Miami Book Fair

Miami Book Fair

Date coming soon

$10 for adults, $5 for 13 to 18 and over 62 / 12 and under: FREE

By: Carolyn Keating | Oct. 28, 2019

The Main Event

The 2019 Miami Book Fair takes place from November 17 to 24 in Downtown Miami on the campus of Miami Dade College. This annual event draws more than 500 authors and literary luminaries to Miami for lectures, readings, panel discussions and a street fair. "Every author comes ready for dialogue, presenting a book that frequently animates our national discourse," says Lissette Mendez, Director of Programs, Miami Book Fair, Miami Dade College.

It’s a literary extravaganza made all the more special by Miami’s multi-ethnic population. That means you’ll hear authors read from their books in English, Spanish, French and Kreyol; you’ll taste international foods at the fair’s kiosks; and you can dance to the rhythms of jazz, soul, flamenco and bossa nova at “the Porch” – the Book Fair’s open air stage. Best of all, you will be surrounded by Miami’s palm trees, blue skies and fresh bay breezes.

The Street Fair & Festivities

The bulk of Miami Book Fair’s programming takes place on Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 when the Street Fair is in full swing. Readings and other events are scheduled across the Miami Dade campus. Highlights this year include filmmaker John Waters, Blondie singer Debbie Harry, Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, conservative columnist George Will and United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power. Pulitzer Prize winners and Miami Herald columnists Dave Barry and Leonard Pitts, Jr. will be there, along with Miami-centric crime fiction writers Carl Hiaasen (Strip Tease, Razor Girl) and James Grippando (author of the Jack Swyteck Series). At the Miami Book Fair, graphic novels rub shoulders with political diatribes, zines, comic books, children’s books, cook books, poetry, vintage books and so much more.

Families will want to check out to Children’s Alley, where storytellers, arts and crafts, and live music keep ‘tweens, teens and young adult readers engaged in the magic of books. Since little readers become lifelong readers, the Book Fair accepts donations of gently used children’s books. You can also buy a new book for a child in need.

Street Fair Admission

Friday, November 22: admission is FREE.
Saturday and Sunday, November 23 and 24: $10 for adults; $5 for ages 13 – 18 and over 62; FREE for kids ages 12 and under. No need to wait in line at the entrance if you purchase your tickets in advance.

“An Evening With” Series

The “Evenings With” series acts as a prelude to the fair’s weekend, when high profile authors command a large audience. These are ticketed events that often sell out fast, so if there’s someone you want to see, be sure to buy your tickets in advance. This year’s “An Evening With” series will feature Ta-Nehisi Coates, Samantha Power, Gioconda Belli, Eve Ensler, George F. Will, Mo Rocca and Debbie Harry, among others. The series concludes Friday night with “An Evening With” the National Book Awards Winners and Finalists in fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

Year Round Book Fair Events

Miami Book Fair programming enriches the city’s cultural landscape year-round. Each year at the Book Fair, ReadCaribbean draws Caribbean authors for lively discussions on the diverse literary culture of the Caribbean, including the challenges many face when emigrating from island nations. The Miami Book Fair also supports the Little Haiti Book Fair, which takes place in May at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. Other literary programming includes creative writing workshops, a literacy initiative, events in Spanish and the annual Paz Prize for Poetry. Books & Books is Miami’s largest indie bookstore and a founding member of the Book Fair. It holds author events almost every day of the year at its locations in Coral Gables, South Beach, Downtown Miami and beyond.

Local Flavor

Miami currently boasts a thriving tropical garden of independent and small presses. Jai-Alai Books, Jitney Books, EXILE Books, Lominy Books, Akashic Books, Books & Books Press and others are all adding to Miami’s literary landscape in unique ways. Many will be showcasing their authors’ novels, poetry, art books and zines at the Miami Book Fair. If you go, be sure to browse Miami’s talented homegrown writers.

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