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{{short description|Annual book fair}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Texas book festival 2012a.jpg|thumb|A person reading a book at the 2012 Texas Book Festival]]
The '''Texas Book Festival''' is a free annual [[book
In addition to the annual book festival, Texas Book Festival — a 501(c)(3) non-profit — organizes year-round literary programming and community outreach programs. This includes library grants to public libraries across Texas<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas Library Grants – Texas Book Festival |url=https://www.texasbookfestival.org/texas-library-grants/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.texasbookfestival.org}}</ref> and author visits with book donations to Title I schools through its Reading Rock Stars and Real Reads programs.
Since the inception of the Reading Rock Stars and Real Reads programs, the Texas Book Festival has donated more than 166,000 books to students in Title I schools and provided more than 757 author visits.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reading Rock Stars – Texas Book Festival |url=https://www.texasbookfestival.org/reading-rock-stars/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.texasbookfestival.org}}</ref>
As an organization, Texas Book Festival aims to inspire Texans of all ages to love reading through its mission to connect authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination.
==Beginnings==
The festival was established in 1995 by [[Laura Bush]], then the First Lady of Texas, and Mary Margaret Farabee, wife of former [[Texas State Senate|State Senator]] [[Ray Farabee]] with support of [[Robert S. Martin]], then Director and Librarian of the [[Texas State Library and Archives Commission]]. The festival was initially created to benefit the state's [[public library]] system,
==Expansion==
Since then, the festival has greatly expanded
With the assistance of Honorary Chairman and [[librarian]], Mrs. Bush, and a task force, the festival has grown, hosting more than 2,000 authors since its introduction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/firstlady/initiatives/texasbookfestival.html |title=Texas Book Festival |website=georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov |accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> It grew to hosting about 250 - 300 authors each year and attracting more than 40,000 attendees.<ref name=":0" />
==
The Texas Writer Award, formerly known as the Bookend Award, is awarded each year to a Texas writer in recognition of outstanding contributions to Texas literature. The award recipient is honored with a special session at the Texas Book Festival. Previous winners of the award include [[Lawrence Wright]], [[Sandra Cisneros]], [[Dan Rather]], [[Tim O'Brien (author)|Tim O'Brien]], [[Attica Locke]], [[Elizabeth McCracken]], [[Don Tate]], [[Rick Riordan]], [[Stephen Harrigan]] and [[Elizabeth Crook]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas Writer Award – Texas Book Festival |url=https://www.texasbookfestival.org/texas-writer-award/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.texasbookfestival.org}}</ref>
== First Edition Literary Gala ==
Traditionally help the Friday before festival weekend, the First Edition Literary Gala serves as Texas Book Festival's major annual fundraiser. Gala proceeds make it possible for Texas Book Festival to bring books and authors to 15,000 students in Title I schools every year, award grants to Texas public libraries, and keep the annual fall Festival free for all.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
This black-tie event is the premier social gathering in Central Texas that brings together literary luminaries, dignitaries, and cultural arts supporters. Past gala speakers include [[Sandra Cisneros]], [[Dan Rather]], [[Jacqueline Woodson]], [[Abraham Verghese]], [[Ann Patchett]], [[Laura Bush]], [[Margaret Atwood]], [[Celeste Ng]], [[James McBride (writer)|James McBride]], and other leading voices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Attend the Gala – Texas Book Festival |url=https://www.texasbookfestival.org/gala/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.texasbookfestival.org}}</ref>
==Selected annual details==
In 2020, the festival was held online, caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. In 2021, a hybrid was held, with both online and limited in-person components. In 2022, the festival returned to a fully in-person event. {{
The 2023 festival hosted a record{{cn|date=May 2024}} 330 authors including Pulitzer Prize winners [[Héctor Tobar]], [[Andrew Sean Greer]], [[Michael Cunningham]] and [[Lawrence Wright]]; National Book Award winners [[Jacqueline Woodson|Jacquline Woodson]], [[Tim O'Brien (author)|Tim O'Brien]] and [[Neal Shusterman]]; and many bestselling and critically-acclaimed authors like [[Stacey Abrams]], [[Roxane Gay]], [[Ann Patchett]], [[Abraham Verghese]], [[Curtis Sittenfeld]], [[Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah]], [[S. A. Cosby]], [[Ali Hazelwood]], [[Steve Inskeep]], [[Rachel Renée Russell]], [[Esmeralda Santiago]], [[Luis Alberto Urrea]], [[Jonathan Lethem]], [[Nikkolas Smith]], Ingrid Rojas Contreras and Steven Rowley.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-09 |title=Texas Book Festival Announces Lineup For This Weekend |url=https://www.kxan.com/studio-512/texas-book-festival-announces-lineup-for-this-weekend/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=KXAN Austin |language=en-US}}</ref> The 2023 Festival also saw the expansion of Spanish language programming.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nawotka {{!}} |first=Ed |date=November 9, 2023 |title=Texas Book Fest Expands Spanish-Language Programs |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/93691-texas-book-fest-expands-spanish-language-programs.html |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref>
The 2024 Festival is scheduled for November 16 and 17.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
==See also==
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===Works cited===
*{{cite
*{{cite web |first=Chantal |last=Rice |date=May 17, 2021 |title=Texas Book Festival returns to downtown Austin with hybrid event for 2021 |work=CultureMap Austin |url=https://austin.culturemap.com/news/arts/05-17-21-texas-book-festival-returns-with-hybrid-event-for-2021/ |access-date=2021-12-01}}
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{{Books}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Book fairs in the United States]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 1995]]
[[Category:Festivals in Austin, Texas]]
[[Category:Laura Bush]]
[[Category:Literary festivals in the United States]]
[[Category:
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