Festival of Literary Champs

The Fredericksburg Book Festival is returning for its second year on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

“With such great attendance at our first festival, it was clear this should become an annual event,” said Kathy Shearer, the 2026 festival’s co-chair. “Fredericksburg is a literary-friendly town that shows up for a good cause. It’s an honor to be a part of this wonderful addition to our town’s events calendar.”

The second annual festival, free and open to the public, will celebrate 10 Texas authors. There will be a track featuring authors of books for adults, and a second track presenting authors and illustrators of children’s books. Authors scheduled to attend include: Sandra Cisneros, Elizabeth Crook, Jenny Lawson, Joe Nick Patoski, Christopher Bodmann, David Bowles and Carmen Tafolla. More authors will be added to the schedule throughout the year.

Author sessions will include readings, panels, interviews and question and answer sessions. Book signings and sales will be with San Antonio’s The Twig Book Shop; a portion of sales will be donated to Pioneer Memorial Library.

The festival will be hosted in three locations — the library, St. Joseph’s Halle and the Gillespie County Historical Society’s Sanctuary. A complimentary trolley will shuttle attendees among the three venues.

There will be hands-on activities for children and teens, plus a pop-up appearance by Pete the Cat. At the sanctuary, special guest Typewriter Rodeo will be creating free custom, on-the-spot poems on vintage type-writers, based on whatever topic is requested. This year, for the first time, many Main Street restaurants will have specials for festival-goers who show their book festival attendee badge.

For information about volunteering at the festival and donating to Friends of the Written Word, email [email protected].