Kansas Book Festival

Kansas Book Festival The Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, at Washburn University, from 9 am to 4 pm This event is free and open to the public.

This event, designed to celebrate the best of Kansas literature, arts and history, will offer a variety of activities for Kansans of all ages, including meet-the-author sessions, panel discussions, book signings and sales, and a special tent with projects for children.

"And something that we learned in talking to teachers around the United States is that if it's not tested, it's not taug...
09/01/2026

"And something that we learned in talking to teachers around the United States is that if it's not tested, it's not taught." - @ Lindsey Cormack on Point Taken for @620 WTMJ

Swipe through to discover our nonfiction panel lineup! From exploring agency and truth behind editing to learning about the love of sports and civic responsibility, there’s something here to spark your curiosity and teach you something new.

Have you read any of the work of these featured authors, or are there new ones you are interested in learning more about? Let us know in the comments and come join in the conversation during the panels on September 26th!

08/28/2026

Celebrate Kansas' literary life at the 2026 Kansas Book Festival, Saturday, Sept. 26, on the Washburn University campus, 1719 Plass, Topeka, KS. Come for storytelling and activities all ages (and reading genre), stay for the community and . Click the link for more information, https://kansasbookfestival.com Kansas Talking Books Service Kansas Tourism

This round of library grantees sought funding for reading technology, including audio readers, magnifiers for the visual...
08/27/2026

This round of library grantees sought funding for reading technology, including audio readers, magnifiers for the visually impaired, a public park story walk, and more! We are thrilled to support readers in every format and can’t wait to hear from our grantees about how the new tech is working for patrons and students.

Help us wish them well tomorrow at a ceremony at the Kansas State Library in the Capitol Building at 2:00 pm! Congratulations, grantees!

We are so proud and honored to spotlight our library grant awardees for books! Swipe to see the wonderful rural and unde...
08/27/2026

We are so proud and honored to spotlight our library grant awardees for books!

Swipe to see the wonderful rural and underserved libraries across Kansas that are shoring up their children’s, young adult, and general collections thanks to one of our favorite annual efforts.

If you’d like to cheer them on with us, join us at the Kansas State Library in the Capitol tomorrow at 2:00 pm for a short ceremony. Congratulations to all of our grantees!

One month to go until the festival! We're marking the occasion with two major announcements: 1) Sponsored by WIBW and in...
08/26/2026

One month to go until the festival!

We're marking the occasion with two major announcements:

1) Sponsored by WIBW and in collaboration with Public Schools libraries, the Kansas Book Festival is hosting the first annual ~*Kansas Kids Book Parade*~! From toddlers to high schoolers, kids and parents are invited to show off their favorite book and manga characters in a parade announced by author and broadcasting legend Bill Kurtis. Before and after the parade, families will find storytimes, crafts, food trucks, live music, and author events for readers of all ages, completely free.

What: Kansas Kids Book Parade
When: 9/26, 11:00 am
Where: ArtsConnect Topeka Local Performance Stage

2) A generous donor has decided to match all donations to the Kansas Book Festival up to $5,000. This is a big deal. Our community showed has up for us all summer, and we couldn't be more grateful. Unfortunately, we still have have about a $10,000 deficit. Every dollar gets us closer; every dollar means we can keep connecting thousands of readers and writers for free; and every dollar means we can keep creating opportunities for community, storytelling, and joy. Can you help us double $5000? Our donation link is in our bio.

Help us keep the story going, and we'll see you in September!

"I write for everyday, ordinary people so they can have extraordinary moments of truth and empathy. That’s what my writi...
08/25/2026

"I write for everyday, ordinary people so they can have extraordinary moments of truth and empathy. That’s what my writing is geared towards. So I want to have conversations through poetry." - .medina for National Endowment for the Arts

Swipe through to discover more about Huascar's panel, and this year's full poetry and short story lineup. From exploring the poet as a public figure to breaking narrative rules, these encounters will be nothing short of extraordinary.

Have you read any of the work of these poets or short story writers? Brag in the comments and come and see us in September!

Celebrate 80 years of independent publishing with the University Press of Kansas at this year's festival!UPK Director Ke...
08/18/2026

Celebrate 80 years of independent publishing with the University Press of Kansas at this year's festival!

UPK Director Kelly Chrisman-Jacques explores what makes a small, independent press like UPK special in an ever-changing world.

Featuring Bill Kurtis (Whirlwind), Chelan David (Stories from the Phog), Tai Edwards (Lyda Conley and the Fight to Preserve Huron Indian Cemetery), Clay Wirestone (Opinionated), and Thomas Fox Averill and Leslie VanHolten, co-editors of Kansas Matters: Twenty-First-Century Writers on the Sunflower State.

Join us for a deep dive into Kansas's rich literary history!

CALLING ALL BOOK LOVERS!We couldn’t run this free event without your help! We are seeking volunteers to accompany author...
08/13/2026

CALLING ALL BOOK LOVERS!

We couldn’t run this free event without your help! We are seeking volunteers to accompany authors to help set up and tear down, to sit at the information booth, and to shuttle authors to and from the airport.

The festival is September 26th from 9am to 4pm at Washburn University.

To volunteer, please email [email protected] with your answers to the following questions:

• Your previous book festival experience (if any) and why you are volunteering.
• If you have a preference between being a morning or afternoon (or other time constraint).
• Cell phone number.
• Your t-shirt size.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact [email protected].

Thank you again for helping make the Kansas Book Festival possible!

Calling all fiction lovers! Looking for your next favorite read? Swipe to check out our novel panels that will be at thi...
08/11/2026

Calling all fiction lovers!

Looking for your next favorite read? Swipe to check out our novel panels that will be at this year’s festival! From romance and dark thriller to historical drama and epic fantasy, there is truly something for every reader.

Which panel are you most excited for? Let us know below!

08/09/2026

Happy National Book Lovers Day! 📚

Today is for you.

At UPK, we're grateful for everyone who picks up a book, discovers a new perspective, and shares a love of reading with others. Whether you're exploring history, politics, Kansas stories, or the wider world, today is a celebration of curiosity.

Let us know what your favorite UPK book is in the comments. We'd love to know!

Explore our catalogs: https://kansaspress.ku.edu/catalogs/

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