Do you love books? Do you live in Texas? If you answered yes to both those questions, then congratulations! This post about Texas Book Festivals is the perfect post for you!
We also love books (seriously, LOVE them!), which is why we’re sharing all the Texas Book Festivals with you! From Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin, Houston, and beyond, we’ve got the inside scoop on every literary festival. Plus, we’ll show you why Texas book festivals are so much fun and what you can expect. Cheers to your next Festival pick!
Pssst. We’re giving special attention to DFW, because that’s our home. If you live here too, lucky you. Here’s What’s Up Dallas!
Table of Contents:
- Our Experience: Texas Book Festivals
- Texas Book Festivals by Region
- Other Texas Book Festivals and Recommendations
Our Experience: Texas Book Festivals
Texas book festivals are awesome — waaaaaay better than those Scholastic fairs in elementary school, where you could only afford a couple of erasers because all the books were too expensive.
Last year, I (Autumn) went to Dallas is Lit, and let me tell you — I found out so much about Dallas’s literary and art scene. It plugged me into the community in ways I never expected. Even better, I got to meet local authors and buy books and merch I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to grab in person. Like, for example, a book about a Black female samurai!!! (Yes, the three exclamation points are necessary.)
I also snagged a blind date with a fantasy book — all I know is that it’s set in Ireland and features a badass female heroine. At some point, I’ll curl up and dive into my surprise read, surrounded by all the other bookish goodies I picked up that day.
But that’s just my experience. What about yours? And what about all the other book festivals out there?
I’m so glad you (theoretically) asked!
Get inspired!
Texas book festivals give you the chance to meet your favorite authors in person. Take North Texas Teen Book Fest — a free, one-day festival that brings in 75 of your favorite Middle Grade and YA authors, all happy to meet fans and sign books (open to all ages!).
In 2025, New York Times Bestseller Jason Reynolds will be there. Maybe you know him as the guy who wrote Long Way Down or Miles Morales: Spider-Man. I know him as the man I met in New Jersey who encouraged me to keep writing my own book.
And let me tell you a secret about authors: they are accessible celebrities. They are just as excited to meet you as you are to meet them.
So, whoever your favorite author is? You just might be lucky enough to meet them at one of the Texas book festivals.
Texas Book Festivals by Region
Dallas-Fort Worth Book Festivals
If you read the previous section, you already know a little bit about Dallas is Lit and North Texas Teen Book Fest. But those fests are just the tip of the bookish iceberg — Dallas has so many festivals, and each one has its own unique flavor.
For the romance lovers, there’s Kiss & Tell, a festival that spotlights romance authors and readers. Want something with cultural depth? Tulisoma Book Fair, held at the Dallas African American Museum, celebrates stories by African American authors. Prefer a mix of history and Western charm? Bulls, Books, Boots, & Bling is a Black, Western-themed book festival that gives major cowboy vibes.
And let’s talk about Buns & Roses Romance Tea, where you don a cute outfit, sip tea with notable romance authors, and raise money for literacy charities. Or, if you’re into the indie scene, Denton’s Independent Author Festival is the spot for self-published and small-press books.
Basically, DFW book festivals have range — whatever your bookish heart desires, you’ll find it here. And if you go to Dallas is Lit, you’ll also have the chance to eat from a delicious gourmet food truck. And trust, that food was good!
Dallas County
- North Texas Teen Book Fest – Late February/ Early March (Las Colinas)
- Bulls, Books, Boots, & Bling – Mid March (Mesquite)
- Dallas is Lit – Mid May (Dallas)
- Kiss & Tell 2025 – Late June (Dallas)
- Dallas Antiquarian Book Fair – Late June (Carrollton)
- Texas Author and Reader Con – Late July (Irving/ Dallas)
- Tulisoma Book Fair – Late October (Dallas)
- Buns and Roses Romance Tea for Literacy – Late October (Richardson)
Tarrant County
- Mid-Cities Teen Book Fest – Late March, Returning in 2026(North Richland Hills)
- Maybe: Book Bonanza – Mid June (Grapevine)
- Trinity River Book Festival – Mid September (Fort Worth)
- Books, Burgers & More Spokenword Showcase – Late September (Arlington)
- Fort Worth Book & Paper Show – Usually Mid September. Re-scheduled for August 2025 (Fort Worth)
- The Traveling Bookshelf Author Signing – Early October (Grand Prairie)
Denton, Colin and Van Zandt
- Patchouli Joe’s Independent Author Festival – Late March (Denton)
- McKinney Literary Fest – Mid August (McKinney)
- East Texas Book Bash – Early December (Canton)
Bonus: Writer’s Conferences, ComicCons and More
- FenCon XX – Mid February (Dallas)
- Highland Park Literary Festival – Late February (Dallas)
- Tejas Storytelling Festival – Early March (Denton)
- Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Conference – Early October (Hurst)
- Cowtown ComicCon – Late October (Fort Worth)
- Waco Arts Fest – Mid November (Waco)
Other DFW Literary Resources!
