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The Wasatch Festival of Books at Library Square will take place on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19. All events are at the Salt Lake City Public Library’s Main Library in downtown Salt Lake City.

Bringing together a variety of acclaimed authors, readings, and interactive public events, this two-day event is a community celebration of the power of reading—for all ages, and in all its forms. (And yes, for people who love genre stories, graphic novels, and audiobooks, this is your festival too!) All events are free and open to the public.

October is National Book Month!

Each year, the Utah Humanities Book Festival brings a wide array of literary events to urban centers and rural communities across the state. As part of this month-long celebration, the Wasatch Festival of Books at Library Square serves as a flagship event for the residents of Utah, Salt Lake, and Davis counties.

Sat, Oct 19
KEYNOTE | Stacie Shannon Denetsosie, award-winning author of The Missing Morningstar, in conversation with Cal Crosby
SLCPL Main, Auditorium
Details
Oct 19, 2024, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
SLCPL Main, Auditorium, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Stacie Shannon Denetsosie (Diné) is the author of “The Missing Morningstar and Other Stories,” which was named a 2024 Southwest Book of the Year, was a 2024 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize finalist, and a Gold Foreword INDIES award winner. Cal Crosby is co-owner of The King's English Bookshop.
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Sat, Oct 19
DISCUSSION | "Timeless Stories for a New Generation"
SLCPL Main, Kid's Room
Details
Oct 19, 2024, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
SLCPL Main, Kid's Room, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Join two children's book authors as they discuss how turning classic novels into books for young children can instill a love of learning at an early age. From Jane Austen to Agatha Christie, these books will spark a passion for learning and reading that will last into adulthood.
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Sat, Oct 19
Living Authentically in an Anti-Transgender Environment | Laurie Lee Hall in conversation with Barbara Jones Brown
SLC Main Library, Lower Conference Room
Details
Oct 19, 2024, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
SLC Main Library, Lower Conference Room, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
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Sat, Oct 19
CREATIVE TENSIONS | "Freedom to Read" featuring Paisley Rekdal and Noah Baskett, facilitated by Will Neville-Rehbehn
Main Library, Lower Level Conference Rm
Details
Oct 19, 2024, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Main Library, Lower Level Conference Rm, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Can stories be dangerous? Join this interactive discussion with poet Paisley Rekdal and SLCPL Executive Director Noah Baskett defending the freedom to read. Together, we will explores the power of reading, book bans in Utah, and the impact of censorship in our communities.
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Fri, Oct 18
KEYNOTE | Zak Podmore, award-winning journalist and author of Life After Dead Pool
SLCPL Main, Auditorium
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
SLCPL Main, Auditorium, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
ZAK PODMORE is an award-winning author and journalist who has spent more than a decade writing about water and conservation issues in the western United States.
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Fri, Oct 18
KEYNOTE | Brandon Mull, New York Times best-selling author
SLCPL Main, Auditorium
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
SLCPL Main, Auditorium, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Join us for an exciting keynote event featuring Brandon Mull, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms! Known for creating immersive worlds filled with adventure, magic, and unforgettable characters, Brandon Mull’s stories have captivated readers of all a
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Fri, Oct 18
AUTHOR TALK | "Stories from the Arches" with Jeff Nichols
SLCPL Main, Auditorium
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
SLCPL Main, Auditorium, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
The extraordinary landscape of what we now call Arches National Park thrills millions of visitors every year. But people have also lived and worked in the area since long before it was a park. Jeff Nichols shares stories from the Arches, featured in the new anthology, "The Arches Reader."
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Fri, Oct 18
CRAFT TALK | "The Joy, Wonder, and Magic of Research in the Middle Grade Book"
SLCPL Main, Conference Room B
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
SLCPL Main, Conference Room B, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Authors Allison Hong-Merrill, Chad Morris, and Stephanie Bearce will begin with a presentation about the magic of research in middle-grade novels.
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Fri, Oct 18
KID'S CRAFT TIME | "Imagine, Create, and Play!"
SLCPL Main | Kid's Room
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
SLCPL Main | Kid's Room, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Kids and their families are invited to visit the Children's Library Craft Room between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to draw, color, or create using provided materials.
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Fri, Oct 18
WORKSHOP | "Great Writing No Matter the Genre" with Lisa Mangum
SLCPL Main, Conference Room A
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
SLCPL Main, Conference Room A, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Lead by Lisa Mangum, this class will walk through the basics of conflict, character, goal, motivation, adversity, and voice and show you how to incorporate them into your author's toolbox so that you can write a great story regardless of genre.
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Fri, Oct 18
DISCUSSION | "The Book(s) that Changed Your Life" hosted by Anne Holman and Daniel Neville-Rehbehn
SLCPL Main, Conference Room C
Details
Oct 18, 2024, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
SLCPL Main, Conference Room C, 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Our guest speakers and members of the audience reflect on the books that shifted the course of their lives in small and big ways. This interactive and engaging conversation will explore the power reading has to impact our lives in ways we can't always see.
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EXPLORE ALL EVENTS

INFO

ABOUT THE
WASATCH FESTIVAL OF BOOKS

CELEBRATING LITERATURE & COMMUNITY

The Wasatch Festival of Books at Library Square is presented in partnership with the Salt Lake City Public Library and the 2024 Utah Humanities Book Festival. Collaboratively conceived by a group of Utah-based publishers, independent bookstores, and libraries, we invite people from across the Wasatch Front (and beyond!) to join us for this weekend-long celebration of reading, readers, and Utah’s diverse, vibrant, and thriving literary community.

The Wasatch Festival of Books is made possible through the generous support of Utah Humanities.

CONTACT

WHAT TO EXPECT

Two days. 20+ presenters and Vendors.

Authors & PRESENTERS

The lineup includes confirmed appearances by Jennifer Adams, Stacie Denetsosie, Allison Hong-Merrill, Brandon Mull, Zak Podmore, and many more. Keep an eye out for the full program announcement soon.

MARKETPLACE

The Festival Marketplace will take place on Friday, October 18th, and will be open to the public from 2pm to 8pm.

VENUE & ACCESSIBILITY

The first annual Wasatch Festival of Books will take place at Library Square! Find information on parking, public transportation, and accessibility options.

GET INVOLVED

We are committed to ensuring that the Wasatch Festival of Books at Library Square is accessible to all members of the community. The festival is free and open to the public.