Festivals

This list aims to be a comprehensive list of festivals around the world that include Black YA authors. Is there a festival that includes Black YA authors and it is missing from this list? Drop us an email at info@melanininya.com and we will add it!

WINTER

Trinity Prep Author Fest

Date: February 2027
Location: Trinity Prepatory School of Florida – Winter Park, FL
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

African American Children’s Book Fair

Date: February 6, 2027
Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center – Philadelphia, PA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Love Yall Romance Book Fest

Date: February 12-14, 2027
Location: Courtyard Marriott Conference Center – Decatur, GA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Terry Benton-Walker, Alechia Dow, Zakiya N. Jamal, Jessica Lewis, Riss M. Neilson, Jill Tew, Arriel Vinson, Julian Winters

North Texas Teen Book Festival

Date: March 2027
Location: Irving Convention Center – Irving, TX
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Southwest Florida Reading Festival

Date: March 6, 2027
Location: Fort Myers Regional Library
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

New Orleans Book Festival

Date: March 11-14, 2027
Location: Tulane University – New Orleans, LA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Tucson Festival of Books

Date: March 13-14, 2027
Location: University of Arizona – Tucson, AZ
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

SPRING

Virginia Festival of the Book

Date: March 2027
Location: Downtown Charlottesville, VA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Baltimore’s CityLit Festival

Date: April 2027
Location: Maryland Center for History and Culture – Baltimore, MD
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

San Antonio Book Festival

Date: April 2027
Location: Central Library – San Antonio, TX
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Read Freely Fest

Date: April 2-4, 2027
Location: Richland Library Main – Columbia, SC
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

BAM! Festival

Date: April 10, 2027
Location: Mandel Public Library – West Palm Beach, FL
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Greensboro Bound Book Festival

Date: April 10, 2027
Location: Downtown Greensboro, NC
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Conyers Book Festival

Date: April 10-11, 2027
Location: George International Horse Park – Conyers, GA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival

Date: April 17, 2027
Location: Toledo School for the Arts – Toledo, OH
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

LA Festival of Books

Date: April 17-18, 2027
Location: USC – Los Angeles, CA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

The Festival of Literary Diversity

Date: April – May 2027
Location: Virtual + Downtown Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Edinburgh First Date Festival

Date: April/May 2027
Location: Book Lovers Bookshop – Edinburgh, UK
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Decatur Children’s Book Festival

Date: May 2027
Location: Decatur Library Auditorium & Little Shop of Stories – Decatur, GA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

YallWest

Date: May 2027
Location: Santa Monica High School – Santa Monica, CA
Registration Price: General Attendance Free, Keynotes TBD
In Attendance: TBA

Books in Bloom

Date: May 2027
Location: Color Burst Park – Columbia, MD
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books

Date: May 2027
Location: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Hudson Children’s Book Festival

Date: May 1, 2027
Location: Columbia-Greene Community College – Hudson, NY
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Gaithersburg Book Festival

Date: May 15, 2027
Location: Bohrer Park – Gaithersburg, MD
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

BLK INK Book Festival

Date: June 2027
Location: City Park: Pavilion of the Two Sisters – New Orleans, LA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Bronx Book Festival

Date: June 2027
Location: Fordham – Bronx, NY
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Schomburg Centennial Festival

Date: June 2027
Location: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture – Harlem, NYC
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

The Imaginarium Book Festival

Date: June 4-7, 2027
Location: Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel – Washington, D.C.
Registration Price: Get Tickets
In Attendance: Lauren Blackwood, N.E. Davenport, Tigest Garma

Kinfolk Lit Fest

Date: July 16-18, 2027
Location: Indiana Convention Center – Indianapolis, IN
Registration Price: $250, Youth $175 – Get Tickets
In Attendance: Roseanne A. Brown, Paula Chase, Jumata Emill, Lamar Giles, H.D. Hunter, Tiffany D. Jackson, Kim Johnson, Frederick Joseph, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Amber McBride, Brittney Morris, Brianna Peppins, Christina Hammonds Reed, Jason Reynolds, Justin A. Reynolds, Nic Stone, LaDarrion Williams

The American Writers Museum Festival

Date: Returning 2028
Location: The American Writers Museum & Chicago Public Library – Chicago, IL
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

