Location
About
The Salt Lake Book Festival is a literary gathering on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at The Gateway in Salt Lake City, Utah. A special event, The Prologue, is held the night before (Friday, October 16) at the downtown library.
The festival is designed for everyone: devoted readers, the casually curious, families, kids, tweens, and first-timers.
Attendees can expect author conversations, panel discussions, book signings, and sessions across multiple stages, including:
- Main stage (about 400 seats)
- Kiln co-working space stage (about 200 seats)
- Family-focused story hour
The main festival day and market are free and open to the public. Some programming and specific festival areas require tickets—particularly select stage events and The Prologue. Tickets are available for advance purchase. Registration, full schedule details, and tickets are available via the event website.
The 2026 lineup includes authors such as Jodi Picoult, Nghi Vo, Brian Laidlaw, Kaela Rivera, Alexis Powell, Aly McKnight, among others.
Attendance is anticipated to reach about 4,500 people in the inaugural year.
If you're interested in volunteering, becoming a vendor, or supporting the festival through partnerships or donations, there are opportunities to get involved.