I know we just listed every book festival in DFW, but it turns out we’re not the only ones who’ve done that before! If you want a full directory of all the literary resources in DFW, click here! Then you can check out all these DFW literary gems:
- Literary Festivals
- Independent Bookstores
- Publishers
- Literary Arts Organizations
- Creative Writing Classes
- Literary Series
- Literary Co-working space
- Book Clubs
- Writing Groups
- Literary groups, societies, collectives, and brands, and
- Literary Magazines!
Austin Book Festivals
Austin has a thriving literary scene! (Surprising absolutely no one.)
One time, my friend and I drove down to Austin for a BookTok Festival — if you’re unfamiliar, that’s the bookish side of TikTok, and yes, it’s just as chaotic and wonderful as you’d expect. We got to hear famous BookTok authors talk about their work, and we loved every second of it. Because of this conference, we also visited BookPeople, Austin’s iconic indie bookstore, which is basically a required pilgrimage for Texas book lovers.
Why am I telling you this? Because events like this happen all the time in Austin.
The Big Kahuna
Austin is home to the Texas Book Festival, the biggest and best book gathering in the state. Founded in 1995 by former First Lady Laura Bush, it’s one of the nation’s largest and most well-respected literary events. If there’s an author you love, there’s a very good chance they’ve been here at some point.
And if you’re a writer yourself, Austin is also home to the Writers’ League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference, where you can pitch your book to agents and editors in real time. (No pressure, right?)
TL;DR: If you’re talking about Texas book festivals, you actually might want to start with Austin and its surrounding cities.
- Fredericksburg Book Festival – Mid January
- Bookspring Fest, Early April
- Texas Library Association Annual Conference, Early April
- Austin Texas Book Trail, Mid April
- Greater Austin Book Fest, Late April
- Writers’ League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference, Mid June
- Austin African American Book Festival, Late June
- Armadillo Con, Mid September
- Lone Star Zine Fest, Mid September
- MexAmeriCon, Early November
- Texas Book Festival, Early November
- Humanities Texas Holiday Book Fair, Early December
Houston Book Festivals
Houston may not get as much bookish buzz as Austin or Dallas, but don’t let that fool you — this city knows how to throw a literary event.
Like its sister cities, Houston’s book festivals bring together authors, publishers, and book lovers for panels, signings, and storytelling sessions. Whether you’re into poetry slams, BIPOC literature, or conventions packed with graphic novels, there’s something for every kind of reader.
And let’s be real — Houston always attracts unusually awesome things. Case in point: Boozy Book Fair. Imagine reliving the Scholastic Book Fair, but with cocktails in hand (three cheers for books and alcohol!).
Houston’s book scene is fun, diverse, and let’s be honest, a little bit extra. And we love that for them.
- Boozy Book Tour, Varies across cities and states!
- Bookworm Festival for Young Readers, Early February
- Little BIPOC Book Fest, Mid March
- Teen Book Con, Mid April
- Houston Poetry and Arts Festival, Late April
- BIPOC Bookfest, Early May
- Boldface Conference, Mid May
- Comicpalooza, Late June
- National Black Book Festival, Late October
- Tweens Read Book Festival, Late October
- Jewish Book & Arts Festival, Early to Mid November
- Comic Indie Con, Mid December
Other Texas Book Festivals and Recommendations
To summarize, Texas book festivals let you connect with your community, discover books you didn’t even know you needed, snag some amazing bookish merch, and meet your favorite authors. They also help you experience books in a way you never thought possible!
But what if you’re not in DFW, Austin, or Houston? Don’t worry, mon chéri — we’ve got you covered. Just head over to the Lone Star Literary calendar, where you’ll find a full list of literary festivals across Texas. The layout sorts events by month instead of location, so it takes a little scrolling, but it’s way more comprehensive than what we’ve covered here. (Fun fact: it was actually part of the inspiration for this post!)
So, If you’re in San Angelo, Corpus Christi, El Paso, or anywhere else in Texas, just follow that link and hit Ctrl + F to find the book festivals near you.
It’s Autumn, signing off for now. And as always, if you want the inside scoop on things to do in Dallas, subscribe to our newsletter!
Oh, and if you’re in the mood for cozy vibes, check out our post on three cozy coffee shops in Dallas — one of which is a bookstore. Happy reading, and until next time!
