Louisiana Book Festival

07/27/2026

Book-loving volunteers are essential to the Louisiana Book Festival’s success. Volunteers help out with author registration and assistance, bookselling, concessions, programs, activities, transportation, and more. Visit https://www.louisianabookfestival.org/information/volunteer-information/i-want-to-volunteer/ to see available positions, FAQs, and sign up today!

07/24/2026

Today the State Library of Louisiana had a visit from Curry and Barry Lann, who got engaged at the on October 27, 2012! We were excited to hear their story and provide them with an official poster from that year’s festival!

07/16/2026

Writer Phil Oakley, author of The Oakleys series and a past featured author at , will be back with us again this fall. Check out his recent interview with Southern Literary Review:

Book Summaries Little Hatchet When his brother is kidnapped from their New Mexico cabin, 12-year-old Walter Oakley sets off in pursuit, launching a multi-generational saga. Following the Oakley family from 1800s frontier life among Apaches and Comanches through Prohibition-era Texas, Little Hatchet....

07/16/2026

Congratulations to Robert Gwaltney, a featured author at this year's , whose book SING DOWN THE MOON was listed in an exclusive essay on Southern Gothic novels for People online. Check it out here:

In an exclusive essay for PEOPLE, ‘The Sins of Summer Daughters’ author Lo Patrick breaks down what makes Southern Gothic such a special genre and calls out a few must-read books to add to your TBR

07/13/2026

Early exhibitor/vendor registration for 2026 is now open. Take advantage of discounted rates on booths, mini-booths, and Exhibitor’s Row tables until July 20! Learn more: https://www.louisianabookfestival.org/information/exhibitor-information/

07/10/2026

We have become aware of scam emails circulating that invite authors to participate in the 2026 Louisiana Book Festival as a "featured virtual author". Our featured authors and speakers are never asked to pay a participation fee, and legitimate invitations will only be sent from .la.gov or .lib.la.us email addresses.

If you receive a suspicious email claiming to represent the festival, please forward it to [email protected] for verification.

07/06/2026

Congratulations to Rob Franklin on this well deserved honor, and we look forward to welcoming him to Baton Rouge as a featured author at on October 31!

We're proud to announce that Rob Franklin has been named the recipient of the 19th annual Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence for his debut novel Great Black Hope.

Selected from among 25 entries by a national panel of literary judges, the bestselling novel tells the compelling story of Smith, a Black man navigating complex issues of race, class, consequences, a friend's mysterious death, and his own arrest.

Franklin will be recognized at a public ceremony on October 30 at the Manship Theater in Downtown Baton Rouge. This event will celebrate his remarkable debut and pay tribute to the legacy of Ernest J. Gaines, whose work continues to shape the landscape of American literature.

For more information, visit ernestjgainesaward.org.

07/02/2026

Each year the Louisiana Book Festival commissions a Louisiana artist to provide the official artwork for the event. This year, visual artist and writer Malaika Favorite created the 2026 festival’s signature piece, titled PATH TO ENIGHTENMENT, which incorporates the first major work of each Louisiana Writer Award recipient in its design.

“My vision for the cover design was to create a scene of enlightenment, emphasizing the idea that books lead us to knowledge about ourselves and our world,” said Favorite. “I believe that events like the Louisiana Book Festival offer a break from the mundane and invite visitors to experience paths to illumination and discovery.”

Favorite, who is also a past featured author at the festival, joins the ranks of other influential Louisiana artists whose works have represented the event. PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT will be featured on a special commemorative poster and promotional materials.

See today’s news release for more about the artwork and the 2026 :
https://www.louisianabookfestival.org/media/vdchjkeg/published2607_lbf_artwork_savethedate.pdf

Make your plans to join us in Baton Rouge on Saturday, October 31 for the state’s signature literary event! Full details, roster of writers, program schedule, and exhibitor information will be posted online over the coming weeks at LouisianaBookFestival.org.

Billy Nungesser Lt. Governor of Louisiana
Explore Louisiana
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06/30/2026

Congratulations Farrah Rochon on this well-deserved honor! We look forward to presenting the award to you in person at on October 31!

Today the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library announced Farrah Rochon as the recipient of the 27th Louisiana Writer Award! Rochon is the first romance author to receive the honor, given annually to a contemporary Louisiana writer in recognition of outstanding contributions to the state’s literary culture. See the news release here: https://library.la.gov/about-us/news/farrah-rochon-to-receive-27th-louisiana-writer-award/

Billy Nungesser Lt. Governor of Louisiana