Wisconsin Book Festival Celebrates 25th Anniversary Fall Celebration, Featuring 55+ Free Events October 15-18, 2026

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Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration is October 15-18, 2026.

MADISON, Wis. (Wednesday, September 9, 2026)  – The Wisconsin Book Festival celebrates a milestone 25 years of bringing storytellers and story lovers together at the 25th Annual Fall Celebration October 15-18, 2026. More than 80 bestselling and award-winning authors – 54 of them with strong Wisconsin ties – will take part in over 55 events at Madison Public Library's Central Library and other venues over four days of free author events that are open to the public.

This milestone year is a chance to celebrate everything our community has made possible over the past 25 years. We can't wait to welcome readers to hear from incredible authors, discover new books and experience the energy that makes Fall Celebration such a special weekend.

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Jane Rotonda, Wisconsin Book Festival Director 

This year, festivalgoers can expect even more ways to celebrate, with free book giveaways at select events, 25th anniversary swag, a community puzzle, and other fun surprises throughout the weekend. Most importantly, the festival will continue doing what it has done best for 25 years: bringing writers and readers together for lively, thought-provoking conversations across genres, perspectives, and ideas. 

Since its inception in 2001, the Wisconsin Book Festival, which draws visitors from 15-20 states annually, has hosted more than 2,300 author events featuring 3,500 authors and has given away over 25,000 books. Across 25 years, more than 285,000 people have attended festival events. The festival season stretches from January to December, with the Fall Celebration being the largest scale event each year. Notable authors featured earlier in the 2026 season included George Saunders, John Green, Caro Claire Burke, James and Susan Patterson, Nnedi Okorafor, and Kimberly Blaeser.

Whether you're drawn to a particular genre, taking a spontaneous approach, or looking to discover new ideas, you won't be disappointed. You can walk right into any event and learn something new and interesting. Festival events are a rich and collective community moment. They are open to everyone and always worth celebrating, especially in our 25th year.

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Jane Rotonda, Wisconsin Book Festival Director 

The Wisconsin Book Festival continues to draw people together year in and year out. 25 years of shared and free experiences, in safe and welcoming places, are made possible through the support of the festival's many champions, leaders, benefactors, and members. We're especially grateful for 25 years of support from signature Wisconsin Book Festival sponsor, the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.

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Conor Moran, Executive Director of Madison Public Library Foundation

Each year, the Wisconsin Book Festival brings thousands of people who love literature into our libraries. It has consistently been one of the most well-attended programs at Madison Public Library, and we're grateful for the ongoing partnership between the festival, Madison Public Library Foundation, and Madison's wider literary community for making it happen. Congratulations on 25 years!

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Tana Elias, Madison Public Library Director 

Wisconsin Book Festival's 25th Annual Fall Celebration, a partnership between Madison Public Library and Madison Public Library Foundation, will take place on October 15-18, 2026 at Central Library (201 W. Mifflin Street), Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (227 State Street), and the Discovery Building (330 N. Orchard Street) on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We want to thank our supporting Signature Sponsor, the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation for their continued support over 25 years.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Wisconsin Book Festival website.

Promotional images are available for download, including Author Photos, Book Covers, Select Images, 25th Anniversary Logo, and complete Fall Celebration schedule 

About the Wisconsin Book Festival

The Wisconsin Book Festival, presented by Madison Public Library in partnership with Madison Public Library Foundation, brings authors and readers together through free, year-round author events sparking conversations that matter. Each year, the festival presents a dynamic lineup of bestselling, award-winning, and emerging writers across fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, with programming for readers of all ages. Learn more about festival programming at wisconsinbookfestival.org. Find bonus content on the festival's Facebook page and Instagram @wibookfest. You can also access archived event recordings on its Crowdcast page.

About Madison Public Library 

With more than 1.4 million annual visitors across nine library locations each year, Madison Public Library's tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for 150 years. Visit the library online at www.madisonpubliclibrary.org and @madisonpubliclibrary on Facebook and Instagram. 

About Madison Public Library Foundation

Madison Public Library Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that provides critical support to Madison Public Library resulting in free programs and resources to the hundreds of thousands of adults, children, and youth in the Madison area. Through fundraising, advocacy, and capital campaigns, the Library Foundation strengthens the Library's work and promotes greater awareness of its valuable resources. Learn how to support Madison's libraries at mplfoundation.org, and at @mplfoundation on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

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