SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The Saratoga Book Festival will return to the Spa City this October, providing four days of literary programming and events for Book Lovers in the Capital Region to enjoy.
Running from Thursday, Oct. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 4, the Festival’s schedule includes not only free programming for every age group and genre-enjoyer, but also will highlight more than 50 authors – such as Julia Alvarez, Chris Bohjalian, Julia May Jonas, Sigred Nunez and Francine Prose. There is something for everyone, no matter your age, reading level or favorite genre, with programming geared towards history, horror, memoir, romantasy, mystery, crime and poetry and more.
There will be three headlining events throughout the weekend, two on Saturday and one on Sunday, featuring conversations with some of the festival’s featured authors.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, during ‘Chris Bohjalian in Conversation with Joe Donahue,’ #1 New York Times bestselling author Bohjalian will talk about his latest blockbuster ‘The Amateur,’ and at 11 a.m. during ‘Julia Alvarez in Conversation with Rachel Person,’ Alvarez, who was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, will read from her new book ‘Visitations and discuss her career as a writer, poet, and teacher. Both of Saturday’s Headline Events will take place at Universal Preservation Hall, located at 25 Washington St.
Sunday’s Headline Event, ‘Skidmore College Presents Joan Lunden in conversation with Julie Chapman’, will take place at 10 a.m. in the Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College. The event will feature award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and longtime Good Morning America host Joan Lunden for a conversation about her newest book, ‘Joan: Life Beyond the Script.’
Kicking off the four-day festival will be a Keynote delivered by author, comedian, and actor Eric Idle, which will take place at Universal Preservation Hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday. During the event, Idle will talk about his new memoir, ‘Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme.’ This is the only ticketed event of the weekend, and those wanting to attend can purchase tickets through the Friends of the Saratoga Springs Public Library’s website.
Friday will include the return of the Saratoga Book Festival’s Literary Night Market and Local Author Showcase at Universal Preservation Hall, providing readers the chance to interact with and buy directly from more than 70 local authors and literary-themed vendors. The event is free to attend, and there will also be live music, light bites and a cash bar.
For those with younger readers in their life looking to enjoy the festival, Sunday’s schedule features a free Literary Marketplace for Young Readers from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga, located at 65 S Broadway. The afternoon will include crafts, stories, magic, and mascots as well as more than 40 local authors, vendors and exhibitors.
Events will be taking place at a variety of downtown Saratoga Springs locations. Along with Universal Preservation Hall, Skidmore and the Children’s Museum, locations include Caffe Lena, the Saratoga Springs Public Library and Saratoga Arts.
For more information about the festival and its programming, visit https://friends.sspl.org/book-festival/.
Full Session Schedule:
Saturday, October 3rd (All events are free)
9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Devising and Revising Poetry Workshop: Jay Rogoff & Marilyn McCabe (Saratoga Springs Public Library)
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – HEADLINE EVENT: Chris Bohjalian in Conversation with Joe Donahue (Universal Preservation Hall).
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – HEADLINE EVENT: Julia Alvarez in Conversation with Rachel Person (Universal Preservation Hall).
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Romantasy Tea with Mai Corland and Lauren Blackwood. Moderated by Caitlin Sheldon (Caffe Lena).
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Francine Prose in Conversation with Halimah Marcus (Caffe Lena)
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Sapphic Second Acts: Kate Fagan, Kim Van Alkemade & Kayla Rae Whitaker with Beck Krefting. (Saratoga Arts)
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Horror panel with Clay McLeod Chapman, Paul Tremblay, Christoph Paul & Saratoga Schaefer. Moderated by Trevor Oakley (Saratoga Springs Public Library).
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – John Searles and Jonathan Santlofer in Conversation with Ellen Beal. (Caffe Lena)
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m – Family of Spies: A True World War II Story of Espionage and Betrayal with Christine Kuehn & Mark Schiponi. Moderated by Matt Witten (Saratoga Arts)
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Confronting Looming Catastrophes in Speculative Fiction: Isabel J. Kim (Sublimation) & Yume Kitasei (Saltcrop). Moderated by author Robert Repino (Saratoga Springs Public Library).
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Crime Fiction Happy Hour: Nic DiDomizio and Ashley Winstead in Conversation with Abby Tegnelia. (Universal Preservation Hall).
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – The Art of the Short Story: Sigrid Nunez & Mark Mayer with Robert Boyers (Caffe Lena)
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Vladimir: Page to Screen Julia May Jonas in conversation with Kim van Alkemade about her debut novel that inspired the Netflix series. (Saratoga Arts)
7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. – Where the Music Had to Go: How Dylan and the Beatles Changed Each Other―and the World. (Saratoga Arts
Sunday, October 4th (All events are free)
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Crosswords & Coffee Chandi Deitmer, Kate Hawkins & Erica Wojcik with Natalie Moore.(Universal Preservation Hall)
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Joan Lunden in Conversation with Julie Chapman. (Zankel Auditorium, Skidmore College).
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Romance Panel with Jennifer Iacopelli & Elizabeth Everett. Author Donna Marchetti moderates. (Universal Preservation Hall)
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Murder Mystery book chat with Ashley Winstead & Jonathan Santlofer. Author Joshilyn Jackson moderates. (Saratoga Arts).
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Political Appetites: A Culinary History of America’s Revolution (Universal Preservation Hall).
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Writing Crime Fiction: A Conversation with Authors Joshilyn Jackson & Matt Witten (Saratoga Arts)
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Writing Memoir Cara Benson & Paul Taylor with Author Pat Nugent (Saratoga Springs Public Library)
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – The KidZone at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.– Parks & Rec: The Feel Good Comedy That Inspired a Vision for a Better America. Author and Pop Culture Guru Jennifer Keishin Armstrong joins Ellen Beal in a book chat. (Saratoga Arts)
2:30 p.m. to 3:3- p.m. – I Could Write a Book Workshop with Tamani Wooley, John Oliver & David Wilson (Saratoga Springs Public Library)
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – SBF Concluding Event: Poets Carol Graser, Elaine Handley, and Lucyna Prostko read from their new poetry collections. Hosted by Saratoga Poet Laureate Jay Rogoff.(Saratoga Arts)
From Left to right: John Safford, Ellen Beal, Steve Rosenblum, Jennifer Allen, Phil Bayly, Catherine Bruns and Matt Witten at the 2024 Saratoga Book Festival kickoff event. (Emma Ralls – Medianews Group)