Bringing the magic off the pages and onto the streets of Downtown Miami, the Miami Book Fair returns to the Wolfson Campus for its 43rd year.
The eight day festival held from Nov. 15-22, will unite more than 500 authors with programs in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
As the longest running literary festival in the United States, the MBF offers fairgoers live music, food and engaging activities for even the youngest readers to enjoy.
The fair’s staple events include the ever-popular Evenings With program that invites writers and journalists to discuss their latest works ranging from nonfiction, fiction and poetry and the weekend Street Fair from Nov. 20-22 that leaves downtown littered with colorful tents filled with a range of vendors books, comics, merch and trinkets.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back,” said Lissette Mendez, the executive director of Miami Book Fair.
To celebrate the start of the long-awaited week, the fair will host its Opening Day Block Party on Nov. 15 with Miami classics and early disco music filling the air.
All the entertainment will take place in the Kyriakides Plaza where Oscar G., an iconic Miami DJ from the 90s, will perform a throwback set for free.
But the music fun doesn’t stop there. The Off the Shelf program will share the stage with various musicians during the Street Fair with local South Florida rock and jazz artists.
Nov. 15 kicks off the first Evenings With event with five different conversations, three of which are free, with featured guests like journalist Santiago Roncagliolo and actor Tony Shalhoub with producer Josie Adams.
“People say Miami isn’t literary, but [the Fair] has been here since 1984,” said Molly Sepsenwol, a programs coordinator for adult English prose and poetry for the MBF.
Authors headlining the Book Fair include Margaret Atwood, writer of the modern classic The Handmaid’s Tale, Salman Rushdie, critically acclaimed novelist of Midnight’s Children and Marlon James, a finalist for the 2026 Booker Prize for The Disappearers.
Fatimah Asghar, a poet, novelist and filmmaker, will be part of a panel reading and book signing, presenting their poetry collection Daughter of the Mountains.
The book recounts Asghar’s journey back to their homeland, where they met their father’s family for the first time since his passing when they were six years old.
“I think that Miami Book Fair is an incredible festival and very unique in that it really promotes beautiful conversations between writers,” the 36-year-old poet said.
But, all the fair fun is not reserved just for adults.
The Miami Book Fair Children’s Alley will provide entertainment with various science experiments, storytime readings, wildlife stations and artistic crafts.
Jay Flores, the star of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, will participate in the fair for the first time to promote his bilingual Engineer Someday and Mechanical Engineer Someday children’s books.
“It’s great for kids to have an opportunity to explore things hands-on, it helps bring their curiosity to life in a fun way that can’t always be explored in the classroom,” Flores said.
He will do a live stage performance of ‘It’s Not Magic, It’s Science!’, presenting science experiments with household items, and presenting Scribble Bots, an activity that combines science and art together.
Tickets for Evening’s With and other programs can be purchased online and the Street Fair is free for students, faculty and staff with a valid MDC ID.
“Bring your friends, bring your children, spend an afternoon wandering through the Street Fair, listen to an author you’ve never heard of…simply enjoy being surrounded by people who are excited about stories and ideas,” Mendez said.
View Miami Book Fair’s full schedule here: https://miamibookfair.com/miami-book-fair/fair-guide/
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