Austin’s Central Library is turning into a daylong hub for readers, writers, and aspiring authors this weekend as the third annual Greater Austin Book Festival brings dozens of panels, workshops, author meet-and-greets, and literary events downtown on Saturday, May 16, during Texas Writers Month. The event invites attendees and participants from Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties.

The free festival will run from 10 am to 5 pm at the Austin Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez, featuring programming for children, teens, and adults throughout the six-story library. No tickets are required for general admission.

Organizers are planning a mix of author speeches, publishing panels, writing workshops, and genre-focused conversations throughout the day. Sessions include discussions on science fiction and fantasy writing, romance, LGBTQIA+ literature, children’s books, and graphic novels, alongside workshops on query letters, dialogue writing, and self-publishing tools.

The festival’s lineup includes several recognizable names from Austin’s literary scene. Chris Barton is the award-winning children’s and young adult author behind books like Shark vs. Train. Austin Kleon is the bestselling creative nonfiction writer and artist known for Steal Like an Artist. Kleon's weekly newsletter has more than 300,000 subscribers.

Bret Anthony Johnston is a novelist and short story writer who directs the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, the nationally recognized writing program that has helped launch the careers of several prominent Texas authors. Usha Akella is an Austin poet, publisher, and founder of the Matwaala poetry festival. Dozens of additional local and regional authors are expected to participate in panels and signings throughout the day.

The Library Foundation supports events such as APL After Dark at the Austin Central Library. Photo courtesy of Austin Public Library

Among the featured events are “Choose Your Own Publishing Adventure,” a panel on publishing pathways; “Writing Ain’t My Day Job,” focused on balancing creative work with outside careers; and “It Takes a Village,” a discussion about the collaborators who help bring books to print. The festival also includes family programming, including children’s author events and an “Art Smart: Celebrating Asian Dragons” program in the library’s children’s area.

Austin’s literary calendar has continued to expand in recent years alongside organizations and events like Writers' League of Texas, which hosts workshops, retreats, and its long-running Agents & Editors Conference, as well as the annual Texas Book Festival and ArmadilloCon, the Austin-based science fiction and fantasy convention preparing for its 48th annual gathering in 2026.

The Library Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising partner for the Austin Public Library system, is sponsoring the event. In addition to the Greater Austin Book Festival, the foundation supports programs including the Mayor’s Book Club, Badgerdog Creative Writing camps, the Austin Youth Poet Laureate program, and APL After Dark events.

The literary festival is also part of a broader push by the Austin Public Library system to turn the Central Library into a destination for large-scale cultural programming. On June 6, the library will host its annual Summer Kickoff celebration with a dinosaur-themed “Unearth a Story” takeover featuring fossil exhibits, paleontology activities, storytimes, STEM demonstrations, robotics activities, and free books and giveaways.