Celebrate Literature at the Columbus Book Festival

Book lovers unite in downtown Columbus this summer as Topiary Park comes alive to show off more than its iconic greenery. Taking over the park and the neighboring Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Main Library, the Columbus Book Festival features a marketplace of more than 200 visiting authors, food trucks and more. The free event began in 2023 as a part of the library’s 150th anniversary celebration and has returned every year since.  

“We planned to do the festival as a one-time anniversary gift to the community,” says Columbus Book Festival manager Mikalene Guiser. “It had such a great response that we decided we needed to continue it.” 

The festival has garnered a positive reputation not only among readers but among authors as well, with an attendee list that this year includes headliners Amal El-Mohtar, Gregg Hurwitz, Wally Lamb, Mary Alice Monroe, Victoria Christopher Murray and Anna Todd. Other featured authors will discuss their craft during panel discussions, lead activities in the Children’s Area and participate in book signings throughout the weekend. Tickets for the headliners’ talks are free but limited, so check the schedule for appearance times and reserve tickets online prior to the event. 

One of the most popular aspects of the weekend is the Festival Marketplace, where vendors line Topiary Park’s paths to sell book-related merchandise. Elsewhere in the festival, attendees can introduce themselves to independently published authors in Indie Author Alley or browse the Big Book Sale for deals on used titles. Visitors can also settle in by one of the two festival stages for a musical performance, poetry reading or story time, all of which emphasize the festival’s commitment to putting readers in touch with writers and other book lovers. 

“What we’re doing [is] trying to be a good community partner and provide an atmosphere that really connects customers to books,” Guiser says. 

96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus 43215, 614/645-2275, columbusbookfestival.org

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