Spend the day with 120+ local authors! Jax Book Fest returns from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, featuring New York Times bestselling authors John Patrick Green, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and Emma Straub.
Held annually at the Main Library in Downtown Jacksonville, this free, one-day event invites readers of all ages to interact with authors of local and national acclaim, buy books, and participate in other fun “bookish” activities.
Attend a Lit Chat & Book Signing
| Time | Activity / Details |
|---|---|
| 9:30 AM |
Jax Book Fest Begins
|
| 10 – 10:30 AM |
Junior Lit Chat with John Patrick Green
|
| 10:30 – 11:30 AM |
John Patrick Green Book Signing
|
| 11 AM | Check-in begins for Teen Lit Chat (Hicks Auditorium, Conference Center) |
| 12 – 1 PM |
Teen Lit Chat with Jennifer Lynn Barnes
|
| 1 – 2 PM |
Jennifer Lynn Barnes Book Signing
|
| 2 PM | Check-in begins for Lit Chat Interview (Hicks Auditorium, Conference Center) |
| 3 – 4 PM |
Lit Chat Interview with Emma Straub
|
| 4 – 5 PM |
Emma Straub Book Signing
|
| 5 PM | Jax Book Fest Ends |
Free Bookish Activities
Conference Level
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Interact with Local Authors/Vendors | Hallway |
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Capture a Memory In Our Photo Booth | Center for Adult Learning |
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Mark Your Place: Make a Custom Bookmark | Program Space |
Ground Floor
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM | River City Readers Book Giveaway (Youth, Teens) | Bookmobile, parked on Laura Street |
| 10 AM – 4 PM | Interact with Local Authors/Vendors | Throughout |
| All Day | Get a Free Library Card to Check Out a Book | Service Desk |
| All Day | Leave or Take a Book Suggestion (All Ages) | Next to the Grand Staircase |
| 10:30 AM – 11 AM | LaVilla Student Writer Showcase (Teens) | Teen Room |
| 11 AM – 4 PM |
Food Trucks in the Park |
James Weldon Johnson Park |
| 12 – 3 PM | Make Your Own Zine (Teens) | Teen Room |
2nd Floor
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Interact with Local Authors/Vendors | Near the Grand Staircase |
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Bedazzle a Book Cover (bring your own book, craft supplies provided) | Atrium |
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Take a Brain Break with Bubbles and Giant Board Games (weather permitting) | Betsy Lovett Courtyard |
| 9:30 AM – 4PM | Five-Minute Stories with Mrs. Owl | Terry Children's Theater |
| 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Solve an InvestiGators Mystery | Children's Computers |
| 9:30 AM – 1 PM | Face Painters | Genre Fiction |
| 11 AM – 1 PM | Complete a Robot Maze | Hightower Art Room |
| 10:30 AM – 1 PM | Meet Mango and Brash | Manatee Couch |
| 2 – 4 PM | Meet Mango and Brash | Manatee Couch |
This celebration of reading, local authorship, and the power of the written word is made possible, in part, by donations to the Library Foundation of Jacksonville and the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library.
Have questions? Read our FAQs on the Jax Book Fest event page or call 904-255-BOOK. A complete list of featured authors will be added soon.
