the face of rising authoritarianism and the stripping of democratic institutions at home and abroad. Building communities of care, mutual aid discussions, incarceration and its intersections with political organizing, and activism with healing and care centered are but a few of the additional topics that we will cover.
You will find these events in our schedule.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Bookworm Block Party 2026
May 31, 2026
Bookworm Block Party will be centered on (and in the streets) surrounding Allston Way in Downtown Berkeley.
FREE
Taking place Sunday, May 31, this year’s outdoor fair – the Bookworm Block Party – is a lively, immersive experience jam-packed with fun and exploration for festival attendees of all ages and interests. The heart of Northern California’s largest weekend literary event beckons book lovers to meet favorite authors spanning myriad genres, discover new reads, catch live presentations on four outdoor and eight indoor stages, spend quality time with the kids in our YouthLit Corner of the park, leading the program curation is the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair, joined by a special activation from ArtEsteem. Enjoy our new Chill Zone in the park, and try delicious eats from local food trucks and myriad downtown Berkeley brick & mortar establishments!
Nearly 150 literary-themed exhibitors–including emerging authors and thought leaders–will be joined by an eclectic array of independent booksellers, local publishers, writing groups and programs, literary clubs and organizations, book artists, libraries, reading resources, and more. Returning this year: Small Press Alley featuring top notch presses from around the country.
Inside Ideas 2026
Sunday, May 31, 2026 | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
FREE
2026 Schedule
Venues:
- The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley
- Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St, Berkeley
- The Magnus, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
- The Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley
- Hotel Shattuck Plaza, 2086 Allston Way, Berkeley
Our eight stages will feature raucous romps through some of the most pressing issues of today while also transporting us to potential alternative worlds. Speculative fiction meets migration and resettlement meets art as radical practice—there will be no shortage of breathtaking discussions.
Our Native California stage, presented by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, will have four panels featuring Native American voices.
Sci-Fi, Romance, Community Building, Fantastical Futures, Audiobook Production, and Translated works —there is truly something for everyone this year. Over 43 panels to choose from on our indoor stages.
Free and open to the public. Come—and bring a friend or two!
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
Cost: FREE*