SUMMER

Nantucket Book Festival

Date: June 10-13, 2027
Location: Downtown Nantucket, MA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

Black Romance Book Fest

Date: June 11, 2027
Location: Atlanta Marriott Marquis – Atlanta, GA
Registration Price: Tickets Not Yet On Sale – Get Tickets
In Attendance: Zakiya N. Jamal, Jill Tew, Addie Woolridge

Black Writers Weekend

Date: August 6-8, 2027
Location: Atlanta, GA
Registration Price: $25-$100 – Get Tickets
In Attendance: TBA

Library of Congress National Book Festival

Date: August 2027
Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Washington, D.C.
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: TBA

FALL

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

Date: September 9-13, 2026
Location: Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Registration Price: Free-$100 – Get Tickets
In Attendance: N/A

Petersburg Book Fest

Date: September 12, 2026
Location: VSU Multipurpose Center – Petersburg, VA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: DeAndra Davis, Lamar Giles, Tiffany D. Jackson, Frederick Joseph, Nic Stone, Ravynn K. Stringfield, Arriel Vinson

Latinx Kidlit Book Festival

Date: September 18, 2026
Location: Online
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Natasha Diaz

New York Black & African Literature Festival

Date: September 18-20, 2026
Location: Harlem, NY
Registration Price: Free – $25 – Get Tickets
In Attendance: Mahogany L. Browne, Candice Iloh, Ibi Zoboi

Carroll Book Festival

Date: September 19, 2026
Location: Carroll County Farm Museum – Westminster, MD
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Brianna Peppins, Charlene Thomas

Baltimore Book Festival

Date: September 19-20, 2026
Location: Waverly Main Street – Baltimore, Maryland
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: K. Ancrum, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Tiffany D. Jackson

Brooklyn Book Festival

Date: September 20-28, 2026
Location: Brooklyn Borough Hall Area – Brooklyn, NY
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: K. Ancrum, Mahogany L. Browne, Camryn Garrett, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

Bookmarks Festival of Books

Date: September 25-27, 2026
Location: Downtown Winston-Salem, NC
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Elizabeth Acevedo, Dhonielle Clayton, DeAndra Davis, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Julian Winters, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon

Provincetown Book Festival

Date: September 25-27, 2026
Location: Provincetown Library – Provincetown, MA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

NWA Book Fest

Date: September 26, 2026
Location: Walton Arts Center – Fayetteville, AR
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Ayana Gray

Mississippi Book Festival

Date: September 26, 2026
Location: Mississippi State Capitol – Jackson, MS
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: George M. Johnson

Six Bridges Book Festival

Date: September 27, 2026
Location: Library Square – Little Rock, Arkansas
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Ayana Gray

Decatur Book Festival

Date: October 2-3, 2026
Location: Decatur Square Area – Decatur, GA
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Tomi Adeyemi, Ryan Douglass, Jill Tew

Black Book Fest DC

Date: October 2-3, 2027
Location: Crystal Gateway Marriot – Crystal City, VA
Registration Price: TK
In Attendance: TBA

Black Girl Book Fair

Date: October 3, 2026
Location: Virtual
Registration Price: Free – Register
In Attendance: Vincent Tirado

Boozy Book Fest (Adults Only)

Date: October 3, 2026
Location: Bartle Hall, Kansas City, MO
Registration Price: $6.95-$47.15 – Get Tickets
In Attendance: Kalynn Bayron

Collingswood Book Festival

Date: October 3, 2027
Location: Haddon Ave. – Collingswood, NJ
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: Talia Tucker

Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest

Date: October 3, 2027
Location: Harrison Center, Indiana Humanities & Herron High School – Indianapolis, IN
Registration Price: Set Your Own Price – Get Tickets
In Attendance: Leah Johnson

Black British Book Festival

Date: October 4, 2026
Location: Barbican Centre – London, England
Registration Price: $27 – $57 – Get Tickets
In Attendance: Dean Atta, Ella Sade McLeod, Patrice Lawrence, Tomi Oyemakinde

St. Louis Teen Book Festival

Date: October 10, 2026
Location: St. Louis County Library, Clark Family Branch
Registration Price: Free
In Attendance: DeAndra Davis, Ryan Douglass, Ayana Gray, Jasmine Guillory, Ama Ofosua Lieb

Dodge Poetry Festival