Baltimore Book Festival (with SFWA Presence!)

Join SFWA Executive Director Isis Asare and President Kate Ristau for a SFWA stage of events at the 26th Baltimore Book Festival!

The 26th Baltimore Book Festival will kick off in September for its third year in the Waverly neighborhood. With origins in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, the festival was founded in 1996 by Baltimore Office of Promotions & the Arts, inspired in part by Mayor Schmoke’s “The City That Reads” initiative.

The festival’s popularity soared in the 2000s, drawing larger and larger crowds. In 2014, the festival was moved to West Shore Park and Rash Field, drawing up to 100,000 visitors. However, from 2020 to 2022 the event went on hiatus. In response merchants and other community leaders in Waverly organized the three-day Waverly Book Festival in April 2023.

With a new leader at the helm, BOPA took the lead on the official return of the Baltimore Book Festival. Working with local businesses such as Red Emma’s, Normal’s Books and Records, and the Peabody Heights Brewery, BOPA, CityLit and Waverly Main Street produced the 25th anniversary festival in the same footprint as the previous year’s Waverly Book Festival.

The Baltimore Book Festival has evolved from a downtown literary celebration into a dynamic, community-powered cultural cornerstone. Today, it honors its roots while showcasing Baltimore’s rich literary heritage and embracing emerging voices—making it a fixture truly reflective of the city’s diverse creative spirit.