Albany Book Festival

Welcome to the 4th annual Albany Book Festival, presented by the NYS Writers Institute at the University at Albany, featuring world-renowned authors, local authors, and online workshops on writing and publishing.  Stay tuned for more information on the event schedule, online workshops, and more! 

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Events subject to change

We are proud to announce that we are returning to a live, in-person and on-campus event for the 4th annual Albany Book Festival, presented by the NYS Writers Institute at the University at Albany on Saturday, September 25.  

After the coronavirus pandemic caused us to pivot to a virtual book festival last year, we are grateful to bring together a community of readers, writers, editors, publishers and booksellers once again in a celebration of literature. 

We will comply with all COVID-19 protocols and follow the guidance of health officials to ensure everyone’s safety. Thank you to our staff members, student and community volunteers, and generous sponsors who make this event possible.  

We are featuring a lineup of diverse voices who write in a variety of genres: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Ayad Akhtar, Bob Boyers, Elizabeth Brundage, Mary Gaitskill, Garth Greenwell, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Janell Hobson, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Amitava Kumar, Reif Larsen, Emily Layden, Ed Lin, George Makari, Bethany C. Morrow, Peter Osnos, Jay Parini, David Pietrusza, Nathaniel Philbrick, David Rohde, Ed Schwarzschild, Dana Spiotta, Setsuko Winchester and Simon Winchester. 

There will be a Local Authors Marketplace, readings by young local writers published in Skribblers magazine; and readings from banned books to help kick off Banned Books Week beginning September 26 with the theme, “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” 

We are expanding accessibility by offering our free writers workshops online this year. It means the best of both worlds. 

We look forward to welcoming you back to the Campus Center on September 25. 

Happy reading, 

Paul Grondahl, Director, NYS Writers Institute