December 2024
By Roxana Cobos, Translation Editor
On November 16-17th, 2024, the Texas Book Festival took place Downtown, in the Capital of Texas. From Congress Avenue all the way to Brazos Street, large tents filled the streets. The ambience was lively and welcoming as the festival marked its 29th year anniversary of bringing Austin a weekend of endless books and authors. As a lover of literature, I decided to attend in order to share this passion with other readers while also bringing y’all a mini guide of what to expect from the Festival!
Arriving at 11am, the Saturday morning lit up the festival with a warm light. I would recommend getting dropped off since I had some trouble finding a good parking spot. Along with this I would recommend wearing some comfortable shoes as you will be able to walk the surrounding streets of the Capitol. There was a little bit of everything at the festival so even if you aren’t exactly passionate about books, you will still enjoy interacting with different people and possibly find a cool book. It’s the kind of event where you can chat with authors, swap book recommendations with fellow readers, or discover something completely unexpected in one of the smaller tents. There were tents dedicated to new fiction, others to poetry and memoirs, and even a few showcasing graphic novels and indie presses. The authors weren’t just catered to an adult audience but for children as well. Kazu Kibuishi, the author for the book, Amulet, was present and was signing books on Sunday at 5pm and although I wasn’t able to get a copy, I saw pictures of other fans getting their books signed! Despite this festival being a recurring event, I still find it to be a cozy and comforting place despite its popularity. Having gone with friends, we stopped to get some food at a nearby Chipotle. If this isn’t your thing, no worries! The festival includes several food trucks ranging from tacos, pizza and some ice cream!
Overall, the Texas Book Festival 2024 was a celebration of more than just books—it was a celebration of community, creativity, and the simple joy of storytelling. You really get a feel of the diverse culture in Austin and how authors work to put such amazing pieces together. So, if you’ve never been to the Texas Book Festival before, put it on your calendar for next year. It’s the perfect event to unwind and spend some quality time with friends and most importantly- books!
The Cardinal Post 